Comments on: Successful Ministry - 3

By: RASTY SANOY

RASTY SANOY — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:17:50 +0000

That was a great reminder! Thanks! We are sometimes found guilty in this. Many try to do ministry because they wanted to be known. Let’s just do things for the Lord who knows everything and everyone!

By: This is what I did on 2008-12-10 | Jonathan Hopson

This is what I did on 2008-12-10 | Jonathan Hopson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:14:40 +0000

[...] Shared a link on Google Reader. Successful Ministry - 3 [...]

By: robsingleton.net » Interesting Links

robsingleton.net » Interesting Links — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:53:56 +0000

[...] http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2008/12/10/successful-ministry-3/ This is a good read on what sucessful misnitry looks like. [...]

By: Heady

Heady — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:10:44 +0000

Good stuff and so true. I remember when my father first told me I was successful. It was when he noticed that I was honestly pursuing God with all my heart and loving people unconditionally. This made a huge impact on my life.

By: A. Pace

A. Pace — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:05:41 +0000

Craig,

Well said! Thanks for your encouragement!

By: txmom4

txmom4 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:13:11 +0000

You know who came to mind while I read your post Craig? Ananias. We get a very small glimpse of this man in Acts, but we get a huge picture of his enormous faith and his obedience to the Lord. He’s not one of the 12, and he didn’t write a single book in scripture so he might easily be overlooked. But it was this one man with a very small part in the story who did one thing that changed everything.

By: Steve Kirkeby

Steve Kirkeby — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:44:17 +0000

Thanks for your reminder. For me I know that the many years that I have been doing the things that you listed has prepared me for what I am facing today. I consider it a honor and a blessing to serve others in a private way. To God be the glory.

By: Noah Kaye

Noah Kaye — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:07:24 +0000

Craig, your sharing on Swerve has become a part of my daily read and keeps on richly blessing me. Me and a few of my friends in ministry have been grappling with these very things. Just, a big thank you! God give you great personal and spiritual strength as you lead.

Noah Kaye
http://www.noahkaye.com

By: Gman

Gman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:49:33 +0000

Reminds me of the ole Illustration of what Spurgeon said to one of his students …”your congregation is just the size you want to give an account for when the Lord comes again …”

By: Brandon Duff

Brandon Duff — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:31:13 +0000

As a pastor of a small church plant I feel like I’m under the microscope at times both by my own expectations and others. Great advice. Thanks!
I just want to be the best leader I can be so that God can use me as he sees fit. Church of 100, 200, or 2000.

By: drdave

drdave — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:58:37 +0000

Craig,

It is refreshing to hear from a “prominent” pastor who still advocates hospital visitation. So many seem to have assigned this ministry to their associates. I am reminded that “Brothers, We Are Not Professionals.”

Keep up the ministry in small places!

By: janowen

janowen — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:47:45 +0000

Thanks for encouraging us and reminding us that what we do matters even if no one really knows our name. Sometimes it can get discouraging to be compared to really large churches and you can feel like a failure. All I really want is to know that what I do matters for the Kingdom. Some days that knowledge seems far away.

By: Tom W

Tom W — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:06:30 +0000

Thanks Craig for the encouragement. Integrity is all about what we do when no one else is around. In the private corners of our heart, what is the true meaning of success? Is it always searching for the next “great” thing? I am sure that I am not the only person who deals with the definition of success in a small town, small church environment. Stay true to God’s direction for your particular ministry. Again, thanks for the good words and hope that others will be blessed by them!

By: Milan Ford

Milan Ford — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:43:56 +0000

Great Post Craig!!

By: Shannon O'Dell

Shannon O'Dell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:43:23 +0000

If we seek a large congregation we will never be satisfied…but if we seek to grow congregates we will find true satisfaction!!
Thank you Craig for these profound truths…this message must be heard by the small church leader. You are encouraging and uplifting many in rural, small and medium size churches.

By: Femi

Femi — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:11:04 +0000

Great post!
I think success is doing all these when you’re “small” and CONTINUE to do them when you’re “big”. The problem usually is that pastors of “big” churches can forget to do the very things that brought God’s blessings

By: Bill (cycleguy)

Bill (cycleguy) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:57:51 +0000

Craig: I think one of the hardest things to do but one of the most satisfying is to maintain doing all the above things “in the dark/relative obscurity.” When the heart yearns for more than anonymity God may very well call us to labor in small venues (maybe even our whole ministry life). And as hard as it may be…if that is where God called that is where fulfillment is found. Great post. Love the suggestions.

By: Chris Magnell

Chris Magnell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:56:00 +0000

I love this. I’ve served a church of 3000 members, led a chapel of 120 people in Iraq, and now I serve a church of about 400 in worship. This post is SOOO true. I am most faithful/successful when I seek to please Christ in ministry. I fail when I try to create something big, catchy or earthy. The Jesus stuff usually ends up exploding in success while my stuff fails. Go figure…