Here are 10 things I have learned during my tenure in ministry:

1. Patience in Preparation: Writing sermons is an art that requires time, prayer, and careful study of God's Word. Some messages take years to develop fully, and in our patience, God refines both the message and the messenger.

2. Transient Souls, Eternal God: People come and go, but the Lord remains steadfast. Ministry often involves bidding farewell to dear congregants, but our solace lies in the unchanging presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. • The Unseen Damage of Ministry

   • • Dan White, Jr. A Baptist Pastor from New York. People in his church kept leaving either because he was perceived as too liberal or too conservative. The constant anger and bickering left him exhausted.

     • In the podcast, Dan describes going on a long overdue vacation. After sleeping 14 hours the first night, he came downstairs and poured himself a bowl of cereal. His hands were shaking so badly that he could barely hold the spoon. When the shaking didn’t subside, he had a doctor perform a battery of tests. As the doctor interpreted the results, he explained that they found no diseases, but Dan's brain looked very similar to someone who had come back from a warzone and is experiencing PTSD.

     • A psychologist then asked Dan a series of questions about the losses he had experienced in the church. He ended up counting 180 different lost relationships due to death or people leaving the church. These are all losses where he was never given a chance to mourn, but had to continue to be the leader in his community regardless of how emotionally painful these severed relationships might have been. The result is that Dan internalized all this unprocessed trauma, which was contributing to his neurological condition.

4. Divine Provision: The Lord sends the workers He needs for His harvest. Trusting in His divine wisdom, we witness how He equips individuals with unique talents and gifts, precisely when they are needed most. 

5. Companionship in Christ: Having friends within the church is a blessing beyond measure. These friendships provide support, encouragement, and accountability, making our spiritual journey more meaningful and less daunting. Jesus is the best friend you will ever have, but He is no replacement for friends inside and outside the church. See 2 Timothy 

6. Facing Opposition: Haters are gonna hate, as the saying goes. In ministry, criticism and opposition are inevitable. Yet, in these moments, we find strength in the Lord’s assurance and continue our work with unwavering faith.

7. Ownership Belongs to God: The church is not ours; it belongs to the Lord. This fundamental truth reminds us to lead with humility, recognizing that we are stewards of God's flock and caretakers of His sanctuary.

8. Love People Anyway: Ministry is messy because people are messy. Yet, in the midst of imperfections and struggles, Christ's unconditional love prevails. We are called to love as He loves us, without reservation or judgment. Love people who do not and will not love you back.  We loved him because he first loved us.

9. Faithfulness in the Mundane: Faithfulness is not only displayed in grand gestures but also in the mundane tasks of ministry. Whether it's cleaning the sanctuary or offering a listening ear, every act of service matters in God's kingdom.

10. The Power of Prayer: Prayer is the heartbeat of ministry. It sustains us, empowers us, and connects us to the heart of God. Through prayer, we find guidance, strength, and the ability to persevere in challenging times.

11. Eternal Impact: The impact of faithful ministry extends far beyond our earthly lives. Every soul saved, every heart comforted, and every life transformed has eternal significance. We plant seeds, trusting that God will bring the increase in His perfect timing.