This is a repost from “Thoughts on life, Leadership and Technology”
If you work or volunteer on a church ministry team, you are not immune to the spiritual dangers that others face. In fact, probably just the oppposite – you are even MORE AT RISK! There are many stories of well known ministry (and even secular) leaders who have suffered from public moral failures. We need to always be on guard – don’t become “lion food” (1 Peter 5:8).
Earlier this past week, Geoff Surratt (@GeoffSurratt) spoke at the All-Staff Meeting for Seacoast Church. He outlined 10 steps all ministry leaders need to do to help prevent a shipwrecked life. I’ve summarized them below, but I encourage you to watch the session for yourself (watch on vimeo ).
Seacoast Church; All Staff, Geoff Surratt from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.
You need to experience corporate worship and hear the Word of God preached. Just because you work at a church doesn’t mean you don’t need the weekend experience.
* They are not just for “those people”, they are for you!Â
* They are messy and that is where you can grow
* Not the ‘professional’ stuff, but the personal 1 on 1 thing
* For staff, this happens outside your ‘work time’
* How are you connecting with God?
* Are you growing or just in a comfy zone?
* Shows obedience
* Clubs the selfish demon
* Opens the door to God’s provision
* Ministry will destroy your family if you let it
* It doesn’t have to be that way, but you have to stay on top of it
* You need nights were church doesn’t enter the conversation
* God opens you up in a unique way
* Could be local or foreign, but must be outside your ‘normal job’
* Our nature is to focus on the area we get paid to be responsible for
* You need to do what we expect others to do, work full time, but still have an area where you volunteer to serve.
* You work with flawed jerks, just like the rest of the world
* The church (and the staff) is not perfect, you need to learn to forgive
* Your coworkers are not here for selfish reasons
* They (like you) have good motives, give them a break
* They did what they did because they thought it was best. Sure they might have been mistaken, but assume the best about them, not the worst.
