A Call to Obedience, Not Success
Late one night my phone rang and before I could finish saying, "Hello," the voice on the other end frantically spoke.
"I'm so sorry to call you late. I don't know what to do. I love where I'm at. I just need to take care of my family, and this is such a great opportunity... hello?"
"I'm just listening," I replied patiently. Immediately I knew it was one of my young interns who had gone on to do an incredible job pastoring a group of teenagers in another state. He was beginning to gain recognition and have doors of opportunity opening right and left.
"Help me, Mom...I want to do the right thing."
I laughed and said, "I love you so much. Isn't it funny how we're supposed to have it all figured out? If people only knew how confused we often are." He uttered a nervous laugh, but I could tell it broke the tension on the other line.
"You are so amazing and I know this will not be the only offer you receive. Have you prayed about this?"
Without hesitation he wittingly replied, "I was your intern, wasn't I?
But I knew there was no peace, and so after balancing with love and affirmation I said, "Is this a larger ministry than the one you are in?"
"Yes," he said.
"Is it one that will pay more or build your ego more than the one you are in right now?"
"Yes." His voice grew solemn. "Mom, have you had offers from other churches that you were tempted to take?"
I laughed quietly, knowing I had honestly lost track of how many times churches, universities, or ministries had called with their list of proposals. "Yeah, I have," I said softly.
"So how did you decide?" he asked.
"Mentoring point number one hundred and forty-seven..." I began. He chuckled at the familiar phrase. Then I spoke directly, "Along the journey of ministry I never stop reminding myself that I am called to obedience, not success..."
When you are called to leave one youth ministry and enter another, there are two questions you must ask yourself:
#1 - Is this ministry larger than the one I'm in at the present time?
#2 - Does this one pay more or fan my ego more than the one I'm currently serving?
Ironically, we never consider the option of being called to a new pastoral position that involves a smaller paycheck, but rather God always seems to direct us towards a position that will increase our income. Understandably, we all require money to pay our bills and provide for our families, yet I grimace at the thought of we as youth pastors making significant decisions in the same way our worldly counterparts do. When the door of opportunity to leave one ministry opens, I strenuously suggest you pray until you no longer see dollar signs but hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and come to a decision that is accompanied by the peace that passes all understanding. God did not call us to success, but instead He's called us to obedience, and obedience often appears very different. From the moment I answered God's call on my own life to enter the ministry, I asked to be significant, not successful; to be a voice, not a name.
Late one night my phone rang and before I could finish saying, "Hello," the voice on the other end frantically spoke.
"I'm so sorry to call you late. I don't know what to do. I love where I'm at. I just need to take care of my family, and this is such a great opportunity... hello?"
"I'm just listening," I replied patiently. Immediately I knew it was one of my young interns who had gone on to do an incredible job pastoring a group of teenagers in another state. He was beginning to gain recognition and have doors of opportunity opening right and left.
"Help me, Mom...I want to do the right thing."
I laughed and said, "I love you so much. Isn't it funny how we're supposed to have it all figured out? If people only knew how confused we often are." He uttered a nervous laugh, but I could tell it broke the tension on the other line.
"You are so amazing and I know this will not be the only offer you receive. Have you prayed about this?"
Without hesitation he wittingly replied, "I was your intern, wasn't I?
But I knew there was no peace, and so after balancing with love and affirmation I said, "Is this a larger ministry than the one you are in?"
"Yes," he said.
"Is it one that will pay more or build your ego more than the one you are in right now?"
"Yes." His voice grew solemn. "Mom, have you had offers from other churches that you were tempted to take?"
I laughed quietly, knowing I had honestly lost track of how many times churches, universities, or ministries had called with their list of proposals. "Yeah, I have," I said softly.
"So how did you decide?" he asked.
"Mentoring point number one hundred and forty-seven..." I began. He chuckled at the familiar phrase. Then I spoke directly, "Along the journey of ministry I never stop reminding myself that I am called to obedience, not success..."
When you are called to leave one youth ministry and enter another, there are two questions you must ask yourself:
#1 - Is this ministry larger than the one I'm in at the present time?
#2 - Does this one pay more or fan my ego more than the one I'm currently serving?
Ironically, we never consider the option of being called to a new pastoral position that involves a smaller paycheck, but rather God always seems to direct us towards a position that will increase our income. Understandably, we all require money to pay our bills and provide for our families, yet I grimace at the thought of we as youth pastors making significant decisions in the same way our worldly counterparts do. When the door of opportunity to leave one ministry opens, I strenuously suggest you pray until you no longer see dollar signs but hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and come to a decision that is accompanied by the peace that passes all understanding. God did not call us to success, but instead He's called us to obedience, and obedience often appears very different. From the moment I answered God's call on my own life to enter the ministry, I asked to be significant, not successful; to be a voice, not a name.
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Can you believe that "American Idol" is still a season hit to this day? But, as you know, "idols" were around long before the T.V. show made the word famous. In Ezekiel, the Bible tells us the Lord is still trying to capture our hearts. Yet all too often, like in Moses' day, we get off course and allow other things and people to take center stage in our lives.
In this Source, we take some time to honestly consider who or what we are placing at our heart's center. My prayer is that these continual heart exams would keep each of us from undoing in careless moments of disobedience the work that God's grace has taken much time to build. For remember, the Enemy always reserves the right to cash in on our moments of disobedience at the very instant it will do him the most good. Let's choose not to give him that foothold for our own sake and for the sake of those following in our footsteps.
So, grab your cup of coffee and let's dive in.
Lovingly,
It's the "dragon" most all of us deal with in youth ministry - the success syndrome. We all know how it feels and the secret thoughts that pound in our minds. If we listen to its promptings, we never DO enough...we never GIVE enough...we never CARE enough in our youth ministry journey.
This Youth Leader's Coach, "Slaying The Success Syndrome," deals with all those issues. We take a look at what true biblical success IS and ISN'T. After all, it would be positive if we built our concept of success around our Maker's Handbook. Besides adding a lot of internal peace to your day, this mentoring session might even add years to your life - both physically and spiritually.
Yours for being a "Dragon Slayer,"
"The fact that people are choosing to follow you is not necessarily an indication that you deserve to be followed." Tough words to hear, aren't they? While they might not "feel good," five decades into youth ministry tell me that they are words that need to be spoken often.
The fact is I've watched the "charisma" of too many leaders take them where their "character" couldn't keep them. My heart's desire is for you to rise up and take notice and not fall into the same trap. This Youth Leader's Coach may help you to do just that.
When it comes to ministry, talent may determine your potential, but character determines your legacy. Don't be a great starter, but a poor finisher. May integrity, the true litmus test for success, be the signature of your life!
Eliminating the baby dragons,
NYLC General Session
When I started in youth ministry, I had about 20 kids in the youth group. My idea of success? A night together in youth service where Jesus showed up, kids laughed together and prayed together, and maybe even a new kid or so excitedly decided to give their life to Christ. I mean, back in 1970, that was my idea of a mind-blowing YOUTH MINISTRY SUCCESS.
It took only about three short months to start adding stuff to that original equation. Remember those 20 kids? Well, pretty soon, "real success" needed to include having about 30 kids show up! And somewhere through those opening, exciting months, something NEW to me was "born" in my life and head. It was small and almost a little "cuddly" at the beginning. Kind of like a friendly little "stuffed animal" from my past. But on closer examination, it wasn't that innocent and it sure wasn't that "cuddly." I had given birth to a small, not-too-scary-looking DRAGON.
So my prayerful goal for this message is to remind all of us that the "DRAGON OF SUCCESS" is maybe one of the most ferocious enemies ANY of us will ever face in our own minds...but we'll ALL face him...whether we're the "lead person" on the team, an amazing volunteer assistant, or just a career-orientated person who's just trying to get ahead on the job-site.
I'm LIVING, TRANSPARENT, VULNERABLE PROOF that THE DRAGON OF SUCCESS can hang around for a pretty long time. The point I'm trying to make is that probably all of us have VARIATIONS of this "Dragon" that Jesus and His love wants to slay – dragons that are fed by our insecurities, our fears, our needs for approval and acceptance.
Lovingly,
