30 Valuable Lessons for the Young Minister

 

Important Lessons the Young Minster in Ministry Should Know 

1. Young men who want to do Christian ministry, be mindful of the theological views you hold. Check your ways by scripture and be taught by genuine mentors whose heart is for God.
Don’t learn the wrong things, all in the name of I learned it from this famous pastor with thousands of congregations and branches.
The fact that his or her views are working and producing seeming results does NOT mean he is right.
Learn from men and women who have dedicated themselves to the truth of the Scriptures.

2. The fame and the size of a congregation of a pastor does NOT make his or her words greater or supersede scripture.

Sound theology is sound theology taught from scripture and not the ideas of men.

3. Be careful of what you are been taught as a pathway of Christian ministry.

If you are taught to distance yourself from the congregants or people to create value. It is certainly not a teaching of Jesus Christ. Christian ministry is not them and us. We are servant-leaders, and we must cherish the opportunity to serve people.
If you have forgotten anything, look up the definition of a servant.

4. Testimonies should not be to exalt you as a preacher. So please share the testimony not to portray yourself as powerful but to draw men to the knowledge of God’s power and unto faith in God.

5. May it never be said of us that we deliberately tarnished the image of another church to draw members to start our own. Let this never be your story as a pastor.

6. You cannot seek for your name to be great and claim to also exalt the name of Christ. This is just an unhealthy and conflicting desire.

7. You cannot claim to love people and want them to know or grow in God, and you levy a fee and make demands to minister the word or sing. What kind of love is this?

8. The fact that you charge to preach and sing. Practically means your ministry is to the highest bidder. And those without money cannot be blessed by your ministrations.

I wonder if the Bible supports your charging.

9. So, in Christian ministry, in your bid to attempt to be relevant, you are reading books and listening to human philosophy that teaches you to create a gap between you and the people. I then ask, have you studied the life of Jesus? Let us be cautious about where we draw our inspiration from as Christians.

10. Christian ministry must be DEVOID of manipulation.

Please DO NOT manipulate anyone. Just LOVE PEOPLE AND TEACH IN LOVE.

11. So, as a pastor, you are used to business class on your personal travels. Let me ask you this. If you are invited by a church and given an economy ticket, will you humbly accept it, or will you demand business class?

The Case.
I believe that what a local church can afford should be well received by a minister of the Gospel. We should not lay unnecessary burdens on the local church. Our primary joy should be the privilege of sharing fellowship with them through God’s word and being a blessing. Our unbridled lust for an upper-class life should not become a burden to a local church that might be struggling financially.
Let’s consider Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11). Christ lived a humble life during his days on earth all because of God’s purpose, and even in difficult moments, He did not compromise his stand on pleasing the Father but stood firm on the right values that honor God. Let us not forget that Jesus is our role model.

12. Your position in ministry is a place of service, making you a servant. Please don’t forget whose servant you are. Let your works be pleasing to God. Jesus is humble. Remember, He is your role model.

13. Never be jealous.

In the Christian ministry, what brings us to a place of God’s reward for our labor is Faithfulness. So don’t look at the works of another man/woman and be jealous. Seek to be faithful.

14. A large Congregation, Fame, and Wealth are not the same as Holiness and God’s approval.

It is important we choose to walk upright according to God’s word.

15. Association in ministry can be good or bad.

Make the right friends. I have seen some erroneous practices by some ministers because of their association. Let us all beware.

16. We cannot behave as if we are different members of one body. This idea of mine doesn’t help our churches (The Body of Christ). We must quit our self-agenda and let’s work together to serve humanity with God’s love.

17. Christ teaches us to respect and love all.
Therefore, this must be evident in our lives. We must make deliberate decisions to love all people without discrimination.

18. If the focus of every pastor or minister was to exalt Jesus, that would be more beautiful. But unfortunately, some are focused on advertising themselves to fame and use the ministry as a means of gain.

19. In ministry, choose to be a person of integrity. Let lies be far from your lips. Do not take advantage of the flock of God, but serve them in humility.

20. You must learn to stand with the truth of God’s word. If your modus operandi is that a famous person is right by his ministerial methods then you my friend are wrong. We search and stand with the truth of God’s Word no matter how unpopular it is.

21. No matter the height you believe you have achieved and attained, you must still learn to honour and respect your elders.

22. You can begin to brew jealousy and envy in ministry when consciously or unconsciously, you desire to take the place of Christ. If it is not about you and it has not been made about you why be envious of another?

23. In ministry, do you follow money or moved by the Spirit of God to reach souls for His glory?

24. While we want to see young people doing the work of God, we need to be careful of pre-mature exposure, and we need to ensure they are well nurtured.

Good DISCIPLESHIP is key.

25. As a minister of the Gospel, when self becomes the focus, you can easily waste church/ministry resources on frivolous things.

26. When a minister fails to be kingdom-minded and becomes possessive of people. He or she ends up fighting and making enemies of those who are friends and not foes.

27. Unfortunately, ministry has become a new career path for some. And in their pursuit, they disregard the basic teachings of Jesus regarding ministry. God, please have mercy.

28. Ministry is not a contest for fame. When that becomes your desire and your pursuit, then your heart is responding favourably to the works of satan.

29. In Christian ministry, you can package yourself and be a man of the people (become their sensation) or remain a man of God who is faithful to the call of God.

30. While we spent money paying for bloggers to post us during church service of us walking into the auditorium. With the same expenditure or more let’s also reach the world with the gospel and help the poor as need be. Let’s be focused.

 By: Edward Agyeman