Back To What Matters Most

On my next to last Sunday at New Prairie, after Superintendent Krober had spoken, I shared with the congregation how I had allowed ministry to get in the way of my relationship with God. Now I know that may sound strange. But what God had shown me during the critical days when Lynn and I were trying to discern God's will about moving, was that I had allowed the "work" of pastoring a church to get in the way of my love relationship with the Father.

All of my prayer time revolved around, "God, help me to lead this church, help me to grow this church, help me to preach well...etc." all of my time in the scripture and studying other books revolved around preparing for sermons and learning about church growth and pastoring. I wasn't spending time with God just to fall in love with him more. I wasn't spending time in the word to grow in my understanding of who He is and who He made me to be. I sacrificed intimacy with Him for the sake of ministry work.

I'm amazed at how backwards I had allowed things to become. To be an effective pastor, everything I do in that role MUST emerge out of my intimacy with him. If I'm not intimate with him first, I cannot hope to plant, lead, and pastor a church well.

For the next year, I'm limiting my reading to just two books. I usually devour 15 or more books a year. But for the next year I will read the Bible straight through. I will also be reading "The Divine Conspiracy" by Dallas Willard which is about rediscovering our hidden life in God.

If "doing good work" is taking priority over your intimacy with God, you'll soon find that the "good work" you are doing - regardless of how good it is - is ultimately weak and a bit shallow...which will bring you to a place of terrible frustration.