A Fresh Approach

Last week I was in Destin, FL at youth ministry conference. I was there with 30 other student ministers specializing in high school, middle school, student discipleship and girls ministry. I have gone to this conference every fall for the last 3 years. One thing that has always been missing is a focus on strengthening ourselves as ministers.

In our society today we hear all the time how we need to worry about ourselves first and others second. While that is obviously a faulty way of thinking I think we in the church, especially those in ministry, have become so consumed with other things going on in life, that we do not take enough daily spiritual care of ourselves. How can you effectively do the work of the ministry if you have not been ministered to and are not ministering to yourself daily with time in the Word and prayer? Simple answer, you can't. Most of us are running on fumes and are dangerously close to burning out. The answer isn't to get busier, it is to get quieter.

As I was in the position of leading the conference this year, I felt the Lord leading me to take a year away from us one upping each other with the latest great event we just did, and decided to shift the focus to us as ministers. Our daily walks, our family life, our ministry and our life in general.

The theme this year was Reality. We looked at the reality of accountability, the reality of ministry, the reality of family and the reality of life. Here are four key questions that we asked those ministers. Mike and I would love to hear how you would respond.

Reality of Accountability- Point- Aside from God, you are most accountable to your spouse. Question to ask- Am I effectively ministering to you and our family, and have I created an environment that allows you to answer that question honestly?

Reality of Ministry- Point- "The problem with evangelism is not with the masses, it is with the people they follow."- Robert Coleman
Questions- In your walk are you a travel agent or a tour guide? When was the last time you sought to build a relationship with someone for the sole purpose of sharing the Gospel?

Reality of Life- Point- Life exists because of Christ and apart from our ministries.
Question- Are my priorities in the right order?

Feedback, Feedback, Feedback!!!! You've all been bench sitters for too long now. It's time to interact.