Doctors, lawyers, engineers go through school to become professionals; why shouldn’t pastors go through school to become good at what God has called them to do. The time spent in a Bible School is an investment.
Knowledge acquired is never wasted because the knowledge you acquire will one day be required. It is only what you have that you can give and what you don’t have, you can’t give. What is worth doing is worth doing well.
Matthew 23:25-28; like the scribes and Pharisees mentioned in that scripture passage, a lot of pastors and leaders are particular about their personal goals instead of their personal growth – they pursue their dreams, visions, ambitions, how they want to run their ministries, the kind of clothes they want to wear, the cars they want to drive, shoes they want to wear, etc. – many pay attention to looking good on the outside, not giving attention to the inside. No matter how good you are on the outside, if you are not good on the inside, your outside will pull down the inside. If you pursue personal goals it will invariably affect your personal growth and vice versa. If the inside is clean, the outside will be clean. As you pursue to grow your ministries, pursue also to grow yourself. Just because you are anointed doesn’t mean you can’t fall. The people that will last in ministry are not the ones who are gifted but the ones that have groomed themselves.
Anyone that operates in the fruits of the Spirit talked about in Galatians 5:22 will be doing a lot to help themselves in personal growth; the Bible actually says that “against such there is no law.”
To develop your personal growth,
- GIVE CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD. Don’t read the word of God because you want to preach it, read the word of God to feed yourself. Whatever you give to the people should be from the abundance of your heart.
- GIVE ATTENTION TO PRAYER. Create time to have personal time of prayer where you communicate with God alone; because if your message is not born out of prayer, it is merely theory.
- GIVE ATTENTION TO HOLY WALK. Walking holy before God and man is highly necessary. You might make mistakes but don’t sit with it.
- LOVE THE PEOPLE. People don’t care how much you know, but how much you care.
- YOUR MINISTRY SHOULD INCLUDE TEACHING, PREACHING AND REBUKING. If there is a wrong-doing, confront it, because what you do not confront, you cannot complain about! Whatever you don’t confront it means you allowed it. And when the need to rebuke arises, do so in the open and in secret, depending on the situation.
- BE A GIVER. Many ministers are poor because they are always receiving and not giving. If your members are always giving you, as a pastor you will be at the bottom. Give according to your level and the best of your ability and capability.
- BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS. The Bible says iron sharpeneth iron and evil communication corrupts good manners. Friendship is by choice, and as a leader and pastor, you must choose and build your relationships wisely, because there are times where you will be discouraged and you need people around you. Three principles that should govern relationships – fellowship with all, partner with some, build on sons.
- HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER: Whether natural/biological or spiritual parents. Honoring them attaches two blessings – you will live long, and you will prosper. The greatest thing you can give to the one God has blessed you is to honor them. As you try to grow your ministry also grow yourself. Grace will bring you to the top but character will keep you there.
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