How To Last in Ministry

Recently I came across an article that Rick Warren wrote up.  This man won my respect a year ago when I listened to a podcast stating the fact that he paid back his church all the year’s paid salary from the selling of his books.  5 years ago Rick started praying for 50 young emerging pastors that he believed were going to make the big difference in the kingdom in years to come.  Since then, almost half of them have either flamed out or burned out.  So, how do we last in ministry?



1. ENJOY THE GRACE OF GOD.

0.Driven-ness comes from a lack of understanding or experiencing God’s grace.  Some people have preached the grace of God their whole lives and never experienced it or felt it.  You need to enjoy Gods’ grace.

0.Never confuse prominence with significance. You may never have a church of 1,000 people or you may never be on the cover of Christianity Today – but don’t confuse your significance with prominence.

0.If you don’t settle this issue…you will not last!

0.Ministry is received, it is not achieved.  God gives it to us as a gift.  We are valuable and God loves us.  God likes you!  He really likes you!

0.I used to go into my kids room and just watch them sleep.  I loved them no matter how good or bad they were.  I loved them because they are my kids!  I helped create them.

2. BE AUTHENTIC.

0.Obvious imperfections in the pastor can be a very good thing.  It tells people that they can be used by God.  People will think, “if God can use Rick, God can use me.”

0.When you live with authenticity it gets better every year; when you don’t it gets worse every year.

0.You can fake love for a few years…but not for long.

3. REMEMBER IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU.

0.When you start to think it’s about you – you get either bitter or prideful.

0.The average pastor leaves the church because of seven critics.  That’s too bad.  On the other hand if the pastor stays, the critics leave.

0.II Corinthians 4:5 – “we are your servants.”

0.Lots of guys start out as servants and become stars.

0.Paul says, “I do it for Jesus sake”  II Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

0.People always want the success without the suffering.

0.Stop comparing yourself to others.

0.If you are going to have a Christ-like ministry, you will be criticized.  The religious leaders were the one’s that criticized him.  Why?  For being associated with “bad people”.  Jesus was called “the friend of a sinner.”

0.You can be a friend of someone without buying into all that they believe.

0.If you have no friends who are unbelievers or disreputable – you are not Christ-like.

0.Ignore your critics and remember who you are trying to impress.

4. ACCEPT YOUR HUMAN LIMITATIONS

0.You are not a superstar…you are human.

0.know your limits and know your warning signs.

0.Phases of how I dealt with my weaknesses:

0.1st – I denied my weaknesses

0.2nd – I hid my weaknesses.

0.3rd – I accepted my weaknesses.

0.Now – I glory in my weaknesses.

0.When God makes a mushroom it takes 6 hours; when God wants to grow an oak tree it takes him 60 years.  And it will take time for God to build a church.

0.While God is growing a church he is also growing you!

5. DO EVERYTHING OUT OF LOVE.

0.Where do you start?  How about with your wife. Love your wife. “Guys, listen to your wife…she is the Holy Spirit.”

0.The people are not there for your benefit; you are there for their benefit.

0.It takes unselfish church to grow.  The church that doesn’t want to grow is saying to the rest of the world, “Go to Hell!”

0.Every church caters to somebody – who are you catering to?

6. MAKE TIME FOR DAILY RENEWAL

0.Formula for renewal:  divert daily, withdraw weekly, abandon annually.

0.If you work with your mind – use your hands to de-stress.

0.Daily renewal – take a day off every week.  What is your sabbath.  If you are not taking a day off every week you are breaking one of the 10 commandments. 

0.II Corinthians 4:16 – “we are being renewed day by day”.

0.Got to have two things for renewal:

0.Plan – what is your plan for personal renewal?

0.Partner – who is it that will hold you accountable?

0.Don’t wait for someone to build a group who will partner with you.  Do it yourself.

0.Ecclesiastes 4:12

7. LIVE IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY

0.”Fatigue makes a coward of us all” – Vince Lombardi

0.3 motivation

0.internal motivation

0.external motivation

0.eternal motivation

0.Only he who sees the invisible can achieve the impossible.

0.”You don’t determine a man’s greatness by his count or by his wealth – you determine his greatness by what it takes to discourage him.”

0.Great people are just ordinary people who won’t give up.

DON’T GIVE UP.  DON’T GIVE UP.  DON’T GIVE UP.

sunday @ the well

 One of the biggest surprises that made me realize that this would be no ordinary Sunday as the fact that some of my dear friends showed up at 9:55!  I told them I didn’t know what to do with myself as I knew there grand entrance at 10:15 would not be happening.  They took it like I knew they would and we laughed knowing the fact that they came and are so faithful means more than anything else.

 

It has become one of the most covetous times of my entire week at 9:30 on Sunday mornings.  During that small window the army of servants that are apart of Team Well join together in prayer.  At that moment we look into each other’s eyes knowing it isn’t about what we do at that moment but who we are.  As I looked around there was two facts that were undeniable: these people loved each other and they were authentically happy to be there.  We each matter to one another and are serving for an audience of one.  It reminds of the “why” behind all the set up, all the preparation, we get to be apart of life change and pour out Christ’s love.  Someone’s perception of church might just be changed today.  Last week we held a “gifts link” and every single person that said they wanted to volunteer showed up today – it blew me away!  On top of that our top 3 opportunities got filled: another trailer team volunteer, computer guru, and I’m proud to say we now have a Nursery Director!

 Last week someone wrote on a communication card needing help with the air condition.  Within a day calls and emails were being made, one of our groups was chopping at the bit to help this couple.  Another couple is needing help with property clean-up and guys are volunteering with trailers, chainsaw’s, and lawn mowers.  Our church is getting it faster than I ever thought they would.  It isn’t difficult.  People are tired of hearing about God’s love with mouths, they want to see it with hands and feet.  It’s time – to serve our community one person at a time!  You know I enjoy doing church, but it feels so much better to actually be it!

 We are coming to the tail end of our All In Series and I decided to be led of the Holy Spirit and jump the gun a little early.  Knowing some will be gone for the 4th after hitting our 4th G “Givings” we challenged our infant church with expectations and commitment.  I have wrestled with this idea for a long time and even rejected the thought of it a year ago.  However, I’ve reached a place where I believe if anything is communicated with the right heart and people believe in you and your vision they will place trust in the direction God is leading.  We handed out our covenants to be apart of The Well family.  

I’m humbled by the response of those that signed to be All In with our G’s.  As a reminder and a token everyone that wanted to take a poker chip could take them unifying us together in one heart and one mind.  There’s no more questions on what we are all about as a church and where God is leading us.  My prayer and dream is that if we can be ALL IN the potential for our church to be ALL OUT is beyond our imagination as we serve our community one person at a time!

 

Being a church of poor college students, unchurched who have no concept of tithing, dechurched who have lost trust in the credibility of the concept, many still wandering if this is the church for them, and the economic status makes for a challenging recipe for finances.  As Amy shared our past mistakes it became evident this wasn’t about what we could get from the church but what we wanted for them.  My prayer is that people wouldn’t live in the bondage but freedom there is and experience the joy of giving rather than spending.  We laid out a 60 day tithe challenge and I’m anxious to see those that take us up on this.  I knew things mentioned might make or break us but we ended up receiving one of the largest offerings in the history of our young church.  We used an object lesson I heard my own father use when I was 12 years old with candy.  One young boy got an answer correct and won 10 packages of M&M’s.  At the end of our gathering one of our ushers approached me with an envelope.  It was this little boy’s tithe and in it – was 1 package of M&M’s.  If our whole church can be ALL IN and be child-like and unselfish watch out Roger’s County you will be saturated with the generosity and gushing love of a church!

One of my favorite things as a Pastor is getting to hear the true stories of transformation.  Here’s a few on the day that make me want to get up every morning: A new volunteer that hasn’t been in church in 3 years told me the reason why is because she was involved in a youth group and was told she was too old to work with youth anymore and felt rejected.  I asked her why The Well?  She answered quickly, “Because I am accepted, everyone’s accepted here”.  I was able to have several conversations with some couples that are currently wounded and beyond hurt from the past.  They are precious people and I’m thankful God is using Amy and I’s past, along with many other’s, to create a hospital for the hurting.  They are being healed one day at a time.  One of our ushers yelled to me as soon as the gathering was over, “Ricky” grabbed my shoulders looked at me square in the eyes with his watering, “My friend prayed today”.  I knew how monumental of a moment this was.  There’s no pressure at The Well just love, patience, and acceptance.  People are taking steps in their timing not ours.  We are attempting to make them feel belonged long before they believe.  That’s a little opposite than the way many of us were raised.  Another man poured out his heart with repentence on his desire to save his relationship and get passed addiction.  Did I mention I love being a Pastor!

The afternoon was spent getting welts with paintballs with a group of guys I’ve grown to adore and love, even if they are physically hurting me.  The evening was spent with some of the greatest team leaders and group leaders I’ve ever known.  We ate together, laughed, and spent almost the entire evening celebrating stories of life change and realizing that God has truly called us to something special and that we have it and there’s some crazy love that is about to be poured out very soon on each other and this community.

week of frog hunting

 I once heard some good advice from someone further down the road than me.  He has pastored for over 35 years and he said everyone needs time of renewals.  His formula given is: divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually.  Everyone of us need times to unplug from our doing and just be.  I’m thankful for the opportunity my family had to head a few hours away and do just that.  It caused me to appreciate and love my wife and my boys that much more.  Although staying in a cabin for an extended amount of time will press your limits – we had a blast!  

I will not forget building a fire with Camden and roasting mellows with Cale.  The last night we turned into “Frog Hunters” and Camden insisted that they become sacrifices in the open fire – ahhhh memories.  It was blazin hot but the refreshment of the pool cooled us all off.  I feel refreshed and recharged as we are now home and looking to get back into meeting needs one at a time as we serve the Claremore community.

sunday @ the well

volunteer appreciation
it was my pleasure to lift up the men and women that serve week in and week out @ the well. we’ve been honored to have over 50 put a towel around their waist at some point in our short history! we are volunteer led and being nomadic, homeless, portable they are our lifeline.

getting all in
what if every single attended moved from spectator to player? I have a dream that one day every person at the well is volunteering in some capacity. today we saw that percentage continue to increase! glad we could honor all of our father’s by encouraging them to step up their game.

take all of me
the band reminded us with this song that in order to be all in by being the body of Christ and using our gifts, we must first be all in to Jesus first!

unchurched vs. churched
it boggles my mind as I think of those that have come through the theater doors. churchy religious people have come and gone expecting everything and giving nothing. It is in those moments I wander how Christ must feel as he gave his life to his bride, only to see his so called followers ignore her. those that have accepted Christ have almost immediately become an eye or arm and served! our gifts director paves the way and hadn’t been in church in over 13 years!

meeting needs one at a time
everyone was challenged to write one need on the communication card. I’m excited as our church continues to love each other more than we love ourselves!

auditorium #2
it has become my prayer closet. when I was a kid I would over hear my father cry out in dependence for the holy spirit to guide him and put the words in his mouth to speak the message. I wept at yet another opportunity to represent the gospel to our precious family.

no crocodiles in surgery
immediately following our gathering cambo assisted me on his first hospital visit. as we held hands Camden says “I got it dad. Jesus touch all of us and help her. Please keep the crocodiles away amen”

uncle yet again

 Just a little shout out to say I became an Uncle yet again yesterday morning at 1:30am.  My sister Shara fought the good fight and proved to her brothers what true endurance really is all about.  Little Kaylee Ann was born weighing in at a whopping 5lbs 9oz and stretches out at 17 inches long.  My heart leaped across the state line as it left a little piece with the family.  I can’t wait to hold this little darling and give her kisses!  Congratulations Josh, Shara, Kelson, and Emily to the new addition to the Marhofer family!  What an incredible Father’s Day for Josh!

mr clean & yogi

About to go over my message one last time before tomorrow and head to T-town to see Brad & Morgan tie the knot.  I can’t wait to honor our father’s, as well as honor all of our volunteers.  Our Gifts Director Julie will be sharing her story and her journey of involvement into The Well and it should be quite interesting.  I love our church so much and was able to have a blast night with some men running around at Laser Quest.  ”Mr. Clean” took over 1200 shots the last game and my trigger finger is still a little soar.  If it involves a gun of any sort the men of our church come out in groves.  

 

After about a year and a half from first stepping out to pursue this endeavor of The Well my family will be loading up tomorrow after our gathering and headed to Eufaula Lake for our summer vacation.  A friend of mine awhile back told me it was the ideal place to take my little boys too.  So…. we’ll be headed to see Yogi and all his friends at the Jellystone State Park.  I guess you can say it was a compromise.  The boys still get to play, hike, ruff it a bit, fish, and use our camping equipment, however….. Amy still gets cable, a fridge, and an AC cabin.  Looking forward to getting in some long early morning tri-training, finish reading “Crazy Love” and “Servolution“, drink some strawberry-banana smoothies, play cards with the wife, play in the water with the boys, and stay up late watching some flicks.  It will be nice to get away from Claremore and unplug for a week.  I’ll probably post the Sunday @ The Well tomorrow and then depart from technology for the week to relax.

hungry for a move

I posted a blog that I’ve been wrestling with for quite some time recently about the Holy Spirit.  I took a ride out on my bike a few days ago and sat looking out at the water in meditation.  I asked my heavenly father to speak to me about this issue and give me clarity as I attempt to lead our church.  It’s a sensitive issue.  He woke me up in the middle of the night and whispered to me to get up and spend time with him, so I did.  Several hours later after engulfing the book of Acts I’ve come to some conclusions.  I mentioned it to our group last night as well.

There’s no doubt my generation has seem some weird stuff go on in the idea of “the spirit moving”.  How do we know if it is real?  How do we know if it isn’t man’s drawing to gain attention or force something.  I don’t know and can’t answer this.  However, as I read and re-read how the early church began I do know this.  They met regularly, loved each other like crazy, saw needs and met them, prayed constantly, and waited.  The apostles were fired up, men of passion, of zeal, and were completely dependent on the boldness of the holy spirit.  It is stated that Stephen’s face looked like an angel, Peter was recognized as a man that had been with God and had extreme boldness, and scriptures say others knew there was something different about them.  The leadership was full of passion for Jesus Christ and God spoke through them as many gave their hearts to Christ.  Some say that they were drunk because of the way they acted.  Some declined the invitation to be involved.  But lives were transformed.  People were healed.  Signs and wonders occurred.  

What does that have to do with us today?  I can’t say that anyone has exactly been straight up healed at our church, but I can without a doubt see life transformation occuring.  People are just becoming more self-less, more giving, more open, more hungry, more generous.  Last night our group met and wrote down on an index card one need we all had and we all layed hands and prayed over it with unity and love.  We are about to meet a gigantic need for a couple in our group and then will be serving at a BBBS event next week.  I’m sensing something.  I’m open to it.  I’m hungry for it.  I’ve decided since the other night a life goal that has now become at the top of my list: MORE THAN ANYTHING I WANT TO SEE A GENUINE, REAL, AUTHENTIC, NOT MAN-MADE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN MY GENERATION!  

I’m tired of Sunday’s week in and week out.  I’m tired of just the activities.  I’m tired of the same old stuff.  I’m tired of putting a lid on the holy spirit because of a skepticism and a hesitation from my generation.  I’m ready to be ALL IN and let him move as he wishes.  What if…….. What if we just laid aside our preconceived notions and showed up anytime we met regularly expecting?  Not something weird or crazy, but brokenness, humbleness, desperation, passion to hear his voice, addictions broken, healing, marriages restored, life transformation, sin being broken, spontaneous baptisms, and a greed and pride and arrogance of the American spirit be destroyed because something got a hold of us that we could not shake.  I’m ready for my cage to be rattled.  I’m ready for more and something different.  

I’m ready for a de churched community in which I live to just lay aside their past experiences, and give it another try.  I’m ready for the past to be the past and look ahead at what we can experience in our day.  I’m ready to stop complaining about yesterday and listen to others whine about it, and say what are we going to do?  Not what they did.  But what are we going to do?  Are our kids going to look at us later on and say, yeah things were a little weird, but at least they tried you guys just sat around and were defeated.  I’m willing to take risks and willing to try.  I’m willing to chase after the holy spirit and just see how a community can be transformed.  It’s going to happen with or without us.  Why?  In the last days he will pour out his spirit on all flesh………..

men of god

On Sunday I’m looking forward to honoring all of our father’s for our first ever Father’s Day @ The Well.  We’re going to challenge all of our men to stand up and lead.  I read a book awhile back called “Why Men are Bored With Church”.  There’s no doubt they want more than just the expectations of passing out a worship guide or shaking a hand at the door.  They want to give their lives to a cause worth fighting for.  I was so excited as our “sounding board” met this past Wednesday evening.  I’ve heard it said that it isn’t wise to create any kind of eldership for at least the first year of a new church.  So I’ve decided to continue the accountability and keep a finance team of outside advisors until then.  But….. my eye is on the look out for men in our church that will define our 5 G’s, be one women men, are passionate, keep me accountable, and will help me steer this ship called The Well.  Over the next 6 months to a year I will meet monthly with some men that will do two things: give me time to truly see if they are a fit and give them an opportunity to be ALL IN for the long haul – to bleed with me over the hearts and souls of our community.

I’m excited about Sunday and it reminds me of my responsibilities to lead my boys.  I really have no excuse when I look at my father’s.  I love this picture of them both as they came to see The Well launch this past February.  Here’s a glimpse of qualities I’ve grown to admire and respect as I say Happy Father’s Day Dad’s!

Randy Van Pay

• one of the greatest prayer warriors I’ve ever known and taught me the very heart of seeking God
• passionate and energetic to put his family at the top of his list
• has loved my mother with faithfulness that I can only hope to obtain
• loves people regardless of how he’s treated
• takes the back seat, puts his towel around his waist, and serves
• a man of character and integrity
• if you stick my dad in the side he bleeds scriptures left and right
• a soul winner

Leland Warehime

• a man of great wisdom and discernment
• knows how to work hard, but yet play hard
• will assist you in the drop of a hat
• always always always does the right thing
• defines faithfulness to his local church
• a one woman man that adores his wife
• will lay down his life in a heartbeat for his family
• a financial advisor 
• relentless on his early morning prayer and bible reading
• well respected by all those in our community 

what vbs can do to your child

It’s final…. No more hashing it out…. This is what happens when you blindly send your seedling off to VBS for a week.  As a parent I want him to fall more in love with Jesus, not…… more in love with an arch rival. Camden was born in the stockyards of Fort Worth and is a TEXAN!  It runs in his blood!  I was disappointed, until I looked closer at my son’s face.  His expression shows his disapproval at those that led him down this path.  I can picture an adult taking advantage of my young offspring and yanking this jersey over his head as he screamed and cried.  It’s O.K. son it will take some time, but this horrific memory will move past.  I love you and am sorry that I was not there as I was the day you were born to prevent this in your life.  We’ll make it…….. Hook em!

On a side note – thank you sincerely to all those that take time out of their schedule, the stay out home Mom’s and volunteers, that love on our children and give up a week to do this!  I think VBS is a great cause – I’m glad my community provides 30 options!

contentment

S – Philippians 4:11-12 “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything”

O – If anyone has the credibility to express these words it is Paul.  If anyone could encourage another it was him.  He was thanking the church for their kind generous spirit in financially supporting him when many other churches didn’t.  He knew that true joy and happiness didn’t come through materialism or acquired goods.  He knew that when he had nothing…. he had everything.  It is the opposite of our culture isn’t it?  People have everything.  Especially compared to other countries.  We think we drive an old car so we’re behind.  We live in an outdated home so we don’t have much.  We don’t have several thousands in savings for an emergency or upcoming vacation or child’s college fund.  We’re behind and we need to be depressed.  Are you kidding?  Paul knew and discovered something many of us haven’t – having a relationship with Christ is the most valuable thing we have and the only thing we will ever need and with Him we can have contentment.  

A – Easier said than done.  I’m looking around at our economy and it is all new to me.  I’ve never experienced this in my life and compared to those that went through the great depression it isn’t much.  Since I was a little kid – everywhere I’ve lived had new subdivisions going in, new restaraunts being built, everything on a high note.  Now….. it is on pause.  I’m not writing this in great abundance – just in kind of a state of being grateful for the paycheck I due receive.  God seems to always meet our needs, can I add not all of our wants.  It is so stinken easy to “have trust” and “faith” in God when all is well isn’t it?  But…. what happens when all hell breaks loose in our lives?  Not so easy.  But can I add that is when you really look around at others and even deep inside yourself and say, “Am I truly following Christ?”  Or only when he’s so called nice to me?  Or when a great amount of favor is being poured out.  What if he chooses to put us in the desert?  What if he chooses to test our faith?  Will we still remain content?  

P – Father God I love you more than a blog can express.  I love you more than anything I have, because everything I have belongs to you and you’ve entrusted me with them.  So…. I give you the greatest Father’s Day shout out I can!  Happy early Father’s Day!  Help me to be more content.  Help me to not guage my securities and my joy on how much is in my bank account.  You are my God and I place my trust in you even when it isn’t easy.  I know you are with me.  Let this blog touch another and give them hope or perhaps encourage them to gaze upon Paul’s words and ask themselves, “Am I content with just you?”   Perhaps this blog was for me today.  What would I do without scripture speaking into my life?  Probably wouldn’t be content.