10 Things I've Learned From 10 Years in Ministry - Part 4



A few weeks ago, I celebrated 10 years of student ministry at my current Church. Spending 10 years in one spot brings a certain perspective to life and ministry. Over the next few days, I want to share 10 lessons I've learned.

 If I could go back to my younger self, 10 years ago, here are some of the things I would tell myself:

 4. My Senior Pastor is (almost) always right

 I work for one of the greatest senior pastors in the world. Seriously. We don't always see eye-to-eye on everything, and I think that's very healthy. What help would I be to him if I didn't bring a different perspective to the table? He has taught me a great deal about how to be patient and pray about things rather than rushing in to save the day. He has saved me from great heartache on numerous occasions because of his wisdom, wit, and prayer.


 Over the last ten years of working with him, I've learned to see things from his perspective. I often find myself asking the question, "What would my pastor do in this situation?" This kind of thinking and personal growth only comes if you stick around long enough to grow through your disagreements. I could write a whole blog series on things I've learned from my senior pastor, but for now, I'm reminded of two short scripture verses:

 Philippians 2:4 - Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

 Ephesians 4:2 - Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

 Too many of us act like we have all the answers and we've got it all together. Truth is, you need your senior leader and your senior leader needs you. You're there to help each other learn and grow. Where do you need to humble up and admit that you need some advice? In what area are you only looking out for your own interests? What can you do this week to humble up and see things from another perspective?

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