Msg #2331 Keep Your Vision in Ministry

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

When a Pastor fails in leadership, he becomes simply a church caretaker. When he wearies of that, he becomes a church undertaker. That is all too common in these post-COVID perilous times we live in. To stay off that trek Pastor Clark, at a 2023 NE Vision Summit, gave seven things a minister must keep alive and viable. First, never lose your vision, your dream, your goals in the ministry. Keep them active, updated, alive, and current. Up front the apostle Paul writes to Timothy, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (1Tim.1:12). Word the reason you are in the ministry, a ministry of reconciliation, and give thanks you are in it.

Elijah called down fire from heaven, never lose the fire of ministry. “His word was in my heart as a burning fire … Is not my word like a fire?” (Jer.20:9, 23:29). Never lose the “awe” of ministry, nor the zeal of ministry. “The joy of the Lord is your strength... I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”; never lose the joy of ministry (Neh.8:10, 3John.1:4).

Don't lose the love of the ministry or your love in the ministry: love people, love souls, love being a minister of reconciliation (2Cor.5:18). Don't lose your burden of ministry. The Old Testament closes with, “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi”; the New Testament opens with “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt.11:30); preach the gospel, be a soul winner. You might get weary “in” the ministry, but these seven things can help that you never get weary “of” the ministry; “in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal.6:9).

An Essay for week #31 - Jul 30, 2023

The NE Vision Summit explored at https://northeastvision.org/

View the Summit at Northeast Vision youtube Channel

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A weekly 300 word essay- The Penny Pulpit
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