PRIORITIES
I
want to very briefly share with you my priorities in ministry. During my 38+
years in ministry these priorities have not changed. Sometimes they have got me
into trouble but then again our Lord never promised popularity.
1.) My first priority in ministry is preaching. I love to preach and the
majority of my time is taken up with sermon preparation.
2.) My second priority is visitation; in homes, hospitals and even
places of employment. I have been told by one of my former parishioners that I
had an open invitation to join him at his place of work at any time but that I
was not to come wearing clerical shirt etc. You see, he was a farmer and his
office was a barn where I would find him mucking out the cows!
3.) My third priority is to always have my office door open for people
to come in and talk about anything.
4.) My fourth priority is conducting Bible Studies and sharing sessions
which give people an even greater opportunity to explore and grow within the
Christian faith.
Those
are my priorities which I have promised to every congregation where I have
served. What I don’t promise people are the following.
1.) I don’t promise to have the answer for
why you don’t have more young people in church.
2.) Although I will always listen to you
that does not mean that I will always agree with you and when I don’t agree
with you that doesn’t mean that I’m not listening to you.
3.) I don’t promise to fill church pews and
offering plates. God has not called me to fill pews and plates but He has
called me to preach his word.
4.) I will not agree with you when you say
of my preaching, “But that’s just your opinion.” Opinions are cheap and you
didn’t call me and God didn’t send me to give my opinion but to share with you
God’s word.
Your friend Rev. John
