23 Lessons I’ve Learned in 23 Years of Ministry

I graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in December, 1989. I was degreed and believed I was ready to take on my first pastorate. What I discovered was that despite the best efforts of my professors, much of what it takes to be a pastor can only be learned “on the job.” 

I have now been in the Gospel ministry for 23 years, and in that time I have learned a few lessons. Just for the sake of symmetry, I’ll list only 23 here.

• Ministry is messy.
• Sunday comes around with alarming regularity.
• Sermons aren’t THE answer.
• God meant it when He told us to rest.
• The opposite of faith is fear.
• It’s okay to admit you don’t have all the answers.
• It’s okay to admit you’re not perfect.
• Real Christians living real Christian lives make a real difference.
• Taking the road less traveled brings takes you places you’d never go otherwise.
• Buildings are tools.
• Buildings have gravity.
• People have a tendency to get worked up more over music style in worship than how many people are lost and facing an eternity in hell.
• We can do more together than we could ever do apart.
• If people don’t get connected they will likely not stay.
• Parents tend to go where their children want to go.
• Grandchildren have gravity.
• People tend to avoid confrontation or embrace confrontation rather than biblically dealing with issues.
• Never sacrifice family your family on the altar of the church.
• Never sacrifice your family on the altar of the world.
• God is God and people are people … in every time and every place.
• God’s truth is not clay to be molded or an ax to be wielded. 
• Do what you do best most.
• There is no substitute for the favor of God.
• God is more faithful than you can imagine.

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)