"Ministry is a Marathon" - Rick Warren

 

Rob and Michelle have joined Sheila beside me at Saddleback.  We're determined to serve Christ together and help GCC be the healthy church God wants it to be.  So we're studying together, worshipping together and learning how to serve you better.

Rick Warren is teaching.  Here is some more great stuff from Rick this morning.

Paul knew the secrets of personal renewal. Rick identified SEVEN from 2 Corinthians 4.  Here they are.

1. Enjoy the Grace of God.

Your value has nothing to do with the size of your church; it has to do with who you are.  It’s all grace.  You won’t last in ministry unless you enjoy the grace of God.
Never confuse prominence and significance. They are not the same.
Size has nothing to do with strength.
Big isn’t better. Small isn’t better. Better is better.
Look at your nose….is may be prominent…but not significant.

God created an entire Universe to create this Galaxy to create this solar system to create this planet so he could create you!  He wanted a family and He wanted you in it!

Ministry is received….it is not achieved.

2. You must be authentic.

You must be yourself.
You must decide if you want to impress people, or influence people.  You can impress people from a distance, but you can’t influence them without getting up close.

When you authentically love people, they know it.  You can fake it for a couple of years, but you can’t fake it for 20 years.

3. Remember it is not about you.

The average pastor leaves a church because of 7 critics.
Is you church worth fighting for? 

2 Cor. 4:5  “We don’t preach about ourselves.  We preach Christ…”

The most counter-culture statement you can make in this world is, “It’s not about you.”

If you are going go have a Christ-like ministry, you are going to be criticized.
The Pharisees despised Jesus.  And their #1 criticism was, “He associated with bad people.” They called Him the “friend of sinners.”  Rick said, “I’m proud to be the friend of sinners.”

If you have no friends who are unbelievers, if you have no friends with bad reputations, your ministry is not like the ministry of Jesus!
The real motive behind Jesus’ crucifixion was envy.  “It was out of envy that the chief priests handed Jesus over to Pilate.” Mark 10:15

4. Accept your human limitations.

The quickest way to burn out is to try to be Superman.  You are not Superman.  You can’t fix every person’s problem.  You can’t fix stupid.  “Answer not a fool.”  - Bible.

The pastor who is available to people all the time isn’t worth much when he is there.

God told Rick, “You build the people and I’ll build the church.”
Exodus 23:29-30  “I will not drive them out…I will drive them out slowly…until you have increased enough to possess the land.”
While God is growing your church He is growing YOU! God won’t build it quickly. 

It takes a long time to grow people spiritually.
God takes six hours to make a mushroom; God takes a hundred years to make an Oak tree.
Do you want to be a mushroom or an Oak tree?

5. Do everything out of love.
If you don’t love people, you’ll never last in the ministry.
Do everything in your life out of love. 
Start with your wife.
The purpose of marriage is not to make you happy; it is to make you holy.
How do you spell LOVE?  T.I.M.E.
Want to last in ministry?  Love your wife.  Value, honor, promote, encourage, equip, cherish your wife. 
Start with loving your own family.

2 Cor. 4:15  “All these things we go through for your benefit…God will receive more and more glory!”  Paul says, “I keep on going for the benefit of other people. 
You are there for your people.  They are not there for you.
The church that doesn’t want to grow is saying to the world, “You can go to hell.”  It takes unselfish people

Every church caters to somebody. A lot of churches cater to selfish Christians!  Rick said, "They’d rather let people go to hell than change their music.  We’re not talking about watering down the Gospel; we’re talking about being nice to people!.
Be sensitive to the needs of others."
I don’t care if you love to preach.  I just want to know if you love the people you preach to.  Some preachers love crowds but don’t like the people in them.

6.  Make time for daily renewal. 

Service a car regularly….and it’ll last a long time.
Divert daily.
Withdraw Weekly.
Abandon Annually.
If you work with your mind, work with your hands to reduce stress. 
Don’t do anything competitive; pastors are too competitive already.

Take a day off each week.  Sunday isn’t a good day for pastors to rest.  Jesus said, “the Sabbath was made for man!”  Jesus said, “I made this for your benefit.”
If you’re not taking a day off you’re breaking one of the Ten Commandments.
Do not call it your “Day Off.”  Instead, call it your “Sabbath.”
   Rick takes Monday.  Rest. Recreation.

Most pastors are like a poor photograph...Over-exposed and Under-developed.

Paul said, “I renew myself daily.” 

You need a plan and a partner.
1. Have a PLAN. 

2. Have  PARTNER.
None of us are very good at balancing ourselves.  The heart is deceitful; we have the amazing ability to lie to ourselves. 
Who pastors you?  Every pastor needs a pastor.
Get mentors in several areas; don’t have one mentor, have ten.

The #1 problem pastors around the world mentioned is… “Pastors are lonely.”

Eccles. 4:12  “…a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

7. Learn to live in light of eternity.
You lose your perspective when you are tired.

There are only three great motivations…..
Internal Motivation.
External Motivation.
Eternal Motivation.
Jesus endured the cross looking forward …

Keep your eyes on eternity and you get perspective.
Only he who sees the invisible can accomplish the impossible.

Comments

[Kim V]

Great stuff....thanks for sharing your notes.

[Daniel]

"It takes a long time to grow people spiritually. God takes six hours to make a mushroom; God takes a hundred years to make an Oak tree. Do you want to be a mushroom or an Oak tree?"

This is one of the concepts behind our name "Oak Tree Community Church" in South Bend. We're in it for the long haul. Great to serve our community together with you, Mark!

Daniel Goepfrich

[Scott Newton Smith]

Rick's comments on avoiding burnout are great. Over 1500 pastors per month leave the ministry never to return... much of it due to burnout.

The attitude, "I'll take care of the church and God will take care of my family and my health" is a myth. In ministry, we must make a concerted effort to take care of our health and family while we serve God's church.

Rick's suggestions are pretty much "have-to's" if we're going to be in ministry for the long haul. Rest, rejuvenation, personal Sabbaths are not options.

Scott Newton Smith
Co-host, The Sermonators Radio Show for Busy Pastors
"More Punch in Your Preaching, More Time in Your Life"
www.sermonators.com