Thoughts about Ministry at the 10 Year Mark at Seven Oaks

This is a picture of us in 2003 when we first came to Mayfield.

This is a picture of us in 2003 when we first came to Mayfield.

On Sunday (11-24-13) we celebrated our 10th anniversary with the Seven Oaks Church of Christ in Mayfield, Kentucky.  I spoke about this topic and challenged us for the future in the morning sermon.  It is in the audio resources titled, “Reflection and Thanksgiving at 10 Years.”  In a way of expressing our appreciation we prepared a meal of b-b-que nachos for the church after the evening worship.  It was lots of fun.

Here are some of my thoughts and observations about ministry at this point.  I enjoy reading other preachers write about their reflections, so I thought I would contribute mine.

  1. Statistics regarding the 10 years.
    • 817 sermons at Seven Oaks
    • 91 Baptisms
    • 68 Funerals
    • 9 Weddings
    • Basically a 50% turnover in the church.  Over half of the families who where here when I came are gone (mostly because of death and age / we were a graying / dying church when I came).  Today, that half has been replaced by new faces and more children.  We are similar in attendance today as we were 10 years ago but have changed demographics tremendously.  This demographic change has been a key focus and vision of the leadership and we are thankful it has occurred.
  2. A minister may be the one getting paid, but his wife and family are a part of the job.  My wife makes my ministry so much better.  She helps me to be a better preacher, father, and husband.  She encourages me, gives me honest assessments of my sermons and ideas, and works tirelessly by my side.  Also, my children play a great role in our ministry and I am thankful for the parts they can play in it.  I would encourage other preachers to get your kids involved in whatever way you can.
  3. Much of the success and happiness of the preacher has to do with his relationship with the elders.  I have been blessed to serve under great men of God who love the church.  They are kind, encouraging, and respectful.  They are all close friends and we work together, rather than separate.
  4. Ministry with a church is filled with hills and valleys.  There are times of excitement and momentum and there are down times as well.  For me personally I even see ebb and flow in terms of Bible studies, counseling, passion, and sermon preparation.  You have to learn to see the patterns.  Don’t get overly discouraged or arrogant.  Many times the preacher is not the reason for the problem nor the success.
  5. Dale Jenkins wrote a great post the other day that hit home with me.  I even shared the point in my morning sermon.  It is this–great christians make great churches.  I know it is not profound, but it should shape a lot of what we do in our churches.  If you strengthen individual discipleship, you will strength your congregation!
  6. There is no substitute for years of being in people’s lives.  The walking with people in their faith over years helps a minister do a better job.  He knows the people, not just by name and face, but by experiences.  It helps them understand you and you them.
  7. Ministry has changed a great deal in a decade.  Technology has impacted ministry and preachers need to use it as best they can.
  8. My graduate degree and classes were a great blessing and will bless my ministry for years to come.  I am thankful I challenged myself and took the time to accomplish the Master of Divinity.
  9. Sometimes you need to fire yourself, go outside for a minute, and come back in and do what the new guy would do.  That comes from Andy Stanley, and I think about it often.  Sometimes we need to be fresh with ideas, willing to shoot dead horses, and capable of not letting baggage stand in the way.
  10. Divorce does great harm to the local church.  God hates divorce and so do I.  It has hurt the church, individuals, and many children.  We work hard to strength marriages because divorce is awful.
  11. Learn to delegate and not take too much on yourself.  It is often said that many preachers leave because they have over-committed themselves and don’t know how to reshuffle their schedule.  It is easier to leave than change the expectations and duties they have accumulated over the years.  You have to leave yourself margin in your ministry.  I rarely get things done as fast as I think I should get them done.  I rarely have a week without unexpected things coming up.  You have to leave yourself margin and delegate to others.   Sometimes I just have to lower my expectations about what I wanted to get done.  I leave most days, not getting as much done as wanted, but I stop, and let it wait till later.

These are my thoughts at 10 years.  10 years is not much for many ministers, but I hope these thoughts will help other preachers.  I look forward to learning more and growing in ministry.

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1 comment

1 ping

    • Austin Holiman on November 26, 2013 at 10:06 am

    So proud of you, brother. Thankful for your influence.

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