Expectations of Christians on Sundays

As a small church pastor, I have wrestled with church attendance for years.  As a matter of fact, I may have been guilty of focusing on church attendance too much.  Yet, in my defense, church attendance is really one of the quickest indicators that we, pastors, are able to see how well God is using us as shepherds of his flock.  I would like to say life-change could be another indicator, and maybe it can, but that indicator is what The Holy Spirit uses.  After all, He is the One who is able to change people’s lives. 

To explain myself better, I would like to assure you that these thoughts are not those of a depressed pastor who is struggling to make sense of lack of attendance.  Or are they?  You decide.  Yet, I have been in ministry for 12 years now.  I have gone from expecting those who follow Christ to be at church every night of the week to one morning a week.  As you can see, I have either lowered my expectations for attendance at worship as well as participation once a week in spiritual education and edification.  Nevertheless, Brady and I have had a discussion about what I, as a pastor, should realistically expect from church members, not just Covenant but all who attend, as an A+ effort.  Does God expect His followers to worship often on the Day that Christ arose from the dead? Is that still significant?  I think so, but I would like your thoughts.   

So I would like to know your opinions.  Should a Christian commit his or herself to attending Sunday morning worship at least 48 times a year?  Another question.  Is it important which day of the week a Christian worships?  Another question.  Is worship service important for the Christian?  Or, is small group discipleship enough? 

I would like inputs from both clergy and laymen on this topic.

Titles and foolishness

Senator Barbara Boxer recently held her crown high while talking to Brigadier General Walsh.  Here is the video.  She asked that General Walsh call her Senator instead of Ma-am during a hearing.  She explained that she worked very hard to get that title.  I would have been satisfied to know that she worked very hard to have the opportunity to “serve” her state in Washington DC.  I would suggest that Sen. Boxer realize that the General also worked very hard for his title too.  As a matter of fact, some might say that is a more noble title than Senator considering the lack of faith in politics today. 

I have the title of Pastor and Reverend.  Yet, I don’t expect people to call me Reverend or Pastor Scott.  I don’t expect people to call me Mr. either.  Many times I have told people to simply call me Scott.  I do not consider myself above anyone else.  By the way, I have worked very hard for my title too.  As a matter of fact, I came from outside into this role as a first generation Christian in my family by working at very small churches.  My wife and I have raised 2 children while serving at two different churches carrying 3 jobs a piece plus studying for ordination.  Later, I added to my ordination by receiving my Bachelor’s Degree while pastoring and working part-time jobs.  Yet, again, I do not expect anyone to call me Reverend or Pastor.  I, too, like Sen. Boxer am in a role of service.  Yet, the difference may be that I don’t think of myself as being something greater than I actually am.  That exchange between her and the General really left a bad taste in my mouth because I took her to be someone who is uppity and out of touch with us “common people.” 

Respect is earned and not given.  To expect otherwise is foolish.  And by the way, I think that the General did show her respect when he said Ma-am.  I would have addressed her that way too, and would address a male Senator as Sir out of respect.

What is more frustrating this week is that a Republican Senator admitted to having an affair.  This is upsetting because his country needs him.  We needed him to set the example by considering family important.  What is more, Senator Ensign was involved in Promise Keepers and other ministries.  This goes to show that action must accompany belief.  This is one of the most crucial times for our country when you consider the dangers we face abroad and the pitiful economy at home.  We need our best people to deal with these issues with their undivided attention. 

It was maddening to hear that the person he was involved with was also married and was promoted by the Senator and had her salary doubled recently.  It makes you fear that looks and sex have turned out to be the qualifications to gain a higher place of influence with our government officials.  I would rather, during these tough times, rely upon someone’s mental resume instead of their physical attributes for help and advice on putting legitimate ideas into the arena for solving America’s crisis’.  

I do applaud the Senator’s wife for her willingness to work through this situation and her committment to reconciliation.  My hat is off to her!  My prayers are with them too. 

Sen. Boxer and Sen. Ensign should remember two things.  How to gain influence, and how to properly handle influence.  These are two people who need to remember that great responsibility comes with leadership.  Both should use it wisely to serve our country instead of themselves.

Responsibilities a small church pastor

I thought I would share some of the “hidden” things that a pastor does since he is only seen by most on Sundays. I’m sure that we have all heard the jokes that pastors work 2 hours a week.   I have been senior pastor for almost 3 years now and I have noticed that a lot of times this job is not taken seriously by many.   I was also a youth pastor for 7 years before and that type of job definitely does not get a lot of respect.  As I type this, I think back to those times when, as a laymen, I thought those who were in ministry were simply taking it easy.  I thought this especially when I was working in the summer 7 days a week 12 hours a day.  So, here are some of the responsibilities that I have as senior pastor which should give a glimpse into what most of this job entails. 

• Preach once or twice a week at church. 
• Visit the sick and home-bound people of our church.
• Counsel with different people as a community service and to those in our church.
• Conduct funerals and minister to their families.
• Lead couples in pre-marital counseling.
• Perform weddings.
• Seek out prospects.  In other words, invite others to receive Christ as their Savior and to attend our church. 
• Meet with local board and staff.
• Administrate various issues that pertain to church; organizational issues, clerical, labor, and etc.   
• Seek out new ways to build relationships in our community. 
• Pray for our community and church (people). 
• Keep office hours. 
• Remain available at all times of the day.
• Take part in many different types of meetings, some are short and some are all day. 
• Be ready for anything that comes up. 
• Must find time to dream and cast vision to get to the next level. 
• Must also find time to take part in community needs.   

So what?  None of those responsibilities are too strenuous.  Consider this, when the minister preaches many people might think that he is simply speaking off of the top of his head.  Likely, many pastors do sound this way and maybe me included.  Yet, the amount of preparation time is never known by many who hear the message.  Most messages can take 8-10 hours to get ready.  I may be either short or too long with 8-10 hours according to other pastors.  But this is what it takes me to get that sermon in my head for the following Sunday.  Now, the trick is not to always repeat yourself in your sermons which is very easy to do.  You have to repeat doctrine though, for example, Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven.  Although, you have to find different ways to present that truth.  This means that after 3 years of preaching 2-3 times a week, like I did when I first started as senior pastor, that I feel like I have nothing new to say to the same congregation.  And I am a story teller, so if I have writer’s block, this means that I am drained.  Oh, but this is when the work starts.  To be creative, relevant, and engaging, and some may say I’m not even close, I have to read, read, read, and read.  Big deal, right?  It is because I am an ENFP personality type (which means that I become scattered, have trouble focusing, and am easily distracted . . . Hey! Look there goes a bird!), also a Sanguine (which means that I am a talker looking for fun).  As a result, I have to beat myself into submission to read and do what I needs to be done.  I have to read to stay fresh, find good ideas, new illustrations.  A lot of times there might be a key sentence that inspires me about something else.  Further, I am a slow reader and have to beat my mind into submission weekly.  

As a small church pastor, I easily commit much time to visiting with the sick, homebound, and especially those who are prospects.  I actually enjoy this most times because I love impromptu conversations that usually take place during these meetings.  Likely, large church pastors, I do not mean large by Wesleyan standards but larger, do not spend much time in this area because they have grown in ways that demands that their time is put into other areas of ministry.  On the other hand, large churches may hire staff to do this, almost certainly rely upon small groups to fulfill this type of ministry.  Yet, the goal for a small church pastor is to maintain good caring relationships with church people while seeking to develop new relationships with other people so that you can earn the right to share Jesus Christ with them.  Plus, for those who are between churches, you have to cast vision while carrying on a relationship with them.  Relationships in a small church are crucial to keeping people and finding lost people.  Building relationships goes beyond a regular 40-45 hour work week.  

As a small church pastor most of the ministerial work tends to come home with me.  This can be an issue when you are tyring to be a husband and father.  This is where seminars come in with the goal to convince you to put down your work and spend time with your family.

Imagine maintaining all of these responsibilities while you try to keep an eye on church finances.  Most in the United States are shook up about their personal finances.  Here’s where you can add a lot more stress on.  Taking care of God’s house is not something that should be taken lightly.  And by the way, teachers (that’s me) are going to give an account to God about how we managed His resources.  A little frightening isn’t it?

 Hopefully, you can see that a lot of hours can get wrapped up into ministry for the small church pastor.  As I pointed out earlier, if you are in a sourmood, you do not have the luxury of showing up to work and being grouchy to everyone either.  You have to smile and suck it up.  Yes, pastors can be in bad moods too.  Well, at least this pastor can.  I never said that I was normal. : )  This means that as a small church pastor, I have to be ready at all times to give a comforting word to people who need to hear it.  If you receive encouragement and comfort regularly, don’t blow this off as that is no big deal, many people do not have anyone rooting for them.  Therefore, it is very important that we are able to do this. 

I may post more about this later.  At least this is a snapshot into what a small church pastor does.

Newpring and Unleash

I went to the Unleash 09 Conference this year.  Without a doubt, this was the best conference that I have been to.  As soon as we pulled into the parking lot things that made an impression on me were:

• The happy-to-do-it volunteers.  I think there were 500 of them.  Every one of these people smiled and waved to every vehicle pulling in that I could see. 
• There was a mob volunteers who hootin-n-hollerin with everyone that came in.  These people were located at the entrance.  They gave directions to where you needed to go.  They spoke to everyone that I could see. 
• It was a Thursday.  I wondered how many of these people gave up a vacation day from work to help at this event on behalf of their church?  I can’t even get people to come to church on Sunday consistently; and like it. 
• I know that these volunteers have been coached that what they do is important.  And, that they must make everyone feel welcomed; it works! 

Pastor Perry Noble was straight forward in each main session.  This conference was not the type that has someone come in to do some group counseling.  Instead, Perry challenged everyone to weather whatever storm they were facing and go hard for Jesus.  Let me share some thoughts about Perry Noble:

• As much as I would like to, out of jealousy, I can’t deny that God is using him.  I see it! 
• He had a breakout session for Senior Pastors only.  This was conducted the right way.  Pastors were able to ask questions and he answered every one.  He did this graciously.
• Every pastor wanted to know how he did it.  Pastor Noble was careful to point to the mission of spreading the Gospel.  In other words, sharing Christ is the difference. 
• He is straight forward about salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  This is not a liberal preacher.  He fears for people who are lost because they will go to Hell if they do not give their lives to Jesus Christ.  Preachers and churches everywhere would do well to be burdened in this way. 

For those seeking the formula for church growth.  And, I suspect that is why most churches and pastors showed up to this conference.  They want to know how to get to where Newspring is; and is going. 

• Preach Jesus Christ!  He is Savior, Lord, He will be Judge, He is coming back soon, He is Healer, Miracle Man, He is All that we need.
• Terms that were called a fad: Contemporary, Emergent, Missional, and etc. He believes these will outdated in 3 years.  I think he is right.   
• A funny illustration about Missional: All churches are missional or they are not churches.  Saying that we are missional is like a fish swimming around saying I love water. 
• There is no formula!  Just Jesus.  Amen.

The worship team was phenomenal!  I would say they are as good as anybody that I have paid to see.  That is saying a lot. 

• I have not been moved in worship like that in a long time.  Let’s admit it, we get bored with the way we systematically do it. 
• It was good to see one of the singers get moved by the Spirit.  I have not seen that for a while.
• The songs were so good. 
• The music was loud.  This meant that I could sing loud and not make anyone sick. 

Let’s talk about the money!

• $59.  Did you read that!  I will say it again, $59.
• They did not make any money, I don’t think.  They gave each person Lee McDerment CD.  Great worship music!  It would probably cost $16 to buy it. 
• They gave us Chik Fila for lunch.  $6 to buy it.
• Free drinks and snacks all day!  $5 per person. 

Hey! Christians! Let’s get motivated to preach Jesus.  Thank you to Newspring for caring for all, no matter what denomination that is Christian, because we are on the same team.  As Perry said, we don’t compete, but we complete each other.  I have been refreshed. 

To all of those that Perry and Newspring down, get over it.  Let’s all do what God called us to do without worrying what the other person is doing.  Did you know that there are enough lost in Pickens County alone that they could not possibly fit into all of our churches?  I am going to seek to do my part in God’s Kingdom.  What about you?  Or, will you focus on petty things and continue to put Newspring down because they are getting it done? 

It has been a while since someone encouraged me like I was at Unleash.  Thanks be to God!

Support for any American President

I have written about supporting American Presidents before.  I have also shared with many that I was raised to love our country and support our leaders.  What is great about this country is that we can say what is on our minds.  I cherish that right. 

Those of us who are Christians, and live in America, have citizenship in Heaven and this country.  Both should be considered privileges.  I just went the CNN web site to vote on their daily poll today.  This poll asked whether or not the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at our President was an outlaw or a hero.  At the time of this post 81,347 had voted.  33,920 of these voted that this journalist was a hero.  This means that 42% of those who voted thought it was great. 

People let me just say that if these were all Americans, who were born in this country, this is ridiculous.  I believe that those who were not born here, but are Americans now legally, would not feel this way.  At least many of them would not.  Likely, they are here because they know what living under someone who really is bad feels like. 

Whether or not you agree with the wars that we are fighting, you should still support the President in a way that shows respect for the office.  President Bush stood up to terrorism and I am glad for it.  There were things that he did and did not do that I did not like.  But I stood behind him. 

Now, President Obama has the office.  There are issues that he and I are on opposite sides about.  But, trust me, if someone threw something at him in the same manner that the Iraqi journalist did, I would not consider that person a hero.  I would be upset! 

Our President is the face of this great nation.  If you, as an American citizen, are applauding such moronic actions, then you are irresponsible about who and what you give your respect to. 

If you, as a Christian, are applauding that type of disrespect to a leader that God placed over us, then you better check your spiritual pulse.  I have seen a lot of Christians endorse what happened as a great act that somebody needed to do.  Yet, ignore whether or not human life is worthy of defending.  Further, these will ignore the Bible’s stance about the act of same-sex fornication being a sin.  Evidently, once we throw these biblical issues aside, many are capable of ignoring the biblical point of view about submitting and respecting our leaders. 

I think that if you are Christian who takes part in this type of foolishness that you should be ashamed of your witness.  Where does Jesus laugh about this type of dastardly act in the Bible?  I think that is fine to disagree with policies that our Presidents have, but when we h0pe for, or are glad for, bad things that happen to them, then you have crossed a moral line as a Christian.

If you are an American that hopes for, or is glad for, bad things that happen to our Presidents, then you should try to find some level-headed ground to stand on. 

Why don’t we all support our Presidents?  Yet, still exercise the right to disagree with them intelligently.  Here is the link with the story.

Knowing your small church

There are a lot of pastors who lead small churches.  Most of these pastors have great desire to have God use them to grow their churches.  What is common is that only a few are able to achieve their goals of seeing a church grow.  I have been an assistant pastor of one small church that was able to grow from 12 to 90-100 in AM worship attendance.  I am currently in my 3rd year of pastoring a church that has grown from 38-50 in AM attendance.  What I have observed is that all churches are different.  For example, music was not important at my first church, but it is very important at the church I am at now.  My first church was less structured for worship service, the church I am at now is structured during worship.  These are just 2 examples that help you to see that all churches are unique.

I am a pastor that observes personalities.  I believe that God creates people with purpose and, after salvation, the Holy Spirit bestows gifts upon their natural abilities that are meant to edify the Body of Christ.  This is why God brings people into fellowship(church) with each other.  We become the Body of Christ that is used to display the Image of God to those who do not know Jesus Christ.  We are Christ in the Flesh again when we are together.  One note worthy of mention, in my mind, spiritual gifts can be rejected.  Okay, don’t bombard me with a bunch of theology.  But natural abilities are hardwired.

So, let’s look at what it means to be hardwired by God for second.  In other words, we are coming back to personalities.  I know there are several ways to look at personalities.  Jung has the typology test and if you know me, you know that I am an ENFP.  Sometimes that is good, and other times that is bad.    But I want to keep this simple by looking at Hippocrates four classifications of people, Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy, and Phlegmatic.  Yes, you guessed it, I am ENFP which means that I am a Sanguine primarily.  Sanguine people are those who are loud, like doing things the fun way, and enjoy being center of attention with a crowd around.  Choleric people want control.  They are organized, a little bossy, and powerful.  Melancholy people want to do things the right way.  They seek perfection.  While those who are Phlegmatic desire peace and calm.

Here is a better key to understanding these personalities.  Marita Littauer lists these traits in her book Wired That Way.

On page 16

Popular Sanguine

Basic Desire: Have fun.  Emotional Needs: Attention, Affection, Approval, Acceptance.  Control by: Charm.

Powerful Choleric

Basic Desire: Have Control.  Emotional Needs: Loyalty, Sense of Control, Appreciation, Credit for Work.  Controls by: Threat of Anger.

Peaceful Phlegmatic

Basic Desire: Have Peace.  Emotional Needs: Peace and Quiet, Feeling of Worth, Lack of Stress, Respect.  Controls by: Procrastination.

Perfect Melancholy

Basic Desire: Have Perfection.  Emotional Needs: Sensitivity, Support, Space, Silence.  Controls by: Threat of Moods.

Sanguine and Choleric lead, extroverted, optimistic, and outspoken.  Sanguine and Phlegmatic play, witty, easygoing, goal-oriented.  Choleric and Melancholy work, decisive, organized, goal-oriented.  Melancholy and Phlegmatic analyze, introverted, pessimistic, soft-spoken.

Now, if you are a pastor of a small church and you have a vision that does not match your people, then you need to consider understanding these personality types.  In the small church it is not too overwhelming to learn how God has hardwired your people.  For example, as a Sanguine pastor that enjoys loudness and people close by, and thinks that everyone else does too, I have learned that my Melancholy and Phlegmatic friends enjoy silence and space.  Now consider if you have a congregation that has mostly Melancholy and Phlegmatic people in it.  Yes, you guessed it, this might be why the church is small.  These people are naturally inclined to seek space and quiet because these are what is important.  So if you are inclined to start a high energy children ministry, then you might have trouble getting people on board to serve in that capacity.

If you are a Melancholy pastor, you might be inclined to have the perfect music ministry.  Doing things to perfection are important to you.  Yet, you might have a congregation full of Sanguine and Choleric people.  Guess what?  These people are not into perfection.  Sanguine people will simply fly be the seat of their pants.  Both personality types will get busy without analyzing what they intend to do.  Order might be important to the Melancholy pastor, but Sanguine and Choleric people are very outspoken and can overwhelm you.

If you are a Phlegmatic pastor, then you are always struggling to bring peace to everything.  Yet, you might have a congregation of that has mostly Choleric and Sanguine people who struggle to lead in all situations.  Chaos may be an ongoing issue.   Anger might abound.  You need to know that God has hardwired these people to be leaders and loud.  It will be important for you to find a way for them to lead and use their energies.

You might be Choleric pastor who wants loyalty and people to fulfill their responsibilities.  You will have to be careful that you don’t hurt anyone by demanding that they do what they are supposed to do.  So if you criticize someone who is Melancholy or Phlegmatic you will deeply hurt their feelings.  Or, if someone is Sanguine they will get angry back at you.  You will have to become an encourager to your people.

What do all of these examples mean?  No matter what type of shepherd you are, Sanguine, and etc.  You need to adjust your methods of leadership.  What might have worked in one situation will not work in another.  God has gifted you with certain skills that will help you lead.  But you must know your congregation.  Do not fall into the trap of thinking that people are against you.  They are not.  They have come hardwired by God.  You must find the ministry that comes natural to them.  If your people are doing ministry from the gifts that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon them, but you know that they are working outside of how they are hardwired, then you must realize the amount of effort and energy that they expending.  Once you know this then you can shepherd them in the way to find rest and relaxation.  In other words, so that their batteries can be recharged again.

One last point.  Everyone of us is able to recieve the Fruits of the Spirit.  In these Fruits is one called self-control.  Each of these Fruits is a product of the Spirit at work in our lives.  As a result, these personalities are to all to submit to the Spirit.  Yet, most of the time, you find that many Christians really are not living in submission to the Holy Spirit.  This is why it is important to die daily to ourselves.  This information should help you to understand what is best for your church.  In this day of leadership oriented ministry, it is a good reminder to know that you are also supposed to be shepherd oriented in ministry too.  These were just some clues that you might want to examine so that you can better serve God’s flock.

Devaluing the Church; especially at the local level

I have been reading The Church Jesus Builds while in the dentist office waiting room today.  I focused on the chapter titled, Tensions That Strengthen The Church.  Wayne Schmidt, Lead Pastor of Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids, wrote this chapter and dealt with some issues that I have been working through on my own.  I won’t take the time to address all of these but I will focus on a few questions that he asked.

After some church leaders heard Bono say, at Schmidt’s church, that he “previously loved Christ, but couldn’t stand the Church or Christians,” they “snickered.”  This bothered Schmidt, as does me, and he asks, “Is it a sign that even leaders of the Church have surrendered to the cultural conclusions that the Church is at best a dysfunctional family, hopelessly idiosyncratic and beyond redemption?” (166). 

Here are some concerns that I have had, in light of this question, for quite a while now:

• Is it really funny that Christians ”snicker” at the Church and other Christians because the they have come into agreement with the world that the Church is out of touch, a sham, and/or has failed in her mission to be a Godly community in the middle of a Fallen world?  Some Christians would go so far as to say that it is impossible to live by commands to love Him and others until Christ returns.  If that is true, then how do explain Bethlehem in the book of Ruth? 
• Do the more successful pastors, in the churches that everyone considers it a privilege to go to, take advantage of the Church and those who attend when they fall?  In other words, are we bloggers and ministers, taking advantage of the opportunity to finger point so that we can say, or imply, that we are not like that? 
• Have we, as church leaders, “surrendered” to the cultures label of the Church, that she is irrelevant in the 21st Century?  In other words, government, human goodwill, and famous people can fix this world that can be so cruel?  After all,  1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  I guess my question is do we, the Church, even think that it is foolish for the Church to be the Salt and Light of the world? 
• Has the Church made friends with the idea that we are individuals first by looking out for our own interests instead of looking out for others?  As church leaders, are we guilty of hoarding God’s money as individuals, and a local Body, by turning our churches into a savings and loan branch?  The elephant in the room is that we say this is an “emergency fund.”  Isn’t God our emergency fund? 
• I am all on board with church planting.  It is God’s mission in this world.  Yet, are most established churches really beyond redemption?  Can God not turn these organisms around?  He can.  So the question in the end that must be wrestled with is, when do the mega-churches, and/or church plants decide to encourage our creative and gifted people to be a part of the redemption process, instead of jumping ship to take part in the good times somewhere else?  I know that some are called by God to do this, however, I believe that many of the average attendees that leave are not. 

If you attend a church, or a leader, what are you going to do?  Can you still find love for the Bride of Christ in your heart?  Can you trust that God will redeem a troubled community of believers?

Here is an action question that Schmidt asks, “”Do you agree that our culture today, both inside and outside the Church, tends to devalue the Church as a “dysfunctional family, hopelessly idiosyncratic and beyond redemption”?  List several specific ways we can be honest with ourselves about the Church’s shortcomings, yet affirm its biblical position within God’s redemptive plan” (175).  I would add that you might list specific ways in your own church. 

Hope to hear from a few of you.

Church growth and Wesleyan church government

Here are some talking points about small Wesleyan church and growth.

• Does our church government hurt or help us in the area of church growth?  I mean at the local church level it seems that nothing can be done in a timely manner.  In other words, there are a lot of wills that God has to overcome; and He can and does.  Disclaimer: I like our local church government on paper. 

This is something I have been thinking about.  This does not explain the mega-churches growth up North.  However, this might explain why mega-churches are not more common in The Wesleyan Church.  

You all can take part in the discussion or ignore it.  But it is a thought.

Monday report

Yesterday’s service was good.  Jon delivered a great sermon.  Many need to be reminded how to understand the Bible as they read it. 

Our attendance for the morning service was 46.  We had 16 “regular” people out.  Here is a qoute from someone who attended our church yesterday, “Where are all of the cars?”  Others asked me where everyone was too.  This summer, our attendance would have been in the high twenties or low thirties, but thank God for the new people that we have had which has helped us to maintain our average. 

I am not really a maintainer.  Instead, I try to be a gainer.  However, it is amazing how easy it is to become a maintainer.  I don’t like it.  God is really challenging me and our church.   

Last night we attended the Growing Pastor’s dinner at SWU.  Dr. Spittal spoke on “Leadership 101.”  A couple of things that made his presentation worth hearing was that he, by the hand of God, has been able to be successful in a tough situation.  Also, he did not suggest any of the common impose my will upon others, and then invite them to leave if they don’t like it practices.  Instead, he shared about fear that is common in leadership and his presentation also demonstrated that God wins the day when we allow Him to by faith and trust.

Small church pastors need to remember . . .

Here are some things that I try to remember as a small church pastor.

• God called me to preach!  This means that I am not responsible for church growth.  It would be nice.  Yet, God causes the growth.
• I must understand what victory looks like.  Planting seed is the result of sharing the Gospel.  Victory occurs when seeds are sown.  Victory also occurs when seeds are watered.
• Do not worry about your ministry position.  In other words, do not try to hang onto your job; (No, I am not getting fired; I don’t think:)).  If you are asked to leave, then it is better to be asked to leave because you continually brought the Word of Life to your congregation’s ears.
• Do not count on people.  Simply, you are called to count on Jesus.  This is the real pastoring because this is when you demonstrate God’s faithfulness because of your reliance upon Him. 
• Take advice from others.  However, do not become consumed by what other pastors are doing.  You are called to imitate Christ; not the Pastor of Mega-Church that seems to have all of the answers.  (I struggle to keep this in mind).  It is better to get advice from others smaller, as small as, and bigger than you. 
• Do not rely upon visitation programs to go out and get new people for the sake of bringing in people who have money.  We are used by God to save the world.  We do not look to the world to save us.  If you have been here, then you know what I mean.
• God called you to the church you are at because He is investing you into them.  Or, He is investing them into you. 
• Think of it as swimming.  Quit splashing water and be saved.  In other words, quit flapping around and let God take over. 

Just some thoughts to think about.