Comments on: 40 Lessons from a 40-Year-Old Pastor (#1–#10)

By: pastor juan

pastor juan — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:42:35 +0000

Happy belated birthday!!!!

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:02:58 +0000

40 years old. remember when you thought that age was old! Great lessons we all learn either the hard way or the smart way.

By: Shanna Crawford

Shanna Crawford — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:22:32 +0000

#9…If we keep this perspective God will use us more and more to reach our lost and hurting world!

By: Mark Hammond

Mark Hammond — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:59:40 +0000

Yeah I have been in parachurch ministry for about 11 years and at one point or another most of these have applied! For me however, #3 and #5 are most valid. I had to learn early one that I will never please everyone. My main focus should be to please the Lord. In Galatians He says that if we are to be His servants that we must work for him NOT for man. If we focus on that then we focus on pleasing the one who really matters, Jesus. As far as a marathon vs a sprint, if u can do the aboove well, you can hang in there for the full race, if not, you could become discouarged and not finish strong if at all.

By: This Week In Blogs « Sets ‘n’ Service

This Week In Blogs « Sets ‘n’ Service — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 13:24:34 +0000

[...] Craig Groeschel shares 40 lessons learned from a 40 year old pastor. HT: Provocative Church [...]

By: gina

gina — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:40:39 +0000

#10 - Way too many times I’ve taken things gone wrong as a direct reflection on me. Somehow I knew that was wrong, but I couldn’t explain it. Thank you for shedding light on a self-focused attitude!

By: My Bride « There and Black Again

My Bride « There and Black Again — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:46:00 +0000

[...] would have told him when he was just starting into ministry. (You can read the segments of his list here, here, here, and [...]

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:01:42 +0000

Great observations!
9 & 10 have incredible theological implications, Craig. Nice job in hitting these out of the park. It’s hard to communicate theologically and still be accessible and practical in the communication. You just said in 2 sentences what it has taken several chapters of one of my Systematic Theology books to say.

By: 40 Lessons from a 40-year-old pastor « ZackRiesland.com - (Zack’s Blog)

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:38:45 +0000

[...] LifeChurch.TV pastor Craig Groeschel, entitled “40 Lessons from a 40-year-old-pastor”: 1-10, [...]

By: anne jackson

anne jackson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:03:29 +0000

happy birthday!!

By: Derrick Henslee

Derrick Henslee — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:41:17 +0000

Hmmm, 40 huh? Don’t let Kyle pull that prostate thing on you…he tried that with me when I turned 30! Happy Birthday!

For me #9 hits home pretty hard.

#5 allows me to care more about what Jesus is doing than what others think we should be doing

Oh, and the updated #2 makes me want to shut down my blog and just hang out with my wife…

By: Rahul

Rahul — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:40:22 +0000

Happy Birthday Craig!
Man I just turned 28 and it always is helpful to hear these things, especially being young in the ministry.

By: Makeda

Makeda — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:00:28 +0000

Happy Birthday! I resonate most with the last one. I am inclined to blame myself when things go wrong in ministry so it is a good reminder that I am prone to do the opposite too (which is not a good thing). Thanks for sharing and I look forward to reading the others

By: Patrick Sievert

Patrick Sievert — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:39:16 +0000

Craig, tonight I had one of those think - get angry - cry - heal - walk through the cold at night walks tonight. Your words from number 10 kept ringing in my ears.

I blame myself so much when I fail. I strive so much to “succeed.” Basically, so often I live life in a manner in which I don’t live in God’s grace. I feel worthless when I don’t succeed, and I feel so inadequate when I fail. It kills me.

Tonight was really a breakthrough night for me though, I think. Just realizing that even when I succeed, I’m still inadequate in myself. Even when I fail, God is just as involved as when I succeed. Basically, I’m finally realizing where I’m at in this area so that God can begin to move me to a point where I recognize him in both victory and defeat.

Thanks so much for your words this morning, Craig. You’re really a blessing.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:00:09 +0000

Happy birthday!

“God called you because he is good, not because you are.” I needed to hear that today. Thanks.

By: paul peterson

paul peterson — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:40:37 +0000

Happy Birthday old-timer!

Great stuff!

The cool thing about this, Craig, is that you are cool and doing cutting-edge, effective ministry while simultaneously allowing God, experience, and the input of others to continually shape your life.

Thanks for sharing what you’re learning and remember… “You’re only as old as you think you are.”
Paul

By: Kyle P.

Kyle P. — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:10:36 +0000

CRAIG-O-NATOR!

Happy B-day from Michele and I. P.S. Don’t forget they are now recommending prostate exams at 40. Better get your appointment, buddy!

#5 - this displeases me very much. Thank you.

By: Rindy

Rindy — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:07:01 +0000

Happy Birthday!! (be thankful you are not hearing me sing!!)

#1–working toward this one every day
#8–wish someone would have told me this the day I became a single mom!!
#9–on the flip side of that “God is THAT good, even if you’re not”

Great list so far…

By: Marcin Mizak

Marcin Mizak — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:47:52 +0000

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Great news! Big Day. Pity I didn’t know before. I would have celebrated it in some special way. Next year then.

By: Trina Kelley

Trina Kelley — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:32:24 +0000

Well first of all Happy Birthday!!!! Since I “grew up” this year at 30 that means you are very much into your adulthood at 40, and have it all figured out now right??? lol 7 is my number so that must be my favorite, we truly won’t remember alot of our problems in 3 months but the things we do for God will remain with us forever, so we should make sure we do everything for his glory. yes I am trying to learning to do this, am gonna figure out how to apply it to my housework one day, lol You really do have a wonderful gift for the ministry and I thank God for the gift he gave us lifechurch.tv ers in your leadership and helping us become fully devoted followers of Christ, so Don’t work so long (much), but we appreciate all your hard work just get it done during a set amount of hours. We will grow in a healthy way and you can’t do it all cause we need work to do too…..