On the first Sunday of February in 1981, I began my ministry as the Pastor of Northside Baptist Mission. I was 26 years old. Exactly one year later, we were constituted as Northside Baptist Church. In a few weeks I will be turning 62 years old on March 1, having served this church for 35 years. People often ask me, “What is it like to serve one church for so long?” It’s a fair question in light of the fact that when I began my ministry at this church, the average stay of a pastor in Florida was 18 months. In the limited space that I have in this article I will mention four things that have been key factors.
In the first place, I think that a long term ministry contributes to the stability that is necessary for a church to be the progressive and dynamic body that God has called it to be. When I came to this church 35 years ago, I made it clear that I was willing to make this a life work. As people realize my commitment to the church, it has helped them to adopt a longer and deeper vision of ministry. This avoids some of the pitfalls of quick-fix solutions to ministry.
In the second place, my ongoing education has been an important factor for me over the years. The inestimable privilege of studying God’s Word every week and learning at the feet of some of the most gifted instructors that God has given to his church over the last 2000 years has fed my own soul and drawn me to Christ and given me a love for his church and the Great Commission. Along with my personal Biblical studies has been my formal studies at local colleges, Universities and seminaries over the years. I have been enriched by the blend of liberal arts and theological studies which has better prepared me to think about applying the unchanging Gospel to all of life in today’s changing world.
In the third place, a better understanding of the church has emerged in my mind over the years. I have always believed that the church is at the center of what God is doing in the world today. From the very beginning I have encouraged an Ephesians 4:12 ministry which calls pastors, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”. I have realized recently that my emphasis has been more on “equipping the saints,” in a way that has not always resulted in their being involved “for the work of ministry.” I suppose I thought that if you did the “equipping” part, “the work of ministry” would follow. But I have come to realize that the “work of ministry” for every member is in fact a vital part of the “equipping” process and not just a result of it. We’ll get that better over these next 20 years :-)
In the fourth place, an intentional plan for being a good steward of my time, gifts and energies has been a priority for me over the years. Keeping watch over my personal life spiritually and physically has helped me to stay on task and persevere through the challenges and triumphs of ministry and life. Developing my interests in music and various hobbies alongside the rigors of ministry have helped me maintain balance and to enjoy the journey with the people that God has brought across my path to minister to and minister with.
My prayer is that God will continue to use my life to encourage others to follow Christ and to find in him the life, joy and purpose that God has called us to share together as a church.
