Lead a Weblog for Young Adult Leaders

I don’t know how it happened, but I suddenly realized that I was spending much of my ministry trying to protect myself from other people. So I put up gatekeepers that would protect my “pastoral schedule.” I guarded my privacy in the name of “good leadership.” And I established strict office hours to keep my ministry role separate from my personal life. At first, the effects were minimal. People obliged me. They followed my new rules and stuck to the guidelines. And I felt more respected for doing it. My life and ministry were suddenly easier. There was hardly any more pain. But there was hardly any more ministry either.

The idea you can love Jesus and engage in abusing the church is completely inconsistent with the New Testament teachings of Paul. Yet, this seems to be the prevailing wind blowing across western evangelicalism today. So, what should be our attitude toward the church, the bride of Christ?

Service is fast becoming a buzzword in the 21st century. Political candidates are all over it. Reality shows are based upon it. Big corporations want their brands associated with it. My question is, are we interested in service for the right reason?

If your goal in young adult ministry or any other endeavor is simply to glorify God by bringing one more person to the feet of Jesus, and to help enable that person to personally—and for a lifetime—connect with the Savior, then your ministry will succeed. On the other hand, if you’re working for yourself, then the only wisdom you will be able to access is from within the 3.5 pounds of gray matter floating around inside your skull.