-I am not a politician. My goal was not to win a debate, but to redeem the heart. I lost some very good people in my time of serving because I would not agree with them on every issue. Church politics can be as messy as public politics. Your goal as a Christian should be to please the Lord and not let personal issues or private convictions stop you from the main goal-winning the lost for Jesus!
-My public witness was only as authentic as my private integrity. There are times it's easier to blend in with the crowd than stand up against it. When you are by yourself is the time when Satan attacks you the most. Make sure you're prepared to hold on tightly to the hand of God so as not to compromise your identity.
-Great instruction can be found everywhere, but there is no greater source of wisdom than the Bible and no investment that yields greater returns than prayer. Preaching without prayer is powerless. We all can do it, but the Word is much more effective when anointed by prayer.
-I only validated hate when I responded in like spirit. This is a hard one because some church members do all they can to irritate you or cause you pain. It is in those moments regretfully you often fail, but God can restore a right Spirit in you. Arguing gets you nothing but difficulty; hate brings you nothing but sorrow.
-Jesus should never be presented as less than He claimed to be: the way, the truth and the life. I had no problem with this and neither should you. If you are going to preach anything preach Jesus, crucified, buried, and raised triumphantly from the grave. It's a subject that will never fail.
-I lived first and foremost to please a heavenly audience. Quit trying to appease people. You are a leader/servant, but you are living to please Him. You'll never please every person, but you should try to please the Lord in every way possible
-My legacy was not found in things that matter least, but in people who matter most. It's not how many buildings you build, the attendance you run, or the finances you bring in-It's about the individuals you invest in and the return they bring to the kingdom. When I die, only a few will remember me, but those I invested in will carry on the flame of the gospel.
-The generation into which I am born was my calling and it beckoned me to be fully engaged. You cannot just emphasize reaching one age group and let the rest die in vain. Reach the people you have first and then go after the multitudes. Too often we go for the crowd, and forget the ones dying at our feet.
-When Jesus paused while dying on the cross to make certain his mother was cared for, He showed how to prioritize family amidst ministry. If I have any regrets it's in this area. I put church first more than I should and I missed precious time with my family. Pastor, without your family, gaining the whole world means very little. Make sure you have time for them in your schedule.
-Sermons can inspire, but it is love in action that makes the most profound impact. Most pastors can preach a decent sermon, but it's acting on those sermons that turn people's lives around. Preach it well, but live it as well. When they see Jesus through and in you it will make a difference in the words you speak.
As I look to the next generation of ministers I am keenly aware that they will seek to touch a world that is increasingly distracted by obstacles that are far greater than many of us realize. Absolutes will be challenged as those who oppose Biblical precepts become more organized and vocal. Let your strength be in presenting not religion, but a relationship with Jesus Christ. Learn all you can, be all you can, and give all you can to fulfill the greatest calling in all the world.
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