41 Things Ministers Ought to Know (Part 1)

The follow list will be posted in four parts.  This should be of particular interest to ministers.

 

1. Don’t go on and on talking about your church!  Learn from other people.  Maybe God is working in their church as well.  Ask them questions.

 

2. Forget trying to be a big name.  Most of that stuff is about who you know, anyway.  Stop playing the game. 

 

3. It’s all about relationships.  If you don’t treat people right, it really doesn’t matter what else you do.

 

4. Someone else can teach you something.  Pay attention.  Don’t overlook those who are much older or much younger than you.

 

5. Be careful about what you say.  If you say, “Let’s go to lunch.  I’ll get back with you,”  you need to do just that.  Avoid making promises you don’t intend to keep.

 

6. Follow through.  Many of us are good about starting something and then letting it die.

 

7. Forget trying to position yourself for prestigious ministries.  That is nothing more than a game based on ego.

 

8. Pay attention to the invisible people.  I mean the quiet, unassuming people in your church.

 

9. Find someone on this planet you can confide in.  This work can be very lonely.  Having such a friend may help to prevent a train wreck in your life.

 

10. Get healthy!  The best thing you can do in a church is to model what a healthy (not perfect) human being looks like.  Go to a counselor. Talk to a trusted friend.  Do whatever it takes to deal with old wounds.