20 LESSONS IN 20 YEARS: LESSON 3

As I look back on 20 years (including some times of transition) of being a pastor, many thoughts and feelings flood my head and heart. This is a good way for me to get them written down, and re-experience these important lessons God has taught me. Just as a disclaimer: I don't pretend to have all of this figured out; or even that these lessons are completely learned. I realize I will continue to learn and re-learn lessons in ministry until God decides to call me to something else, or take me home.

Lesson 3: I have learned to preach to myself before preaching to others

One of the temptations of ministry is to get so excited about communicating God's Word, and seeing Him work in people's lives, that we forget what is really the best communication that will have lasting impact. If I am disconnected from the truths I am preaching, then it is up to my ability to creatively communicate to and motivate others to believe that what I am saying is worth listening to and applying to life. However, if I have already listened to God's Word myself and am currently applying it to my life, the message will be an overflow from a heart that has already wrestled with these truths and submitted himself to them.

I'm not sure when, exactly, this hit home for me. It was probably about 10 years ago when it really took hold. I don't remember any particular incident; but I think I recognized that unless I was growing and putting the messages to life, I would be preaching in my own power, which eventually fails. But, if I was preaching, based on the work of God's Spirit, using His Word to continually change me; well then, who knows how God might use that to change others as well. People tend to know when you are just saying something or when you are actually living it yourself. When someone is trying to sell us something, some natural questions might be: Have you actually used the product? Are you currently using the product? Will you continue to use the product, even if you no longer work for the company. The same could be asked of the pastor: Have you applied this passage of Scripture to your life? Are you currently growing in your faith? Will you continue to apply this message, even after you have preached it to others? Will you share with us how God is currently working in your life?

For some time, in ministry, I was specifically telling the congregation each week how I had already applied that particular message to my life the week prior. Perhaps I will do that again, where I talk about it every single week. I think, for now, I will just continue to consider my own personal application, and where appropriate, I will share with the people how God has been using these messages in my life as well.