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5 Words of Advice for Young Pastors

5 Words of Advice for Young Pastors

by | Oct 4, 2021 | Empowerment, Encouragement, Leadership

As I've watched the world change over the last few decades, one thing has remained constant: my love for investing in young, teachable pastors.

I think it's one of the best ways to encourage future leaders and provide them with great opportunities to grow their skillset. If you're reading this, I know some of the following apply to you. You are passionate about Jesus and his Church.

You love people sincerely and want to pour into them (and let them pour into you). The pastorate is your call. You are experiencing the ups and downs of ministry life, including some who've invested in you (that you sincerely appreciate) and maybe others that aren't so great.

One constant in ministry life is change. Each week I get to do things I've never done before. When you are a young pastor, the chances are good that you will face times where you feel ill-equipped and overwhelmed.

Now that I have more than twenty years of pastoring, I'm eager to share what I'm learning to help younger pastors. One question I'm generically asked often: What advice would you give to young pastors just starting in ministry? Here are five words of advice for young pastors:

Prioritize Your Relationship With The Lord. Keep Him First

If God has allowed you to be a pastor—it's probably because He wants to use you to impact other people for His kingdom. And one of the best ways for Him to do that is through your relationship with Him.

So make sure you are growing in your faith. You are never too young to walk with God or learn more about Him.

Sometimes we can get distracted and forget about our relationship with the Lord and how He is working in our lives and ministry. His will for our ministry is deeper than we can comprehend, but we must keep Him centered in all that we do.

It may not always be easy to stay focused, but it's worth it! Ask God to help you prioritize your relationship with Him and not let other things take the place of this essential bond.

There are many ways to put God first in your life, but I want to offer a few specific suggestions. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a breath and ask yourself what is essential at this moment.

When I feel overwhelmed, it sometimes helps me to pray, meditate, or read Scripture. Treating other people with kindness and respect is also a way to put God first.

You can do this by being honest without hurting people's feelings, being polite when possible, and not gossiping or judging people behind their backs.

Sometimes we can get distracted and forget about our relationship with the Lord and how He is working in our lives and ministry.

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Prayer is The Foundation So Set It as a Priority

Prayer is the foundation, so set it as a priority in your schedule, or it will be pushed back/out. Prayer is not just about "talking to God" but much more. It is listening to what God has to say. 

When you spend time listening to what God has to say, you also listen for his voice in other places like Scripture, what other people are saying, where you live, work, etc. It's hard to catch God in a vacuum, so being aware of what God is doing around you will help your prayer life.

Prayer is the best thing you can do with your time. For Christians, prayer is talking to God, but it's so much more than that. Prayer is listening to what God has to say and recognizing his voice everywhere. When you spend time listening for him in places other than prayer, it's easier to know when he's talking to you."

Prayer is the foundation, so set it as a priority in your schedule, or it will be pushed back/out.

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Family is Your Top Priority. Ministry Comes Second. Failure in the Family Means Failure in Ministry

I am a pastor, and I understand the heavy responsibility of pastoral ministry. Still, I know that family and ministry go hand in hand. The family is the foundation of life and social connections.

When the family is working together, it provides stability for all members. The family also helps to set expectations for life and gives direction- both spiritually and practically. Failure in one area can lead to failure in another.

"Family is your top priority; ministry comes second." This statement needs to be lived out for it to be taken seriously by those who are still calling themselves pastors while their marriage crumbles or while they neglect their children because they're working more than they're home. Young pastors who are entering the workforce must get a firm grasp of this truth.

Family is your top priority. Ministry comes second. Failure in the family means failure in ministry.

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In Proverbs, we read, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). This verse teaches us that God wants to build His church through families- not just children, but families.

The home is the primary place where a child learns about God and their identity as an adopted son or daughter of God (John 1:12). These foundational truths are planted in the soil of our hearts through family relationships.

The home is the primary place where a child learns about God and their identity as an adopted son or daughter of God (John 1:12).

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Find Mentors and Encourage Them to Mentor You

Finding the right mentors is a crucial part of entering ministry. Mentors can help you learn what it takes to be in ministry, and they can teach you how to prioritize your time and give you advice on the best ways to approach people. A mentor can help you interpret your new culture and navigate complex issues.

Mentors can help you learn what it takes to be in ministry, and they can teach you how to prioritize your time and give you advice on the best ways to approach people.

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Your mentors should be trusted people who also see the vision God has for you in ministry. When interviewing a potential future mentor, choose someone who will stretch, encourage and inspire you to be your best self while loving on you through some hard conversations. You need to be open with them and know that they have your best interest at heart.

It's okay to have a mentor who has more experience than you; remember that God did not call them to be YOU. You are called uniquely by God, and the wisdom of other pastors will never compare to how he may guide you through his word. Find someone who will see your potential and come alongside you while encouraging you to pursue what God has called you to do.

When interviewing a potential future mentor, choose someone who will stretch, encourage and inspire you to be your best self while loving on you through some hard conversations.

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You Can't Do It By Yourself, Don't Be Afraid to Ask For Help

Someone once said, "if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go further, go with a team." Translation: Become a part of a tribe that will hold you accountable and encourages you to pursue what God has called you to do. Your well-being is never more important than the greater vision God has for your ministry.

It's great that you have a heart for ministry, but your priority should be yourself after God. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Being too tired to function correctly will lead to mistakes and causing more harm than good. If you don't prioritize your well-being, you won't last in ministry for very long.

Being too tired to function correctly will lead to mistakes and causing more harm than good. 

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You should always be learning and growing, but that can come at a cost if you don't manage your time wisely. Ask yourself the question, "What will I miss out on by saying yes?" It may have been good for others, but was it necessary or correct for you? Practice learning to say no. Don't let yourself fall into the trap of yes, just because you're too afraid to say no.

Your leadership will make or break the people you're leading. The more empowered and encouraged they feel by your leadership, the more likely they will stick around and grow with you toward a common goal.

Jesus said that "All of you should be of one mind; united in spirit with one purpose." Don't be afraid to surround yourself with people who see the vision God has for you and want to see you succeed as a leader.

Did you find today's post helpful? What additional advice would you give to young pastors?

Something’s Off: Here’s Why It’s Harder Leading Today

Something’s Off: Here’s Why It’s Harder Leading Today

by | Sep 27, 2021 | Empowerment

Leaders, I'm sure you've noticed that something feels off lately.

Maybe it's in your work life, or perhaps it's at home. You're trying to do more with less because of budget cuts but are frustrated that the quality is dropping. Or you're feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by all the tasks on your plate when there just aren't enough hours in the day.

The thing is, leaders today are expected to do MORE with LESS - not only for themselves but also for their staff members - without any additional resources or support from their organization! Leaders are in a tough spot. The world is changing faster than ever before, and the tools they need to succeed are evolving at an equally rapid pace. 

This blog post will explore what has changed about leading today and how we can adjust and make a real difference in this world. Something happened in March 2000 that changed our lives forever and ushered in Culture Shock.

Leaders today are expected to do MORE with LESS - not only for themselves but also for their staff members - without any additional resources or support from their organization.

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Culture Shock

Culture Shock happens when we experience cultural differences in a way that confuses, frustrates, and even frightens us. In culture shock, culture change seems too fast for our culture-adjustment capabilities. 

Culture Shock happens when we experience cultural differences in a way that confuses, frustrates, and even frightens us.

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The Four Stages of Culture Shock

Church culture, post-pandemic, can be hard to adjust to, especially if it's completely different from what you're used to. There are four stages of culture shock, and the church is not exempt. They are 1) The Honeymoon Phase, 2) The Frustration Phase, 3) The Readjustment Phase, and 4) The Acceptance Phase.

Stage 1: The Honeymoon Phase

The Honeymoon Phase stage usually lasts for about 3 months, but it can be shorter or longer depending on your situation. During The Honeymoon Phase, culture shock is still low, and you are enjoying your culture change. This stage usually lasts for about 3 months or so, but it can be shorter or longer depending on your situation. During the honeymoon phase, you're excited to explore new things and experience new technology like live streaming, Zoom, social media, and learn the latest industry trends. You might find yourself getting too tired at night because you've been doing so much during the day to understand this new culture.

During The Honeymoon Phase, culture shock is still low, and you are enjoying your culture change.

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Stage 2: The Frustration Phase

The second stage of culture shock is called the frustration phase. This typically takes place between 4-6 months after arriving in a culture different from one's own (though this timeframe may vary). You might start getting more emotionally upset about culture-related things as well as starting culture-related fights with colleagues, friends, and family as you're trying to figure out how everything works. Culture shock is more significant now, and you are resisting the culture change that surrounds you. You might not understand why you must lead differently than before.

Stage 3: The Readjustment Phase

The third culture shock sensation is the readjustment phase, usually around the 3-6 month mark. By now, you might feel like you're never going to be able to fit in with anyone or anything, and you've probably hit a culture-related low point. You'll start getting really upset about leadership-related issues that used not to bother you at all. You'll probably feel worse about leadership-related activities than you did before arriving in your new culture. You do not like the culture change and long to return to what's familiar and worked. You've grown weary of Zooming, streaming, and all things online, or even hate it because culture shock is so hard on the mind, body, and soul.

During the Readjustment Phase, leaders do not like the culture change and long to return to what's familiar and worked.

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Stage 4: The Acceptance Phase

The last stage of culture shock is the adjustment phase, and it's typically reached after 6 months (though again, the timeframe may vary depending on the culture). The Adjustment Phase occurs when culture shock comes to an end; you've adjusted into your new culture, and culture-related things (mostly technologically related) don't bother you anymore. Leaders feel they understand how everything works and that they fit in; culture shock is gone at this point.

The Adjustment Phase occurs when culture shock comes to an end; you've adjusted into your new culture, and culture-related things (mostly technologically related) don't bother you anymore.

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Where Do We Go From Here?

Culture shock is a response to cultural differences. It's happening today as leaders navigate cultural changes brought on by this pandemic. Some leaders cannot keep up with the culture change and are thrown us off balance. Some leaders refuse to change, and culture shock turns into culture shock resistance.

Culture shock doesn't have to control your leadership journey. With the right attitude and culture-related tools, church leaders can keep culture shock from controlling them or their church culture.

Many church leaders have culture shock resistance which makes being a church leader in today's culture extremely challenging. Church leaders need to understand that culture is never going back to how it was in the past. Church culture needs to adjust, mature, and grow into this culture change if church culture survives.

Leaders need to understand that culture shock only becomes culture shock resistance when the leader resists culture change and culture-related difficulties. Culture change doesn't happen overnight, but culture shock can. If leaders want to lead effectively in culture today, they must become culture savvy and culture prepared.

As a leaders, were you prepared for the changes that the pandemic brought to our culture? I'd love to hear your response. 

Culture shock doesn't have to control your leadership journey. With the right attitude and culture-related tools, church leaders can keep culture shock from controlling them or their church culture.

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The Most Important 604,800 Seconds

The Most Important 604,800 Seconds

by | Feb 12, 2010 | Leadership, Self-Leadership, Success

There are 604,800 seconds in a week, and every one of them matters (how you use them is up to you)!

As I age gracefully, I’m learning to appreciate and use the limited time I have.  Twenty years ago, I began to set aside an hour each weekend and ponder this question: What is the purpose of my life?  Here’s a book I recommend to get you started.  Afterwards, I would take notes & craft sentences that describe my life’s purpose.  I encourage you to try this – it really works!

Next, ask yourself how each part of your life (work, friends, family, hobbies) align with or relates to that purpose.  Again, write it down.  Are you spending your time on things that will help you achieve your purpose?  If not, you know you have to make changes.  When your actions are at odds with your goals, you need to make the slight, necessary adjustments.

This may seem like a simple exercise, but very few people do it.  The truth is you probably already know your purpose and goals.  But you may have pushed them off to the side.  Or you may not have aligned your daily actions with your long-term goals.  Doing this exercise will help you to do so.

A few minutes of quite reflection can give your life the clarity and sense of purpose you may lack. To keep your day-to-day choices in sync with your life’s purpose, take a moment to consider your purpose before you make any major decisions or take on any new responsibilities. It will help you remember the precious importance of every second.

Are you up for the challenge?  Do you know your purpose?  I’d love to hear about it!

The Most Important 604,800 Seconds

The ONE Thing You Need To Know To Be Successful

by | Jan 29, 2010 | Empowerment, Self-Leadership, Success

What makes people like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Lance Armstrong so great?

We think we know: Each was a natural who came into the world with a gift for doing exactly what he ended up doing.  Guess what, I found the secret to their success and because I want you to succeed, I’m ready to share my discovery with the entire world.  I’m about the let you in on a secret that has the potential to revolutionize your life!

Shhhh…Lean Closer….

Here it is:

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS.  PERIOD!

Nobody is great without hard work!


Researchers have identified what they call the ten-year rule when it comes to becoming a world-class performer.  In 2006, Fortune Magazine published, “What It Takes to be Great” which coined the phrase “Performance Principle.”  The Performance Principle says that it takes a long time to be an overnight success.  Furthermore, the author goes on to say, “Even the most accomplished people need around ten years of hard work before becoming world-class…”  This pattern is so well established researchers call it the ten-year rule.  In short, what they and others have discovered: There are not shortcuts!

The best people in any field are those who devote the most hours to what the researchers call “deliberate practice.”  It’s activity that’s explicitly intended to improve performance, that reaches for objectives just beyond one’s level of competence, provides feedback on results and involves high levels of repetition.

Fortune magazine gives this example:

Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don’t get better.  Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day – that’s deliberate practice.

Have you ever been tempted to take shortcuts?  Did you?  What were the results?

The Most Important 604,800 Seconds

The REAL TRUTH About First Impressions

by | Jan 25, 2010 | Book Reviews, Communication, Decisions, Empowerment, Leadership, Self-Leadership, Success

How many times have you met someone and immediately formed a favorable or an unfavorable opinion about them?  Honestly, we’ve all made what I’d like to call, “snap-judgments.”  Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is written by Malcolm Gladwell on how we make decisions about people (and many other things) without full knowledge.

The author describes the main subject of his book as “thin-slicing:” our ability to gauge what is really important from a very narrow period of experience.  In other words, spontaneous decisions are often as good as—or even better than—carefully planned and considered ones.   Gladwell explains how an expert’s ability to “thin slice” can be corrupted by their likes and dislikes, prejudices and stereotypes.

Whew, that was pretty heavy.
Take a deep breath…relax…are you still with me?

Here’s what Gladwell is saying:  People rarely make decisions as a product of long deliberation.  They make take weeks to announce a decision but often make the decision in minutes, perhaps seconds.

People do not gather data to make a decision;
they often gather it to JUSTIFY their decision!

They are not accumulating understanding; they are seeking comfort and support.  Most decisions are made, and then justified, rather than the other way around.

Therefore, that leads me to one obvious implication: “First impressions are really lasting impressions.”  The first impression, with startling frequency, is also the FINAL DECISION.

HERE’S THE POINT:
The first thing to plan for is your first impression.
Why, once a mind is made up, seldom does it change.

Has anyone judged you based on their first impression?

Have you ever judged someone based on your first impression?