What I Have Learned in Twenty Years of Ministry
We are grateful to have a guest writer this week, Pastor James Johnson. James has been in ministry for over twenty years. James is married to his beautiful wife, Karen. They have two children, Andy and Clara. James has served the Lord at multiple churches all over the southeast. Today, he serves as Student Pastor at Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Upstate South Carolina. His church is focused on “Living out the Gospel to inspire Upstate families toward a Lasting Priority.”
What I Have Learned in Twenty Years of Ministry
When I look back, it is so hard to conceive that I have been in the ministry for nearly twenty years. The majority of that time has been spent in student ministry. I am literally a dinosaur to my fellow colleagues. So, what would I say that encompasses the sum of my experience and what would I pass on?
Below are three principles that I hope will encourage and strengthen you.
Attention to the Lord
The temptation for anyone in ministry, full-time, bi-vocational, or volunteer, is to get busy. Truthfully, that is what we have been taught. Idle hands are no good and by all means, we do not want to look lazy. Student ministry workers have always gotten a bad rap in this area because of a handful of irresponsible individuals.
Consequently, we fill our time. Our calendars become full of what seems to be meaningful activities. We then begin struggling with spending time with the Lord, which is the very thing that we are trying to lead our students and their families to accomplish. We replace intimate time with our Savior with reading, writing, and studying to teach the transformational truths that should be transforming us.
The word Abide is used ten times in John 15. Verse five teaches, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We must take careful attention to Abide in Christ. This word means to, “step into union.” It means we are actively participating with what the Lord is doing in our life. Before fruit can happen and before Gospel seeds can be sown into others, the abiding believer must have saturated their life with their Savior.
We spend an abundance of time talking about goal setting, results in ministry, and overcoming hurdles. We soon forget that before any of these things can happen in their fullest, we must abide in Christ.
No matter where you are in ministry today, I beg of you, spend time with your Savior.
Attention to Your Family
I am called, first, to be a minister in my home. Before the calling on my life to minister to the church, I have the calling on my life to be a minister to my family. The things I teach to my church family have zero weight to those who know me best in my home if I do not live them out in their presence. My family knows where I am weak, where I struggle, what triggers my anger, what makes me sweat with fear, and what I get most excited about. The Gospel roots that I plant, cultivate, and fertilize are a priority to the people in my home.
Like many in ministry, I am a people pleaser. This has been a problem in my life at various times. I want everyone to be happy and fulfilled. I have had to learn that is not my job. Only God can do that in the heart of the individual. My job and my focus is on the discipleship, training, and equipping of my family. Once I make that adjustment in my priorities will I be most successful in the work that God has called me to in His church. The Apostle Paul gives Timothy, his apprentice, these important words, “…for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”
Attention to Fellow Servants
Wether you have one person that serves with you or many, do not forsake them. In Bible college, learning to be a student pastor, I was taught that I needed to spend one third of my time with students, one third with parents, and one third with my leaders. Later in seminary, this same directive was presented. The longer I am in ministry the more I see that this is excellent advice. The time you spend with your leaders will yield tremendous results. We are called to equip the saints for ministry.
The book of Ephesians if filled with great insights on how the church is supposed to function and how its leaders are to help accomplish building a healthy Christ-centered community. “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
If the body of Christ is going to grow, it needs leaders who invest in other leaders. With the variety of issues that students deal with, I need leaders who can help carry the load of heavy ministry. I am thankful for the variety of leaders that I have had over the years. Without them, I would have never been able to accomplish much of anything in ministry. Take some time and honor those individuals in your ministry today!
James Johnson
Student Pastor
Brushy Creek Baptist Church, Easley South Carolina