25 comments (+ Add)
Successful Ministry - 4
The Private Cost of Visible Success
If you are quietly faithful for years, God may expand your ministry. One day, many will want a ministry like you have. But not everyone is willing to do what you did to have what you have.
You and those closest to you will know:
- The sacrifices you’ve made.
- The pain you’ve endured.
- The hard decisions you’ve faced.
- The loneliness you’ve felt.
- The fear you’ve overcome.
- The weight you carry.
Every private painful memory you carry will draw you closer to the One who suffered and died for you. Your “public success” won’t mean nearly as much to you as your private devotion to Christ.
Visit 
It is for these very reasons that I adore my bride. She and she alone knows all the above. I find myself occasionally asking forgiveness for the times I took her for granted (and still do sometimes even when I am more aware now than ever of what she means to my ministry). After 35+ years she knows me better than anyone else.
Amen!
Craig, Thanks for giving us a picture, this week, of the sacrifice of successful ministry. It has helped refocus me. It is good to look to you as you follow God.
Bill, I echo your words. My wonderful wife has stood with me during the hard ministry times. Thanks for bringing that point out.
Amen, Craig! I’d rather know intimately the love of my Real Father than the praises of men/women.
And you were just prayed for again!
Wow…such powerful words and such amazing comment so far…Words are so “powerful”!!! Every time I endure a hardship…I know God is breaking me and my “fleshy” nature dies a little bit more…and the Spirit Life within me “sprouts” a little more…Dying to self is VERY hard but Necessary …..”No Pain , No gain…Right?
good reminder that in order to grow a ministry like any of the pastors that i look up to - i am going to have to endure some pain and make some tough decisions.
thanks for this.
Thanks, Craig. That 30 second read choked me up. We’re making some difficult (but good!) changes in our student ministry right now and I think I’ve been overwhelmed by all of those things in the past couple of weeks! It’s invaluable to know we’re all in this together!
Bill, I feel the same way about my wife. I am so thankful to have shared the joys and pains of ministry with her. It is one of the bonds that keep us intimately close.
Camey, Thanks for the prayers this morning!
Spoken from true and transparent experience. Thanks Craig, you are a shining example for so many future pastors.
Thank you Craig for the trials and sacfrifices you have endured to make Lifechurch what it is today. You have no idea how your ministry has touched and changed me as a person, father and Christ follower. I know that God is going to continue to bless the snot out of all that you and your team are doing. Keep up the amazing work!
This could not be more relevant to where the leadership of our church is right now. We spare the congregation, but carry heavy, silent burdens for the sake of the church. In ugly circumstances we choose to keep silent, making tough decisions, being honest with the congregation without revealing ‘our side’ of the story at times for their sake. And every time we choose the right response the congregation is blessed. Desiring only to stand blameless before Him!
Same for raising a family….as you well know
After a tough couple of years, I totally understand what you are saying. I can now be thankful for some of the hard stuff that goes with ministry as I have seen first hand God’s faithfulness. Thanks for all you do and have done for the Kingdom.
Ahhh crap.
On a serious note, the devil has definitely been pushing visible/ public success in my mind instead of private devotion.
It’s weird how you can know what’s right and know to do it and how to do it (and want to do it) yet not do it. It’s because I wasn’t aiming for it. I’ve been partly aiming for public success. What a crock.
No mo. “Where there is no vision, the people will perish…” Prov. 29:18.
My vision is to follow God’s hand and if it leads to public success awesome, but I will always rejoice in the fact that I’ve been following God.
(See, it’s even weird to say that, because I HAVE had that vision (to honor God in the private ways), but my heart has still been pushing the other way. I must pray, pray, pray! I will be praying for God to keep my heart, eyes, ears, mind and body and spirit on praising Him and focusing on pleasing Him instead of reaching public success. Please pray this for me as well!)
God bless you all! Keep praying for the Kingdom and this Christmas write out a “Dream list” you have for the Kingdom! (And keep in mind Prov. 16:3!)
This also pushes me to make so many more sacrifices…I always love reminders like these. Thanks!
WOW, thas so true.
And i think is harder things to acomplishe in the ministry
Thanks!!
Bill, I am so thankful that God has changed your life! Thanks for making my day with the great comment!
Thanks Craig.
I am preparing to start a church in a troubled area of our town that seems to be forgotten by most churches. I complained about it and then God called me to stop whining and get in there.
Anyway, we’ve almost got a location hammered out and we (my wife and I) have already seen many areas of our own lives that were standing in the way of the Gospel, which God is now allowing us to shed. It is scary and exhilarating.
Please pray for us as we continue on.
Ken
[...] Private Cost of Public [...]
Great set of posts. Seen many difficult times in ministry and it’s been the quiet still times w God that have carried me through. Early in my ministry it was all about being discovered, now it’s about being developed!
This could not be more true! Thank you for writing this. It encouraged me today.
Craig, your blog was just what I needed to remind me of WHO i serve and why i serve HIM. i have experienced many attack in the last few years of the minstry that God has allowed me to be a part of. I have cried and asked God; “Why?” I realize that we must go through to get to. My “private pain” has brought me closer to the ONE who can ease my pain! Thanks for allowing God to use u.
Stephen
These things are just so true. Thanks Craig-
Getting to know Christ in a more intimate way makes the struggles we face on the journey to our destiny well worth it! This week marks our 1 year anniversary at Lifechurch.tv. This year has had it’s challenges as well as happy, fun times. I’m learning to trust Christ in a real way. It’s encouraging to know that even in our hardest times He’s drawing us closer to him. We’ve seen some great answers to prayer this year and I am so thankful! Pastor Craig, your teaching is inspiring and challenging…Thank you =).