Reflecting on 4 years of ministry here at Malvern Hill, here is a list of four things that God has taught me and is continuing to teach me that are imperative for leadership within the local church.
- Priority over People. The Great Commission is the priority of God’s church. Often, within the church, people want to be coddled or otherwise pleased. As a result, people will sometimes object to the accomplishment of Great Commission objectives. In these instances, pastors and church leaders must place the priority of the Great Commission over the wants and desires of unhappy church members.
- People over Programs. It has often been said in jest that ministry would be easy if not for the people. Truthfully, however, I find myself sometimes objecting to people messing up my schedule, or my calendar, or my perfectly designed program. People matter more than your programs, programs and systems exist to serve people and ministries, not people to serve programs.
- Conviction over Comfort. Often, when we are convicted about things that must be done, hard decisions that must be made, people that must be confronted we quickly realize that acting on our convictions will not be comfortable. It is often uncomfortable to act on our godly convictions, but we must choose conviction over comfort, otherwise comfort will overwhelm us and woo us into ineffective ministries.
- Private Disciplines before Public Ministry. Haddon Robinson says that God prepares preachers, not sermons. Preachers are made in private study and devotion. In prayer, Bible study, and time spent alone with their families. Without personal spiritual disciplines and rightly aligned priorities, you will fail both in private and in public. The person you are in private will build the person you are in public.
