This month I celebrated 43 years in full-time ministry. It's arduous to consider that I've been on this job for thus lengthy – possibly as a result of a lot of the years have been an amazing pleasure. Right here are some things I might do in a different way if I had been beginning over:
1. I might pray extra. Truthfully, my present curiosity in prayer has actually elevated after I used to be a pastor for a number of years. My pastoral years would have been completely different if I had spent extra time on my knees.
2. I might advise much less. I assumed I needed to have solutions for my church members, it doesn’t matter what their issues had been. Now, I might far more rapidly refer my members to counselors who’re extra educated than I’m.
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3. I might delegate extra. I've burned out greater than as soon as merely for collaborating all. I couldn't perceive what was occurring with out the pastor, so I stayed concerned.
4. I might spend extra time away from my workplace. I attempted my finest to do evangelism, but it surely was simple to get caught up within the church world. I understand now that I can't attain misplaced individuals if I don't know any.
5. I might say “thanks” to my spouse extra usually. I served as a pastor for 10 years earlier than I received married, however Pam modified all the things for me. Each day I understand extra that he’s God's reward to me.
6. I might research extra for my sermons. It wasn't till a couple of years into my pastoral ministry that I started to delve actually deeply into sermon preparation. Seminary—particularly the years of my doctoral work—had been enormous for me on this area.
7. I might search for methods to be extra related to my group. In my final 12 months of full-time pastoral ministry, I additionally served in its place English instructor at our native major faculty. I might do it once more (along with different technique of becoming a member of) merely to know what’s going on in my group.
8. I might spend extra time with older adults within the church. I suppose it could be that I perceive them quite a bit higher now that I'm 63 years previous… however now greater than ever I understand how a lot knowledge there may be on this group.
9. I might take heed to extra members who’re wiser than me. These individuals had been often deacons or different workers. I look again and see all too usually after I missed it as a pacesetter as a result of I didn't pay attention.
10. I might take days off and all the time take a trip. I not often did both, particularly after I was single. That was not clever.
11. I might go on a mission journey at the very least annually. My coronary heart for the nations didn’t develop till years after I left full-time pastoral ministry. I deeply remorse this reality now.
12. I might not permit criticism to distract and discourage me. Generally the criticism ate at my soul as a result of I carried the burden slightly than giving it to God. I pray I don't now.
Veteran pastors, what would you do in a different way?
Initially revealed in Church Solutions.
Chuck Lawless at the moment serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Research at Southeastern Seminary. Convention speaker and creator or co-author of greater than ten books, incl Religious Warfare: Biblical Fact for Victory, Realized warriors, Donning armor, Instructorand Religious warfare within the story of Scripture, Dr. Lawless has a robust curiosity in discipleship and mentoring. You possibly can join with Dr. by Lawless Twitter and Fb.
