I have a new senior pastor. He hasn't even preached his first sermon here yet. Seeing the change coming for quite a few months now has given me time to think about transitions. Since I have never been a senior pastor (though it looks pretty easy) I have no advice specific to senior pastors. But I do have some thoughts for anyone anywhere that has ever started something.
Actually, getting started is oftentimes most of the problem. John Maxwell talks about this when talking about leadership and influence. He says that when momentum is created it solves 80% of the problems in an organization. It makes sense in our personal lives. The hardest part of finishing a bag of cookies is getting up and forcing yourself to get the bag. But once momentum is created...
But starting is a must in our lives. Homework doesn't get done before it is started. Neither do home projects, reading assignments, reports, applications, training, etc.
I was once asked for my advice when it comes to deciding if one should be a youth pastor. I have only 2 rules.
#1. Get out now. If you choose to ignore #1, then...
#2. Commit at the beginning to be there until the end.
While I sometimes question having a second rule, #2 applies to people of every age and in every situation. Except for fortune-tellers, people do not know what the next adventure holds. It doesn't matter if that adventure is a new job, a new baby or simply tomorrow.
There are many things that we cannot control. But we do have control over our choices. No matter the situation or audience we alone have the final say of our words and actions. And so I say, commit.
Commit to loving God because He first loved you. Commit to loving people because life just works better that way. Commit to doing the right thing for the right reason. Commit to doing the best with what you've been given. This isn't about making lemonade. It's about choosing to give your all to God. He asked for my all and that means everything I have to give at every moment and in every situation.
Once we have a moment to look at the larger picture it becomes plain to see that this is all about God anyways, so we have nothing to lose but ourselves. We can look backward or forward, even beyond our short time, and we will see that life as we know it has never been out of God's control.
This most certainly does not mean that everything will be sipping tea or eating Bon Bons, but we can know that God is all about new beginnings. He created us to be His and when we messed that up, He made us again, new creations. With assurance like this we can start well, again and again.
Actually, getting started is oftentimes most of the problem. John Maxwell talks about this when talking about leadership and influence. He says that when momentum is created it solves 80% of the problems in an organization. It makes sense in our personal lives. The hardest part of finishing a bag of cookies is getting up and forcing yourself to get the bag. But once momentum is created...
But starting is a must in our lives. Homework doesn't get done before it is started. Neither do home projects, reading assignments, reports, applications, training, etc.
I was once asked for my advice when it comes to deciding if one should be a youth pastor. I have only 2 rules.
#1. Get out now. If you choose to ignore #1, then...
#2. Commit at the beginning to be there until the end.
While I sometimes question having a second rule, #2 applies to people of every age and in every situation. Except for fortune-tellers, people do not know what the next adventure holds. It doesn't matter if that adventure is a new job, a new baby or simply tomorrow.
There are many things that we cannot control. But we do have control over our choices. No matter the situation or audience we alone have the final say of our words and actions. And so I say, commit.
Commit to loving God because He first loved you. Commit to loving people because life just works better that way. Commit to doing the right thing for the right reason. Commit to doing the best with what you've been given. This isn't about making lemonade. It's about choosing to give your all to God. He asked for my all and that means everything I have to give at every moment and in every situation.
Once we have a moment to look at the larger picture it becomes plain to see that this is all about God anyways, so we have nothing to lose but ourselves. We can look backward or forward, even beyond our short time, and we will see that life as we know it has never been out of God's control.
This most certainly does not mean that everything will be sipping tea or eating Bon Bons, but we can know that God is all about new beginnings. He created us to be His and when we messed that up, He made us again, new creations. With assurance like this we can start well, again and again.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6.
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