1. Do you know your calling? (Does the body of Christ affirm what I am doing? Do I have joy in what I am doing? Am I physically able to do what I desire to do?)
2. Do I love people and have a desire to see them grow?
3. Do I have a desire to have relationships with lost people? If leaders don’t the people we lead never will.
4. Do I have enough experience in the church to know my gifts and what type of church I most likely will want to serve in?
5. Do I have a desire to grow in my knowledge and love for God’s word? Our churches rise and fall on the authority of God’s word. The Bible has to be central in all that we do, thus this implies that leaders actually know their Bibles. Do we have to know them exhaustively? Of course not, but we at least need to have a life direction that points toward growth in this area.
6. Have you come to terms with the seriousness of the Bible’s teaching concerning those who lead in the church? (Titus 1, 1 Tim 3, James 3:1)
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Should I work in the church?
I was recently asked by a friend what one should consider before entering full time service in the church. I framed my response in the forms of questions to ask oneself. Here is what I said just off the top of my head:
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2 comments:
Hi Zack,
I discovered your blog from a comment somewhere on Justin Taylor's a while ago.
I really enjoy it, and it's a little bit strange because where both named zack, both into worship, and both into youth ministry... and we both blog...
OK. So introduction over...
The comment I want to make is this:
After my last year and a half working as the official youth pastor at my church, I would strongly encourage someone to add 'Am I at least 98% on board with the pastor's vision?' to the set of questions.
In my experience, and now having talked to some other people, and even having sought advice from 'executive pastors' of big churches, even if the pastor is an awesome guy with an awesome vision, and even if you're an awesome guy with an awesome vision, you have to be willing to almost completely conform yours to the pastor's, or you'll do more harm than good.
I know there are always exceptions, but what do you think?
Zack,
Yeah, I totally agree. Just an FYI if anyone cares... youth ministry is not my thing. People seem to think that but I don't really have any experience in that area. I would be bad at it. Very bad.
In terms of your comment. I totally agree. I think that gets more into the specifics of taking a certain job and I was trying to be a bit more general in terms of the conceptual idea of working in a church. But yes, being totally on board theologially, relationally, etc with the senior leaders is the #1 question when thinking through taking a specific church job. Thanks for the comment!
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