RECENTLY I INTERVIEWED AN OLDER MINISTER
As a younger minister myself, I am always interested in what I can learn from those ahead of me.
It's been said that a true leader is, "One who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
This man is definitely that type of leader.
In our conversation together I was prompted to ask him this question.
"What are the three most important things in ministry?"
Coming from someone who has been in Pastoral ministry for well over 30 years I was encouraged by what he said.
PRAYER
He told me that its important to spend time with the Lord personally in prayer. He also said it was important to pray for others.
Prayer is what keeps us connected to God, and keeps us connected to our community.
It's been said that, "Prayer is just as important as air is to our lungs, it's how we breathe."
We must pray daily and often.
PEOPLE
I was encouraged to make sure that we take care of the people.
The people need to know that we care.
The people must be important to us.
The people must be called on the phone and visited often.
The people are why we do what we do.
If God loves the people then we should love the people also.
PREACH
We must preach solid biblical messages from our pulpits.
We must encourage the people to open up their bibles.
We must read the bible out loud.
We must deliver the truth found in God's word.
We must preach theologically but simple.
We have to bring the cookies down from the top shelf and hand them to the people.
The people need to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Acts 2:42, 43 tells us, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.