Through January 1st of 2012 I’d like to “Re:Post” one blog a day from each month of 2011. Maybe it’s a highly viewed blog, a favorite of mine or one that impacted me the most. Enjoy this one from February:
Been thinking about something lately that I thought I’d take time to blog about. It really is directed specifically to pastors who have planted a church and are still leading that church. Not that this couldn’t or doesn’t apply to anyone else. You could make parallels to start up business owners, para-church ministries, ministries inside the church and pastors who lead but didn’t start the church…but I want to specifically talk to the lead planter. (Don’t even know if any other lead planters read my blog, but if anything, it’s good journaling for me)
In May of 2008, Pastor Adam and I attended the Whiteboard Sessions, a conference hosted by Ben Arment. It was the first conference I went to as the pastor of Element Church, and I left FULL of practical information and help. At Whiteboard there were 8 speakers, each given 30 minutes to share their one idea with church leaders. It was one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended. One phrase though stuck out to me and I’ve been reminded of it lately. Ed Stetzer was the last leader to speak, and he said this: “Most of you will not experience ministries like you’ve seen here today, but if you do…it will probably hurt more than you thought, and you’ll struggle more than you ever imagined.” I think I said “WOW!” out LOUD from the 2nd row where we were sitting.
Now, I sure don’t lead a ministry like any of the ones we saw represented on that platform that day, but the Lord has definitely blessed us at Element, and we’ve been able to see things happen in 3 1/2 yrs that I wasn’t sure would happen over the life of our ministry. Then I read Paul’s defense of his Apostolic Authority in 2 Corinthians 11. Now remember, the church at Corinth was “planted” during Paul’s second missionary journey. He was the one who started that church, and in a very real sense, while he wasn’t there in person, was still the “pastor” of those people. He was comparing himself to other “false” apostles and he said some very emotional things in 2 Corinthians 11:22-29. You can read it HERE. (Go ahead, read it)
Pastor…specifically, lead planter: As I read those words, I was reminded of some things about the position we are in. I hope this is encouragement to someone, ’cause I know what it’s like to be in your position. (I realize that Christ goes beyond ANYTHING I’m about to say next. I’m referring to other people within humanity. Just thought I’d point that out)
1. No one else CAN or WILL sacrifice as much as you do for the church. Paul says in v. 23 “I know I sound like a mad man, but I have served him (Christ) FAR MORE!” There will come a day where you feel “MAN, it seems like I’m sacrificing so much more than anyone else.” YOU SHOULD! No one else was there when God gave you the vision. No one else was there when the thought of planting the church was birthed in your heart. No one else! It’s like parents having a child. You’ll do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING for your children. Why? No one else was there when they were conceived. No one else went through the pain of delivery. No one else put together a plan of how to care for that child. No one else…
2. No one else CAN or WILL be wounded as much as you are for the church. When people take shots at the church, it’s YOU that receives the wound. When people criticize the ministry, it’s YOU that bears the scar. When someone attacks the vision, it’s YOU that wonders if you made a mistake. When someone says “I love the church…BUT…” It’s you that remembers everything they say next. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and yes even physically, NO ONE ELSE will be more wounded than you for the church. That’s why the first thing I tell ANYONE considering ministry “DON’T DO IT, unless you’re called by God.” Paul says “I worked harder…was put in prison…beaten times without number…stoned…shipwrecked…spent whole nights adrift at sea…faced danger…endured sleepless nights…been hungry and thirsty…cold and naked…MORE than ANYONE else.” No one else…
3. No one else CAN or WILL feel more pressure about the church than you do. Paul says “Besides all this I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.” You know what that daily burden feels like don’t you? Waking up at night. Not being able to sleep. The constant weight and pressure of the enormity of responsibility that you want to handle with the UTMOST integrity. That weight…that pressure…that daily burden of concern NEVER goes away. EVER! No one else…
4. No one else CAN or WILL care more deeply for the people than you do. Paul continues with “Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray and I do not burn with anger?” No one else hurts more than you when someone falls into sin. No one else worries more than you about the marriage that’s about to fall apart. No one else is angered more than you when the volunteer leader has that affair. It’s you that takes responsibility for every moral failure in the church. No one else…
Now, if I stopped there you might want to quit right now. Or maybe you might find encouragement in knowing you are not alone. At the very least, Paul experienced some of the same struggles you do. Maybe you know now that other pastors out there walk through the same hurts, struggles and pain that you have. BUT, it doesn’t stop there.
5. No one else CAN or WILL celebrate as much as you celebrate. Love like you love. Rejoice like you rejoice. Be satisfied like you’re satisfied. Smile like you smile. Receive like you receive. And the list goes on and on and on.
Pastor, I can honestly say that (outside of parenting) leading a church has been THE MOST DIFFICULT thing I’ve EVER done in my life…but it’s also been THE MOST REWARDING. Does a pastor hurt? Absolutely! Does he get wounded? Often! Does he sacrifice? Greatly! Does he care? Maybe more than anyone else knows or will ever know! Would he do it all over again? For a MILLION years!
Pastors…no one else! I hope that encourages you today!
Till the end,
Jeff
Just recently I finished one of the BEST reads I have done in a while. It’s the first book I chose to read in 2012, and MAN am I glad I read it. The book is called The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. The Circle Maker is a book all about prayer, and it’s based off the true legend of a man named Honi, who became known as “the circle maker”. Honi was a Jewish sage whose bold prayer ended a drought and saved a generation. It’s this inspiring story that Mark uses as a launching pad to challenge us to “pray circles” around things in our life. This is not a “name it claim it” kind of book. It’s a “Trust in the NAME of God” kind of book. Mark not only talks about ANSWERED prayers, but UN-ANSWERED ones as well and how we walk through those seasons of silence.
