The Continuing Legacy of a Father

This past Father’s Day I enjoyed celebrating fatherhood with my family. I love being a father; I love all that it involves, every nuance that it brings to life. And yet I worry, I worry about the culture that my children will face; I worry about subtle influences that gently creep into young hearts. You see, I’m fourth generation Apostolic, statistics tell me that my children will likely not fall in love with Truth.  I’ve always hated math anyway, so I’ve chosen to reject what the data tells me, and do everything in my power to see that my children serve God. 

The Scriptures are filled with fatherly role models, and we find some not so great examples as well. David, the sensitive poet, described as “a man after God’s own heart,” was a good king and a terrific military leader but not the best father.  The life and faith of Abraham, God’s friend and father of a nation leaves us with many good lessons. Others, like Isaac and Jacob, had mixed success as fathers.  The New Testament is remarkably void of fatherly details.  In fact, some of the stronger dads in the Bible were obscure and minor characters in Scripture. Others were obedient to God in their own time but failed completely to pass their faith on to their families. 

Allow me to remind you of a godly father who encourages me to believe that my children and my children’s children can indeed serve God. You may have forgotten about Jonadab, his story is so briefly told in Scripture. We first read about Jonadab the son of Rechab in II Kings chapter 15 when Jehu the 11th king of Israel made an alliance with Jonadab to destroy the followers of Baal.  King Jehu knew that Jonadab was zealous for God and an influential man. Together they successfully completed what the prophet Elijah had begun.  They destroyed all the worshippers of Baal. So complete was this destruction that the pagan worship of Baal (which sometimes included parents sacrificing their own children) was wiped out in Israel, and the temple of Baal was torn down and made into a garbage dump. 

We don’t know a lot about Jonadab’s life or his style of parenting but we do know that when it was time to take a stand, he took a stand.  When it was time to choose a side, he chose the Lord’s side.  When he became a father, he chose to BE a father.  He wasn’t anxiously waiting for his children to turn 18 so that he could be free of his parental responsibilities. He understood that fatherhood is a lifelong commitment. He also understood that the spiritual well-being of his children was just as important as the physical well-being of his children. 

In great wisdom Jonadab commanded his children to abstain from wine and strong drink. He warned them to dwell in tents and not buy houses. He asked them not to plant vineyards or to buy fields and plant seeds. Jonadab set standards to preserve his family BOTH physically and spiritually. Some of his guidelines sound unreasonable to us even today. But he wanted to insure that his family could survive the changes in Israel that would come when the nation was destroyed. He took measures that would permanently set them apart. They were to live differently than those around them. They were to maintain moral purity. He didn’t want them to get too comfortable in a dangerous place. 

Most people today would say that he was old fashioned and behind the times when, in reality, he was ahead of the times.  He was preparing his family for the tragedy that was coming to Israel in a few short years. Many other families didn’t survive because they had been living the “good life.” But Jonadab’s family survived pagan invasion after murderous invasion because they listened to their father.

How could he know that these things were going to happen in the near future? He knew by faith because he believed the words of the prophets who were speaking into his life. Several prophets had predicting the destruction of Israel. Elijah had predicted the complete destruction of the family of Ahab and Jezebel. Perhaps Jonadab was a little boy on Mt. Carmel when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal. Maybe he saw the fire of God fall. Maybe he witnessed the prophets of Baal fall on their faces and cry, “The Lord, He is God!” He would only need to see a miracle like that ONCE to know that Baal was a defeated god. Again, it was Elijah who prophesied that Jehu would be king of Israel. Somehow Jonadab instilled a RESPECT in his family’s heart for men of God and the WORD of God. Even after his death he left a continuing legacy of RESPECT. 

While other dads were allowing their families to worship God and Baal at the same time, Jonadab remained zealous for the one true God. When everyone else had accepted that Baal worship was a necessary evil, Jonadab said, “NOT SO!” I wonder if Jonadab remembered Joshua’s powerful declaration, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” when he agreed to risk his life taking a stand against the worshippers of Baal? He centered his family’s life around God’s word. But none of this would have made any difference if he had not been consistent in his private life.  Our families notice our inconsistencies and sense our secret sins. Faith, faithfulness, greatness, integrity, strength of character, and moral purity are things we learn by example and not by decree.

After II Kings chapter 15 it is almost three hundred years after Jonadab’s death before his name is mentioned again. Judah is in great turmoil. Idolatry is everywhere. Jerusalem is about to be captured, destroyed and plundered by the Babylonians.  Thousands of Israelites are about to endure the humiliation of captivity in Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah had been pleading with Judah for almost 40 years to turn from their sin and unbelief. When suddenly in the middle of all this chaos God spoke to Jeremiah and said, “Go find the descendants of Jonadab.” God told Jeremiah to test Jonadab’s legacy. They gathered his descendants together gave them jugs of wine and invited them to have a drink. That’s when something truly astonishing happened. They refused. “No,” they said, “we will not drink wine, our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine. And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’ So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters. We haven’t built houses or owned vineyards or farms or planted crops. We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed all the commands of our forefather.”

Almost 300 years after his death Jonadab’s children were still benefiting from his wisdom. He left a continuing legacy. The obedience of six generations was based on one man’s faithfulness. In Jeremiah 35:19, we see one of the most extraordinary promises given to a father and his family in the entire Bible. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and rewarded the faithfulness and obedience of Jonadab and his descendants, saying, “Jonadab, the son of Rechab, shall not lack a man to stand before me forever.”  Jonadab even after his death was promised that he would always have descendants serving God.  

This means that somewhere in our world today a descendant of Jonadab still survives and serves the Lord. This promise from God is more valuable than power, fame, wealth, health, comfort, looks, intelligence, or any of the things that we pray our children will have. The legacy of Jonadab stands as a shining example that faith, moral purity, values, standards, and families can remain strong from generation to generation. 




5 Areas Where Godly Fathers Should Shine

With Father’s Day quickly approaching I have taken time to pause and consider the importance of fatherhood.  No one could ever deny the irreplaceable role that mother’s play in the lives of children, but in a culture where fathers are increasingly absent, minimized, and criticized it would do us well to consider a few areas where godly fathers should shine.

  1. Dads must cherish their wives (Colossians 3:19, Ephesians 5:25).

Our children are watching and taking notes on how we fathers treat their mothers.  Sons will emulate us and daughters often derive their self-perceptions by watching how you value the most important woman in your life. 

  1. Dads must spend time with their children (Ephesians 6:1-4).

There is no substitute for time spent with our children.  We forfeit influence in our children’s lives when we fail to spend time with them.  Make memories and teach life lessons while you can because if you don’t someone else (who likely doesn’t share your values) will.

  1. Dads must raise their children to serve the Lord (Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:1-9).

It’s alarming how many Christian parents I’ve heard saying things like, “I don’t want to force my beliefs on my children.”  Be assured that every other religious and cultural force is working overtime to capture the hearts and minds of your children.  Scripture is clear in telling us that godly parents are mandated to raise their children to serve the Lord.  As a shining example for all future father’s Joshua famously declared, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).”  A further point in this subject needs to be stressed because it is vital to the spiritual success of our children; the Christian faith must be taught and taught well.  A “just do as I say and be quiet” parenting style will alienate our children and push them away from God, which leads nicely to point number four.

  1. Dads must be patient teachers (Ephesians 6:4, 2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Children are going to make mistakes and mess up and they will require godly patience from their fathers if they are going to flourish.  Remember, the greatest lesson that we ever teach our children will be the daily example that we set and not the words that we say.

  1. Dads must be fair disciplinarians (Proverbs 13:24; 23:13-14).

Fathers who fail to lovingly and fairly discipline their children will live to regret the outcome.  To be a thoughtful and fair disciplinarian takes time, energy, and self-control.  Take caution not to discipline in anger but rather discipline in love.

5 Ministry Pitfalls

Whatever ministry you are involved in, there are tremendous blessings attached and terrible hidden pitfalls as well. The pitfalls listed below are not specific to pastors and preachers. Instead, the pitfalls listed are relevant to every aspect of church ministry. So, whether you’re a media ministry leader, children’s teacher, student ministry volunteer, or pastor, these dangers concern you. Consider reading 8 Preacher Traps (That Can Develop Over Time) for more specific warnings to pastors and preachers. Your ministry is valuable, you’re making a bigger difference than you even realize, and Satan hates you for it. If you’re ministering in any capacity, there’s a big red spiritual target on your back. Be watchful because your adversary is on the prowl, but you can resist him with steadfast faith (1 Peter 5:7-9).

1. Neglecting daily personal devotions. 

A significant danger in ministry is that most of our energy is focused on studying for others, and we can easily neglect to study the Word for our edification. This naturally creates a weak spiritual framework for our lives where others are fed while we remain hungry. We must maintain personal Bible study directed towards our needs. Avoid the pit of prayerlessness.

2. Lack of accountability.  

There should always be a pastor, preacher, prophet, or leader that can tell us the truth and not just what we want to hear. King David needed to have a Nathan in his life to be saved (2 Samuel 12:1-13). Likewise, we all need a voice of authority regardless of how much power we may wield. Running from accountability is a sure sign of spiritual turmoil. Great leaders have great leaders, and they produce great leaders. Arrogance has all the answers, but humility seeks godly counsel.

3. Lack of self-control.

Self-control is a vital ability the ministry should exhibit even in areas that may or may not be classified as sinful. Impulsiveness may be charming, but it is also dangerous, especially when you are tasked with caring for the well-being of others. Finance and temper are two areas that are often troublesome for ministers who struggle with self-control. Furthermore, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If self-control is not evident in your life, it’s symptomatic of deeper problems lurking under the surface.

4. Getting too comfortable. 

I know some of us wish we struggled with being too comfortable, but before you laugh it off, remember that complacency is a tragedy. The church and its leaders must remain vigilant lest we fall asleep waiting on the Bridegroom’s return. Ministry can become stagnant and mundane if we aren’t consistently stretching, growing, refreshing, and renewing. Comfort and resistance to healthy change hinder churches and lull them into mediocracy.

5. Getting too defensive.  

I realize that ministry and the things of God are constantly under severe attack, but it is unhealthy and counterproductive to be always defensive rather than offensive. Admittedly, sometimes the best offense is a good defense. However, that can morph into a hunker-down mentality when we should be advancing. Living on defense is a frustrating, discouraging, and exhausting way to exist. Instead, learn how to take offensive initiative. Remember, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Celebrate small gains and big wins. Take the fight to the enemy’s camp. Let Baal defend himself and let God prove Himself powerful (Judges 6:31).

Building The Kingdom

I know in my life it can become difficult to keep the right things in focus.  We live in a world where so many things are fighting for our attention, our time, our money, and our devotion. There are moments when I have to slow down and think about my priorities.  Consider for a moment what Jesus said in Matthew 6:23, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  A powerful spiritual principle emerges as Jesus shows us, that when we put God’s Kingdom first, the rest of life’s moving pieces begin to fall naturally into place.    

TO DO LIST

Sadly, many people place God’s priorities near the bottom or the middle of their To-Do-List.  This creates a life that is constantly out of sync with the benefits of God.  If you are peace-less, than you probably have a priority problem.  If you are joyless, than it’s probably time to reevaluate who’s kingdom is first in your life. 

Everybody instinctively longs to be loved (by the way, love itself is a phenomenon that the atheist simply cannot explain scientifically), but our fallen nature tricks our minds into believing that love is something that we must search after selfishly.  Our human default settings look for love in all the wrong places, in all the wrongs ways, and with all the wrong resources.  Looking out for “me first” is not a strategy that invites God’s Kingdom to rule our individual world. 

In actuality, true love is only accessible when we humble ourselves, seek God’s plan first, and allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives.  And Christ’s lordship must apply to every area of our hearts; that includes the secret places that no one can see or hear.  We must allow His lordship into the things that we grasp tightly onto: finances, time, family, relationships, attitudes, lifestyle, culture, and behavior.  Deception tells us that we know best, and that we should simply follow the desires of our hearts; but God warns us that our hearts are not to be trusted (Jeremiah 17:19).  Like the song we cry, “Lead me Lord, I will follow.”

2012-09-24 15.14.32

Consider another Scripture found in Mark 1:15 as Jesus preaches, “…the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.”  Thus, we see that God’s Kingdom is only available to us through repentance and obedience to the Gospel (for a brief description of the Gospel which requires: repentance, water baptism in Jesus’ name, and Spirit baptism visit Acts 2:38).  If we are Kingdom minded, than we must realize that it is not enough to be satisfied with our own salvation; we are called to reach others and bring them into the Kingdom as well. 

The Apostle Paul demonstrated admirably how a Kingdom minded individual operates with those who are lost, “…there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the Kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.  And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not (Acts 28:23-24).”  It is, I think, important to remember that we can reach for the lost, but we cannot impose God’s will upon them.  Even God does not impose His will upon us.  However, we are mandated to lovingly reach for every single person that we possibly can. 

So as we rush through the busy month of August, let’s intentionally seek the Kingdom of God first.  Let’s refocus our minds upon spiritual things, rather than allowing the busyness of our daily lives to be an overwhelming distraction.  

The Case for Yearly Preaching Plans

I remember a kind of gloomy fog settling over my mind after hearing from my Pastor (who doubles as my father) that we would be planning preaching and teaching strategies for the entire upcoming year. Dread! Panic! A throbbing, and all too familiar migraine, began forming in the base of my skull. Up until that point, I had mostly been a high powered evangelist approaching each new service like a maverick gunslinger. On some, albeit rare occasions, I even went to the pulpit with a few scribbled notes and an open Bible. I had a preaching mindset that prided itself upon being highly in tune with the Spirit, and evidently (according to my youthful way of thinking) the Spirit could only see a few days (or even hours) into the future.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a certain kind of desperate advantage to that style of ministry. Certainly, an evangelist is charged with the sacred duty of stirring a sudden response to the Gospel that is often best served with a large dose of spiritual spontaneity. But my role in the Body of Christ had shifted, and now my pattern was being drastically jolted.

Plan we did, with calendars and coffees in hand. We planned teaching series for Midweek Bible Study and Sunday School, and preaching series for Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings (we have lots of good church at Apostolic Tabernacle).  Thankfully, we left some wiggle room for my coveted spontaneity. We left no stone unturned. We met with our church staff (paid and volunteer) to plan yearly events and activities.  Meanwhile, I held my breath and nursed a silent tantrum fully expecting this strategy to fail magnificently. Not only did it not fail, it excelled beyond my wildest ability to believe.  When I say excel, I mean far more than that the church received good sound doctrine, grew at a reasonable pace, and enjoyed good health (although all of that is true); I mean that the process has been a tremendously freeing experience.

This is shocking to me because it seemed so constricting at first. I discovered a profound peace in having a structure (loose but not too loose) in which to study and seek God’s heart. Also, it seems that God is fully aware of what will be happening next month or even (gasp) next year. God can give direction far in advance of any man made time stamps. Not only that, God operates according to a certain command structure. God honors us when we surrender our stubborn will to ordained authorities.

Fast forward several years later, and I can’t imagine ministry without a well-planned preaching and teaching schedule.  I just happened to mention this to Dad at lunch the other day, he laughed and gave me a knowing look; then he said something profound (as he often does), “If you approach study without self-imposed parameters of difficulty you will always seek the most familiar path or the mediocre path of least resistance.” In other words, when we approach preaching and teaching like a maverick gunslinger we never challenge ourselves to learn, study, contemplate, and digest things that are unfamiliar. It’s well and good to have a favorite soap box or a tasty candy stick but those things, although comfortable, may become little more than an excuse for intellectual laziness if we are not very careful. So father does know best (sometimes).

14 Ways You Can Support Your Pastor

I just read a great article entitled How to Serve Your Pastor Well by Jamie Brown. I encourage you to read his article for yourself (after finishing this one of course). Jamie writes from the perspective of a Worship Leader but most of his points are relevant to all ministry positions within the church. His article resonated with me because, like Jamie, I am approaching 10 years of full time ministry in the second chair position.

Almost immediately after graduating from Bible College I stepped into the position of Assistant Pastor.  Several years as a full time evangelist followed, which is still a second chair position with its own specialized set of challenges.  Currently, I am privileged to serve as Assistant Pastor to my father (Dr. Talmadge French).  Nearly 10 years in the second chair has given me a perspective that may be helpful to my fellow second chair colleagues, and perhaps for senior pastors to consider as well.

1. Count it an honor to serve your Pastor.  Now I know that in some church paradigms the role of Assistant or Associate Pastor is little more than a title with no meaning, but thankfully this sad paradigm is shifting.  Pastor’s desperately need faithful ministers who will stand beside them and hold their arms up in battle (Exodus 17:10-13).  However, if you view your role as nothing more than a stepping stone to a greater position, or as a launching pad for your personal (yet unappreciated) ministry than you are not serving your Pastor; you are serving your own selfish ambitions.  You may think that your motivations are sufficiently hidden but usually they are far more visible than you imagine, not only to your pastor, but also to the congregation that you are serving.  There is nothing more rewarding than ministering without hidden agendas.  Remember, it is God who exalts us according to His perfect timing (1 Peter 5:6).

Many capable ministries never reach their full potential because they refuse to see the value of the second chair position.  As a church grows and flourishes in healthy, God-given revival the need for dedicated support ministries becomes more and more vital.  To serve in the capacity of pastoral support ministry is an honorable and highly commendable calling.  If you closely examine any thriving, revival church you will find not only a dynamic Pastor, but a dynamic support ministry as well.  God uses unity to propel revival not a maverick mentality.

2. Remain fiercely loyal at all times.  Loyalty is becoming extinct in our fast moving culture.  Our grandparents drove the same Ford or GMC their whole lives, many of them lived in the same towns that they grew up in, attended the same church that they were saved in, lived and died under the same pastoral ministry, and drank the same brand of coffee every morning.  Fast forward to my generation; we’re moving from church to church, from city to city, from fad to fad, constantly moving to the next big thing, or the next big idea, and yet it never seems to occur to us that we have embraced a culture of disloyalty.  This is not how God intended the Church to operate, while fierce independence may be admirable in the dog-eat-dog world of corporate leadership, in ministry, loyalty and faithfulness are absolute necessities.  If you can’t be loyal in the second chair position than you can never expect loyalty from others when you find yourself in the first chair position.

3. Be a dependable shield and a worthy confidant.  One of the most admirable roles that you can fill as the second man is to shield your Pastor from harm.  Anticipate possible problems and internal factions, and do everything in your power to shield your Pastor from attacks.  Guard your words and your integrity.  If your Pastor confides in you be sure to keep that confidence or you will lose a level of trust that you can never fully regain.

Inevitably you will notice that your Pastor has weaknesses and flaws.  Except in extreme instances where sin is involved, it is your role to pick up the slack in these areas.  If you study the Apostles you will notice that although they were greatly used of God they had personality flaws that often needed to be put in the hands of God.  Your Pastor is no less human and he deserves your fidelity.  If you strengthen his weak areas he will return the favor when you are lacking.

4. Avoid flattery that produces unhealthy pride in your heart.  Often the second man will receive adulation from those who seek to undermine the Pastor.  I once had a man try to convince me that I should be pastoring the church that I was serving in at the time.  Needless to say, I shut that conversation down in a hurry.  He wanted to use me as weapon against his own Pastor.  Shame on any second man who allows himself to be used as a pawn in the hands of rebellious saints.  Sometimes the second chair position feels unappreciated and we become vulnerable to the enticements of flattery.  The book of Jude warns of those who employ flattery in order to manipulate others for their own selfish desires (Jude 1:16).  Learn to distinguish the difference between healthy complements and manipulative flattery.

5. Don’t be naïve.  Sometimes saints are simply refreshed by the variety of hearing a new voice.  This doesn’t mean that they don’t love their Pastor’s preaching, and it certainly shouldn’t cause you to feel superior.  Evangelists and all other support ministries must take care not to allow compliments to go to our heads.  Sometimes people are just being kind (they aren’t going to tell you that you did a second class job).  Accept compliments carefully and gracefully.

During my first year of full time ministry, a family invited me to their house for dinner.  Everything seemed kosher until dessert was served; suddenly I found myself dodging personal questions about our mutual Pastor.  This seemed highly inappropriate and I told them so with as much kindness as I could muster.  Many young ministers naively divulge privileged information in an effort to demonstrate their insider status.  This is a terrible ethical precedent to set for your ministry and life in general.  Appearing “in-the-know” isn’t nearly as important as being a man of integrity.

6. Avoid second guessing your Pastor.  There are going to be times when you feel as though something should be handled differently.  You might even feel as though you could have done something better or smoother.  Once more, you might even be right, but it’s unhealthy to dwell on those emotions.  Submission is only submission when you are in disagreement.  God honors us when we yield ourselves to spiritual authority (Hebrews 13:17; Romans 13:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Ephesians 4:11).  However, many times a Pastor makes decisions and judgments based on information and facts that we are not privy too.  If we are walking in true humility we must be willing to acknowledge that we may not always know what is best.  After all, a Pastor is the God called watchmen on the wall (Isaiah 62:6; Ezekiel 3:17-19), and this vantage point gives him spiritual insight that we simply do not have.

7. Don’t be high maintenance.  I’m taking this one directly from Jamie’s article (mentioned above), along with a few additions of my own.  Your Pastor is bombarded with high maintenance people on a daily basis and he certainly doesn’t need his close leadership adding to that chaos.  Remember your role is that of supporter and if you are constantly adding to your Pastor’s stress level than you are failing in that mission.  This is not to say that you can’t turn to him for advice and guidance but do so with care and moderation.  Learn to be respectful of his time, his privacy, his family, and his work load.  I guarantee that if you learn the value of this particular piece of advice your pastor will love you for it.

8. Respect, value, and be considerate of the needs of the family.  I have already alluded to this point, but it is extremely important that the second man is respectful of the needs of the Pastor’s family.  Many Pastor’s kids and Pastor’s wives suffer the indignity of waiting on their father or spouse to finish lengthy conversations that were dishonestly presented as only needing “a moment of your time.”  A considerate leader is sensitive to these things and learns to use the appropriate timing to make important connections.  If your Pastor’s family begins to resent your constant interruptions and intrusions than you will eventually find yourself feeling cut off and disconnected.  Work to identify the proper times to make lengthy connections and your Pastor and his family will love you for it.

9. Avoid telling your Pastor how other Pastor’s do things.  Every Pastor has their own style and way of doing things.  Most Pastors have their own biblical perspective of how the Church should operate.  It took me a few years to realize as the second man that my Pastor did not appreciate my constant little reminders of how so and so Pastor did this or that.  In a sense you are telling him that you respect this other Pastors way of doing things more than his way of doing things.  Furthermore, every church, city, and culture is vastly different.  What works in one context doesn’t necessarily work in another.

10. Follow through and finish what you start.  If you begin a project see it through to the end.  Nothing is more frustrating to leadership than watching another project get placed on the backburner.  If you make a commitment follow through, otherwise it will be very hard for your Pastor to entrust you with greater responsibilities.  Along this same vein of thinking, try not to despise the small, unpleasant, or seemingly unimportant duties.  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

11. Don’t be a copycat.  This is not to say that you shouldn’t emulate your Pastor’s leadership or take on any of his characteristics, however, it’s ok to be you.  Your church doesn’t need identical twins, identical preachers, and identical leaders.  In fact, the differences are often refreshing for a congregation.  Variety is the spice of life, and your unique qualities will endear you to others.  Copycats become disingenuous and plastic over time.

12. Have fun.  Ministry is serious business, and we ministers have a tendency to take ourselves too seriously.   This might seem counterintuitive but you should cultivate a fun and friendly demeanor.  There is a time and a place for extreme seriousness, but no one wants to work closely with an individual who doesn’t understand the value of laughter.  Let the joy of the Lord be your strength (Psalm 28:7).

13. Know your role and what is expected of you.  You will circumvent all kinds of frustration by simply understanding what is expected of you.  Many Pastors are hesitant to tell you everything that they expect from you on a regular basis (maybe we’ll cover these reasons in a later post).  Dig deep and learn your parameters.

14. Be spiritually sensitive.  It should go without saying that we must be spiritually healthy.  Pray for your family, your church, and your Pastor.  Pray and pray some more.  Let’s lay aside our over inflated ideas of dignity and worship God with all of our might.  Guard your heart, guard your mind, and never stop growing in the Lord.

Related articles: Consistency – 16 Keys To Great Leadership, Right, Righteous, and Self-Righteous Judgements (Knowing The Difference), 5 Mistakes Every Worship Leader Makes, You Cannot Be A Church Leader If… (Part 1), You Cannot Be A Church Leader If… (Part 2), 3 Revival Killers, What To Do After The Storm, 7 Ways To Help Your Youth Group Backslide, Ministry Pitfalls, Been Hurt By A Pastor? (8 Reasons You Should Stop Talking About It)