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Ministry is too important to be done haphazardly. How we're leading in the core of our churches has to do with life-changing, eternity-consequential decisions. Therefore, we need to think through what ministry is all about. Sometimes we are more strategic about our grocery lists than our approach to ministry. "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." 1 Corinthians 12:12-18 (NIV) Two thoughts… First it says the body is a unit made up of many parts, which are arranged by God. In other words, God wants order in his church. Why? Because God is a God of order. So we need to evaluate our ministries and ask, “Is there order? Are we getting the maximum return out of the ministries that we have?” There are eight components to ministry that help us to focus our efforts. And the more you focus on what you’re trying to do, the less energy it takes to do it. That’s a principle of life that applies directly to ministry.

What Is Your Purpose?

The business of the church is developing disciples who live effective lives for God’s glory. That’s what Ephesians 4 is all about, which says that we’re all built up into maturity for ministry and for mission. We’re in the disciple-development business. We attract and win members, develop them to Christlike maturity, then mobilize them for ministry in the church and a life mission in the world. We do that in each stage and segment of their lives. Our product is changed lives. Our theme is helping people develop their lives to the fullest.

What Are Your Values?

The second question is a question about values. Take some time to write out a list of the theological and cultural values that are most important to you as you lead your church. The Pastor is the primary culture-creator in a church, and every leader creates culture within their ministry by sharing and living out some key values.

Who Are You Reaching?

In other words, at what stage of spiritual development are the people to whom you are speaking? In most churches, you will have a mixture on Sunday morning. But as you launch ministries and design processes and prepare sermons, remember that you have people at various places spiritually. You're moving some people from the community into your crowd through evangelism. You're moving others from the crowd to the congregation through fellowship. Others, you're moving from the congregation to the committed by involving them in ministry. And still others are ready to move from the committed into the core to live out their life mission. And those who are living their life mission are bringing others into the crowd so that the cycle continues.

What Is Your Strategy?

Answer these two questions: Where would I like to see my church be six months from now? And, a year from now? Write your goal down in a sentence, and feel free to add it to the comments below. If you could dream your wildest dream and the ministry you’re involved in right now, how would you see it in a year from now? Now, listen to God. If possible, withdraw from the noise around you, take a deep breath and just wait on the Lord. Then ask God this question, “Father, where would you like to see my ministry be six months from now? How would it be different?” As an idea comes to your mind, write it down.

What Systems Do You Need to Have in Place?

What does the word “system” have to do with the church? Remember, the church is a body, and your human body is made up of nine systems. You have a circulatory system, respiratory system, nervous system, a structural system, a digestive system, and so forth. When one of those systems gets out of order, it’s called illness or disease. God wants you to have a healthy body and the body of Christ needs healthy systems too.

What People Do You Need to Hire or Empower?

Who do I know that ought to be a part of this ministry but isn’t? Who could I recruit to serve with me? Who is right under my nose that I should be empowering for leadership? Come up with at least one name, maybe two or three, and write them down. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV). Pray for the people you wrote down.

How Are You Adding Value to People's Lives?

This is one aspect of ministry—serving people by adding value to their lives. How does this ministry serve people? Are we meeting the real needs that people experience? Those needs can be physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. All four are legitimate needs. The Bible says in Luke 2:52 that “Jesus increased in wisdom (emotional and intellectual) and stature (physical), and in favor with God (spiritual) and with people (social)” (CSB). A ministry that adds value to people's lives finds ways to minister to these needs in a balanced way.

How Can Your Structure Increase Your Effectiveness?

Saddleback Church is structured according to five purpose teams. Each of the purpose teams of our church relates to the five purposes of our church and the five targets that we have for moving people forward in their lives. We have a Membership Team which helps care for and support the membership of the church through lay counseling, prayer, and recovery ministry. We have a Maturity Team that oversees our thousands of small groups. Our Ministry Team helps people plug into our church according to their SHAPE. Our PEACE (Missions) Team carries out our calling to take on the global giants threatening our world. We've gone into every nation on the planet and are now infiltrating every possible people group and planting international campuses. And our Worship and Creative Arts Team leads our church in its corporate worship life. We have a few other teams that overlap or support these, but our approximately 400 staff are organized around our purposes in a structure that lets us maintain healthy systems so that we can move people forward and produce mature disciples. This might be a good time to do some real brainstorming. Begin by asking God to help you define your ministry for greater effectiveness. Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash

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Slow Down and Hear the Hurt

“The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him.” Proverbs 18:13 (CSB)Pastor, one of the hardest parts of ministry is resisting the urge to fix things too quickly.When someone comes to you hurting, confused, or overwhelmed, your mind often moves fast. You want to help. You want to solve the problem. You want to bring clarity and move things forward.But Scripture says, “The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him” (Proverbs 18:13 CSB).That is an important word for shepherds.People do need wisdom. They do need truth. But often, before they are ready for your answer, they need your presence. They need to feel heard. They need to know you care. They need space to speak their pain out loud.There is healing in being heard.Your ear is one of the tools God will use most in your ministry.Jesus shows us this in John 11. When he arrived after Lazarus had died, he already knew what he was about to do. He was not confused. He was not powerless. He knew the solution before anyone else did.And still, when he saw the grief around him, he did not rush past it.The Bible says, “Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. . . . Jesus wept” (John 11:33-35 GNT).Jesus knew resurrection was coming, but he still entered their sorrow.That is pastoral wisdom.Pastor, sometimes the most loving thing you can do is to not speak first. Instead, stay present long enough to feel what someone else is carrying. Yes, there may be a time to guide, correct, or counsel. But often ministry begins by listening well.So this week, before you rush to fix, slow down.Listen fully.Enter the pain.Let people feel heard.A shepherd’s heart is often seen first in listening.

Four Marks of Holiness From Psalm 24

Pastor, God is looking for holy leaders.Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (NIV) Holiness won’t happen on autopilot. You have to fight for it in your schedule, your thoughts, your habits, and your words.Why should you pursue holiness? God says, “Be holy because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45 GW).That’s the heart of it, pastor. When the Spirit is filling your life, you don’t just feel comforted; you feel called. You want to look like Jesus.So what does it mean to be holy?Psalm 24:3-4 says, “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god” (NIV).In other words, these are the characteristics of the person who gets blessed by God. If you want the blessing of the Lord, Psalm 24 gives four simple marks of holiness.1. Clean handsClean hands mean a clear conscience.Think about the tabernacle in the Old Testament. When you walked into the court, the first thing you would do is wash at the brass washbasin. It’s a picture of cleansing. The starting point for a holy life is a cleansed life.Does that mean you will be perfect? No, because no one is perfect. It means you keep short accounts with God; you don’t let sin sit.Scripture says, “If we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away” (1 John 1:9 CEV). When you sin, you need to agree with God about it; you need to confess it.You won’t have much spiritual strength with a guilty conscience. A clean engine produces more power, and the same is true in your life.2. A pure heartPsalm 24 also says a holy person has a pure heart. This is about your motives. A pure heart reflects pure motives.Jeremiah 48:10 says, “A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD’s work!” (NIV). When you’re “lax in doing the LORD’s work,” that means you’re doing it with mixed motives.God can do a lot through the pastor with pure motives, who doesn’t care who gets the credit. So in private, talk to the Lord: “God, examine my heart. Clear out the junk. Make my motives pure before you.”3. HumilityPsalm 24:4 says a holy person is someone “who does not trust in an idol” (NIV). This speaks to humility.Pride goes before destruction. God doesn’t take pride lightly. Pride kicked Satan out of heaven. Pride caused Pharaoh to lose his nation. Pride led to Herod being stricken and dying on the spot.So be aware of pride’s power in your life. Proverbs 18:12 says, “Pride leads to destruction” (CEV).4. HonestyPsalm 24:4 goes on to say that a holy person doesn’t “swear by a false god” (NIV). That’s about being honest, having the right words, and using holy language. In other words, you need to watch what you say.Psalm 39:1 says, “I’ll be careful not to sin by what I say” (CEV). One of the easiest ways we sin is by talking too much. When you talk too much, you lose spiritual weight. It is like a steam engine. If it is always letting off steam through the whistle, it builds up no power. But if it stores up the steam, then when it releases it, it can move an engine.Are you quick with angry words? Sarcastic words? Put-down words? Pray and ask God, “Where do I need to watch my words?” When you boil it all down, to be holy is to keep a clear conscience, purify your motives, walk in humility, and speak honestly with guarded words.That is what it means to be holy. And God uses holy people.

Who Is Watching Out for You?

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)Pastor, you probably know what it’s like to watch over others while quietly feeling unseen yourself. You help people stay steady in temptation, grief, conflict, and doubt. You pray for them, counsel them, and carry burdens you cannot always share.So here is a Monday-morning question worth asking: Who is watching out for you?When you go on vacation, you ask someone to keep an eye on the house. That is wisdom. But in ministry, it is easy to let the “watching out” stop with everyone else. And when a pastor becomes isolated, discouragement can deepen, temptations get louder, and blind spots grow.Scripture gives a better way: “Look out for one another's interests, not just for your own” (Philippians 2:4 GNT). God intends for the family of God to be a protective gift, not just a place we serve.Ecclesiastes calls it a braided cord. Strength comes from connection. Not performative connection. Not “I have plenty of people around me.” Real, honest, mutual care.Pastor, you were not meant to stand alone.Here’s a simple encouragement for this week: Choose one trusted person and invite a real check-in. Not a ministry update. A soul check. The Lord often protects pastors through faithful friends who lovingly “look out” when you cannot see what is happening in your own blind spots.You are better together.

Lead with Your Ears First

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 (NIV)Pastor, have you noticed how hard it is to be heard these days?Conversations move fast. Opinions move faster. Everyone has something to say—and most people are ready to say it before anyone else finishes.And if we’re not careful, that hurried pace can slip into our leadership.After a long Sunday, you may walk into Monday already carrying frustration. A critical comment. A tense hallway exchange. A leadership disagreement that didn’t resolve. When you’re tired, it doesn’t take much to spark irritation.That’s why James’s words are so timely for church leaders: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19 NIV).Notice the order:Quick to listenSlow to speakSlow to become angryIn ministry, listening is more than a communication skill. It’s a pastoral discipline. When you truly listen to a staff member, a volunteer, or a hurting church member, you’re modeling the patience of Christ. You’re saying, “You matter enough for me to slow down.”Anger in leadership doesn’t always look explosive. Some pastors are what you might call “skunks.” When they’re upset, everyone knows it. The room fills with tension. Words come quickly and sharply.Others are “turtles.” They retreat into their shells. The frustration simmers quietly. Nothing is said—but nothing is resolved either.Both styles can wound a church. Both need the same remedy: Slow down and listen first.Listening forces humility. It creates space for understanding. It lowers the temperature in the room. And often, it reveals that what first felt like defiance was really confusion, fear, or hurt.Pastor, your people don’t need a reaction. They need a shepherd.So before you respond to that email. Before you correct that staff member. Before you step into that difficult conversation—pause.Ask one more question. Pray one short prayer.Take one slow breath. Be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. And you may find your anger softening into wisdom.That kind of leadership reflects the heart of Christ. And your church will feel the difference.

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