Acts20.com

Don't let the title throw you. I do realize it sounds bad, but I purposely titled it as such. It really is an encouraging message!I have made some mistakes in my time thus far as a minister. 2 churches, both of which either needed shutting down, or a massive change of the linguistic type (Spanish, that is, which it is now and is thriving) have left me learning a great deal about myself. I won't go into too much detail. One, I've learned that God gifts some people for certain tasks. God also places burdens on those people, and it is incumbent upon the leader to both recognize and utilize those people. I lost a great family in my first pastorate, likely because I didn't use someone as I should've. We talked about it. We brainstormed over coffee. But for reasons I still don't know, we never got our plans off the ground. When I just should've set him loose and let him run, I didn't. Eventually, they moved on. I can't blame them.I realized where my areas of expertise are, and more importantly, where they aren't. I'm not an administrator. I don't have the patience, the focus to handle a lot of tedious tasks. I have a wife who can and does, and we are perfect for each other in that way. I realized that I can have a great idea, but without people to help see that idea take flight (these were small, older churches with little help), those ideas just seem to die off.I realized how much I love people. I truly do. If pastoring today was people business only, I'd do great. Let someone else handle the finances, etc.. Just let me shepherd God's flock, and do the work of an evangelist. I also realized just how much I enjoy preaching and teaching. I love opening up the Word of God, and giving the church something that will take them through their day, their week. I love giving them something that will bring growth, and help them become the people God is molding them into.I realized that I love leading worship. As a worshiper, I find it life-changing to love on God, and bask in His presence. As a musician and singer, music has always been my go-to thing, but to use it to lead God's people into the Throneroom of Grace, to prepare them from the Word of God, is a privilege and a blessing. Is God done with me as a lead pastor? Perhaps. I really feel that having had the experiences I have has helped me to see where I fit in. And God has changed me for the better through those experiences. I know what pastors deal with now. I've felt the weight of need, and the worry of budgets, and the uncertainty that poor weather can bring (having pastored in the Chicago area). I just want to find a place where I can be a blessing to not just the man of God leading, but also to the people. Just my own thoughts and experience The World As I See Ithttp://worldjeffreysees.blogspot.com/Revuriah's Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Richard/1226257444Jeffrey David Richard's Myspace Musicwww.myspace.com/547856946

Man.... Leadership is as much science as it is an art form... You can read all the books and apply what you've learned, but you have to feel and experience the nuances on a daily basis. You have to learn to flow with your experiences, the people on your team, and your own strengths and weaknesses. I know how you feel. I felt the call to church planting during MIP, back in 1999. I pursued that on multiple occasions. 6 years ago, I moved from FL back to my hometown to plant. We had about 20 people in the pre-launch phase at one point, and then all of a sudden, it kind of fell apart. People moved. Others disappeared. Some went to established churches. At the same time, I was working 2 jobs, and had a baby on the way.. So we merged our plant with a plant of a campus of a multi-site, and all was well for 5 years. 2 months ago, the main campus decided to close our site. 80 people without a home. It came down to lack of vision from main campus, which caused people to leave ours, and the money to go away. Main campus couldn't afford us anymore. Now, with 80 people displaced and looking for a church home, there's been about 30-40 of us who have re-grouped and started a new church. Guess what??? My failed church planting experience is becoming invaluable. I'm co-pastoring with our former campus pastor. He was on staff with National Community Church, and all his experience has been with larger, established ministries. Most of mine has been with newer churches. It's a good fit, and God is blessing. 2 months in, we're farther along than most church plants. We're legal, have money in the bank, a place to meet that's not a garage or a basement, and support is starting to come together from the outside. So don't discount your wins or your losses. God will use them. If you had come to me 3 or 4 months ago and asked if I wanted to start a church, or be back in ministry, I'd laugh at you. I had given it up and given my career to Staples... I'm still there, and don't plan to leave any time soon, but who knows what's in the future? Now, I'm the Executive Co-Pastor, building the teams and developing people, handling the business end, playing in the band, and helping develop the kids ministry. 3 months ago, I was just running the sound board on Sundays ---------My Facebook www.facebook.com/theB3

Praise the Lord, Brandon... that is an awesome testimony.It has become cliched to talk about God getting us ready for the destiny that He has for us. We have all heard people teach and preach about Moses in the desert, or Joseph in the jail, so many times that we can let it slide in one ear and out the other... but it is the truth! God knew exactly what was going to happen today when your plant failed six years ago and He was getting you ready for it. He is truly amazing.

Thanks Dave...God's timing is weird... and unexpected.... and difficult to understand. I still doubt this daily, but it's ok... a healthy amount of self doubt and humility helps us to rely on God.Before, much of it was about my ego, how many blog hits I got, or becoming the next superhero church planter... that's all gone now. The only thing that matters is God's plan for His people ---------My Facebook www.facebook.com/theB3

Oh, did I ever deal with that attitude in myself. Especially at my last church. When I was told the building was going up for sale, I so wanted to see a reviv hit, but for the wrong reason. I was more interested in showing people what I could do, rather than leaning humbly on God's grace. That's long gone. I've been through the most difficult time I've ever had in ministry, wounded, and feeling as if God was all done with me. It took some time, and the enemy has fought against me, but thank God for His grace The World As I See Ithttp://worldjeffreysees.blogspot.com/Revuriah's Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Richard/1226257444Jeffrey David Richard's Myspace Musicwww.myspace.com/547856946

Brothers, do you think some of the fatigue and failure pastors face is due to the fact that our pastoral model is so different from the one in Acts? With all the overhead churches have, does not our modern model make things worse? That's not to say that a pastor in 55 A.D. did not also have frustrations. But he simply did not have the worries modern pastors have

Jeffrey, sounds like good leadership to me, nothing lousy about it. Most of us spend much of our early years in ministry doing stuff that isn't our main calling, and maybe we aren't even that good at it, but we do it because if we don't then it just won't get done.But that time is not wasted. It helps us understand what we are really gifted to do - the stuff that God put us on the face of the planet for!Then, hopefully, we can get to a place where we spend the majority of our time doing the stuff that energizes us and for which we know we are gifted and anointed Senior Pastor, Solid Rock Church, DroghedaNational Overseer, Church of God, IrelandExecutive Director, Evangelical Alliance Irelandhttp://eaiseanchai.wordpress.com/

Thanks, Nick. The use of the term lousy is more for effect. The aim is really that I have learned that of being nothing without Him. It's realizing my total need for Him. To the world, that looks foolish and lousy. So be it.I know the things I've gone through are for a purpose, though I'm not certain what that purpose is just yet The World As I See Ithttp://worldjeffreysees.blogspot.com/Revuriah's Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Richard/1226257444Jeffrey David Richard's Myspace Musicwww.myspace.com/547856946

I love this. I think a dedicated person is harder on themselves than others or God is. Love you Brother and our prayers are with you. I abandoned ship a long time ago, I was probably self called. But if you know you are called, it must work.Then Hey Brandon, that sounds good my man, and good to hear from you.I also want to say, I respect DD and Bro Nick and their comments. Not that I am much of a judge, but I do love the support offered here. Having Jeffery and his wife only once, it was obvious the love for his church and his people.God is definitely good, and supplies some good support. Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

I meant to say, this is a very good post my friend, I know it is from the heart! Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/