Things I Found En Route To Looking Up Other Things

Several years ago, I enjoyed reading a regular newspaper column that had, as I recall, the same title as this post. It was full of interesting trivia and information. I have been unable to determine if that column is still published, however. Perhaps one of this blog's readers can make that discovery.

Anyway, what I found was a list of things I wrote upon celebrating 10 years of full time ministry. For your perusal, I post them here:

REFLECTIONS ON TEN YEARS OF FULL TIME MINISTRY

1. Ministry is not as easy as it once was. The challenge is greater. It never has been as easy as I once thought it was, either.

2. Not as many are traveling with me as began the journey. A recent study revealed that 10 years after seminary graduation, about half of the graduates are no longer in ministry positions.

3. The experiences I have had I would not trade, but I can never get enough experience! I have grown and matured much since seminary days.

4. No one trained me for many things I am doing now. We tend to train good pulpiteers and pastors, but not necessarily leaders.

5. I miss the discipline, fellowship, and networking of the academic environment.

6. I believe my preaching is more exhortational and practical and less doctrinal than in early days. I have focused more on real life issues.

7. Every church needs some sort of dream to pull them along and a plan to realize it.

8. There is no substitute for a loving, compassionate spirit.

9. I have always felt loved wherever I have served, caused sadness when I left, and been missed when I was gone.

10. This pastoral journey is still my passion! In ten years the fire has died down, blazed high, but never gone out.

Now that it has been 20+ years, in an upcoming post, I will update these reflections. The face of ministry has changed in the intervening years.

One thing didn't change: I still love ministry!