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Advancement for the young Christian Leader.


The Myth that Advancement and Self Esteem Are Related



This last week I have been spending time listening to the heart of a young pastor. His heart's desire is to serve God by planting churches and making a significant impact for God in the community he wishes to influence and serve. However his problem is that he has been asked to consider taking over another church, this church has no pastor or leader at this present time. My young friend wanted council and advice.

In the denomination he is a part of the way a young person advances is; to be actively involved in his local church, do some theological training (get a degree), become ordained and then take a church that is offered to you. If you succeed at that church (whatever that looks like), after a few years you are offered a more substantial church. All very commendable, if not a bit predictable. The only problem is that it leaves out heart and ministry and perhaps to some extent the calling of God on their young lives.

My advice to him was to sit down with his national leadership and share his heart with them, to see if there could be a meeting of hearts and minds. If no clear way forward could be agreed on, then he should stay where he was until he heard clearly from God.

My council was to consider four things;

1.       Any young leader who is being asked to take over a church should ask themselves; What culture do I carry? What are my values? What ministry and ideas have been grounded in my life that I will carry forward to a new church?

2.       What culture does the church being considered carry? It is wrong to assume it will be the same as your own.

3.       Any young leader needs to consider if there is any reasonable chance of changing the culture. Changing another churches culture takes time and a lot of effort. There maybe those in the eldership/leadership who don't want change and would be a hindrance from the get go.

4.       If there is no buy-in to your hearts desires then there is your answer.

The ministry has never been about advancement or position in church it has always been about people. Our self esteem  comes not from our position but from our desire to serve God and advance his kingdom. It certainly doesn't come through the machination of men.

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