Often, I am asked for suggestions from young pastors. Seeking advice is a good thing. I have a great desire to help young men in the ministry. In fact, it is biblical for the older men to teach the younger men. I can think of a thousand things that may help young men but if I was limited to just three things my suggestions would be:
1. Be Humble. A young man that thinks he knows everything will experience failure. Men who ask
questions and seek godly counsel are the ones who succeed. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. — 1 Corinthians 8:2. No one knows everything and everyone knows something that you do not know. In this sense every man is your teacher. A man with a closed mind who thinks
he knows everything will greatly limit himself in the ministry. Members expect their pastor to be humble and not filled with pride. We must remember it is the Lord that works in us and without Him we can do nothing. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.— Philippians 2:13
2. Be Biblical. One of the Baptist distinctives is that the Bible is our final authority for faith and practice.
You must be a student of the Bible and be aware of teachings that will lead you away from your church and your God. Learn from godly men and godly teachers. Beware of the preachers on the internet who broadcast from their basement office. Watch out for men who haven’t built a church but claim to have a special understanding of the Bible that no one else possesses. Ther are many false teachers but there are also many self-appointed authorities that can lead young men astray. Keep in mind that the Bible has the best plans to evangelize the world and build a church. Don’t look for an easy way out. Building a church is difficult.
3. Be Faithful. The primary requirement of stewards is that a man be found faithful. Moreover it is
required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. — 1 Corinthians 4:2. Too many men bend under pressure and run from their problems. Had they stayed they probably would have succeeded. Men who leave a ministry every couple of years limit their effectiveness. I have great respect for men and women who have stayed in their place of service for decades. I understand the cost involved and the trials they must have faced. The one consistent characteristic of a strong church is the longevity of the pastor. Men who come and go can’t possibly build the trust of the people and build the framework to develop a core of men and women to become leaders. Beware of comparisons to other ministries. Every church is unique and every pastor is unique. The standard of of success cannot be explained in the number of attendees on a Sunday morning. There are many more metrics to a church’s success. “The measure of a man’s success is determined by the extent of God’s control in his life.”
We must measure ourselves by the standard of the Bible and the control of the Holy Spirit. There are some relatively small congregations that are great churches and there are churches with a large attendance that may be filled with problems. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, you should always do your best and enjoy serving where God has led you.
I can give a lot more advice but if I had to limit my advice to three issues these would be the ones I would recommend.
