Experience really is the best teacher if lessons learned shape future actions. This is especially true in ministry.
I was recently asked to participate in a podcast about lessons I wish my younger self had known. In other words, what important lessons would I encourage other church leaders to consider and possibly adopt?
Here are a few that stand out:
Stay updated on stories like this — Get news delivered to your inbox
1. Discover and focus on principles. I heard this years ago, and it stuck: “Methods are many; principles are few. Methods will change; principles never do.” As church leaders, we often lean toward methods of ministry. Methods are important, but they should always align with principles.
Principles are true for every church and leader, regardless of church size, style, age, or other demographics. Examples include: Discipleship takes place best in the context of relationships; relationships are more likely to develop in smaller groups; and the more generous you are, the more God gives you to be generous.
2. Don’t chase fads. There’s always the latest … the greatest … the hottest. Be cautious — just because a practice works well in one church doesn’t mean it will work the same in another.
Fads are always temporary. Just review the last several decades of church life. Once-popular practices were put on the shelf and replaced by the next. However, this doesn’t disqualify new methods. New creates excitement, and people invite others to what they’re excited about. But make sure change is based on your end goal, and that new methods are grounded in principles.
3. Know your culture. Culture is simply the environment in which we live. Learn the culture of both your church and your community.
No two people are just alike. The Lord created us as unique individuals. While we may share some similarities, each person differs from all others. The same is true of churches. If God made every person unique, why would we think churches should be alike?
Churches do share similarities, like the same Great Commission and the call to make disciples. But how we make disciples looks different from church to church because each church is unique, as are the communities in which they exist.
Wise leaders know their culture and lead from within it. Perhaps that culture needs to change. It can — but usually on a slow, deliberate, and wise track.
4. Love your mission field. Ministry originates with the Lord, so if he placed you in a particular church or ministry, choose to love that mission field.
At First Baptist Church Hendersonville, we’ve defined our mission field geographically. While there are outliers, most of our members and guests come from that defined area. As church leaders, we should love the people and community for whom God has given us responsibility. We focus on taking the gospel to people in that area because we see it as our mission field.
5. Run ministry on the rails of evangelism and spiritual maturation. A train runs on two rails, and each is necessary. The same is true for churches. Discipleship is composed of two primary elements: evangelism and spiritual maturation. Both are essential for accomplishing the Great Commission.
It’s not uncommon for churches to focus more on one track than the other. Leaders may lean more toward evangelism or more toward spiritual maturation. But church leaders can focus on both equally through intentional plans and ministry.
These are a few of the lessons I’ve learned through the years — lessons I wish I’d known earlier in my ministry. There are certainly more, but that’s where experience becomes the teacher. The key is to stay a learner.
So, I’d be interested in knowing: What’s on your list?
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Bruce Raley, executive pastor at First Baptist Church Hendersonville, and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
