Ministry Lessons

We're all Different: The more I'm in ministry the more I realize WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT. When it comes to styles, preferences, messages, music, atmosphere, etc. everybody has their own preferences. I believe the Message must stay the same but the Methods in how we communicate that message MUST change. Have you ever noticed that God has a wonderful plan for your life and so do a lot of other people. I think God has a wonderful plan for the ministry He wants me to lead and so do a lot of other people. Now, I love teamwork and collaboration...love it. I work with a great team. So, I'm blessed but sometimes the emails and calls and conversations I have with people about "doing it the old way," or "what about ME and MY preferences" makes me ill. OK, no one really says exactly..."what about me and my preferences," but they do say it in more creative ways. Seriously, when was it that Jesus said, "Be all about yourself?" Of course He didn't, He said,"I have come not to be served but the serve..."

I'm glad for people that disagree with me, it helps me to grow. I'm glad for the people that agree with me, it encourages me to keep on. Someone once said, "Criticism is like bubble gum, you chew on it for a while then spit it out." The reality is you can't please everybody...Jesus couldn't do that and didn't even try. When we try to please everybody we please nobody and we're miserable. We have to remember, We're all different. There are thousands of churches doing church thousands of different ways. It takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people. We're all different BUT we're all on the same team.