I went to our sectional pastors breakfast that we have every couple of months. I was supposed to be there at 8:30 but my alarm didn't go off and I got up at 8. The breakfast was an hour away. Oh well. I'm glad I went anyway. Our Assistant DS was a guest and spoke about the nuts and bolts of ministry. It was good and I wanted to share a few of his thoughts with you.
He talked about how most things are put together with nuts and bolts and often times you don't even see them. But they are essential for holding things together. So he shared 5 nuts and bolts about ministry that in the long term will hold us together.
1. Pain - Ministry that costs nothing is worth nothing.
Timothy was a workmen approved by God. He was to live a life of holiness and study of God's Word. We are all put through the manufacturing process to become what God wants us to be. Often times we get beat up in our churches by people. We should come through that broken not battered. If we are going to live for God we must live with Him.
Clinton - "The Making of a Leader" gives five points to the life of a leader.
1. Cradle - we cannot choose where and when we are born
2. Character development - this is the next phase of a persons life
3. Core skills - this is the phase typically between 30-40 years old that we develop our core skills of ministry.
4. Cruise mode - this is when we have come to a point of development and a level of competency that allows us to begin to relax.
5. Convergence - that time that we retire and reflect on our past deeds
Pain reveals the character traits we don't have that in order we may be able to work on them.
2. Promise - build ministry on the promises of God and not on the praises of men.
3. Persistence - Staying at your post (Col. 3:23 - Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men,")
Produce wherever you go. We are not called to do something we are called to someone. We are called to the person of Jesus Christ.
4. Prayer - it is about changing me not about changing the church
Our prayers should not focus on the numbers. That God would grow our church to the next level. Rather our prayers should focus on God growing us to lead at the next level. Listening more than talking.
5. Performance - Finishing well (Acts 20:24 - "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.")
We must learn to live in light of His soon return.
He talked about how most things are put together with nuts and bolts and often times you don't even see them. But they are essential for holding things together. So he shared 5 nuts and bolts about ministry that in the long term will hold us together.
1. Pain - Ministry that costs nothing is worth nothing.
Timothy was a workmen approved by God. He was to live a life of holiness and study of God's Word. We are all put through the manufacturing process to become what God wants us to be. Often times we get beat up in our churches by people. We should come through that broken not battered. If we are going to live for God we must live with Him.
Clinton - "The Making of a Leader" gives five points to the life of a leader.
1. Cradle - we cannot choose where and when we are born
2. Character development - this is the next phase of a persons life
3. Core skills - this is the phase typically between 30-40 years old that we develop our core skills of ministry.
4. Cruise mode - this is when we have come to a point of development and a level of competency that allows us to begin to relax.
5. Convergence - that time that we retire and reflect on our past deeds
Pain reveals the character traits we don't have that in order we may be able to work on them.
2. Promise - build ministry on the promises of God and not on the praises of men.
3. Persistence - Staying at your post (Col. 3:23 - Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men,")
Produce wherever you go. We are not called to do something we are called to someone. We are called to the person of Jesus Christ.
4. Prayer - it is about changing me not about changing the church
Our prayers should not focus on the numbers. That God would grow our church to the next level. Rather our prayers should focus on God growing us to lead at the next level. Listening more than talking.
5. Performance - Finishing well (Acts 20:24 - "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.")
We must learn to live in light of His soon return.
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