Ten Things I didn't learn in seminary

A friend asked me to put together a list of ten things that I didn’t learn in seminary about ministry but would be good to know if I were just starting out. (Wow… I must be getting old. No one asked me those types of questions a few years back when I was the new preacher kid on the block. Now I’m viewed as the wily seasoned veteran. UGH! I feel like I should say, “Come here, grasshopper, and I will share with you great wisdom.”)

Knowing I write this little letter on Thursdays, I thought, “Hey, maybe I can kill two birds with one stone” (sorry PETA). I could make the list for my friend and send that same list to my Thursday e-mail friends (besides I think there are some principles at work here that are good for everyone, whether in full-time ministry or not). So, from the wily veteran pastor to all you whipper-snappers out there in cyber land, here’s my list...

1) Grow spiritually. Sermon preparation and Bible study preparation are no substitute for personal private time with God. It is so easy for those of us in full-time ministry to seek God for others instead of seeking God for ourselves. The best ministry happens out of the overflow of what God is doing in our lives!

2) Be positive. Attitude really is everything. Let me just say it like it is: negativity stinks. Make Zig Ziglar look like a sad sack. Be the most up-beat, positive pastor your folks have ever had.

3) Have fun. We all have bad days. We all have long days. We all have days that we wish we would have stayed in bed with the covers over our head. But if ministry isn't enjoyable you need to try a new gig.

4) Make mistakes. What? That’s right… don’t be afraid of mistakes. If you aren’t making mistakes you aren’t experimenting enough. Everything should be an experiment. Part of the deal in experimenting is tripping up and falling down and learning how you got there. (Isn’t it weird that tripping up and falling down leads to the same place… face down in the mud?) Mistakes aren’t the problem, making the same mistake over and over again— staying in the mud--that’s a problem!

5) Always strive for excellence! A healthy dose of divine discontent is good! Strive to keep getting better and better at whatever you do.

6) Be not afraid of tough and loving conversations. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Use John 1:14 as your conversational model. Jesus was full of grace and full of truth. Truth means I'm going to be honest no matter what. Grace means I'm going to love you no matter what.

7) Most stuff is small stuff. Most stuff that happens in a church isn’t HUGE and earth shattering. Most stuff is rather manageable especially if you keep in mind that the garbage still needs to be taken out on Wednesdays and the dog needs a bath. In other words, life goes on. Don’t be consumed by the small stuff. And (remember this) even if the “whatever-it-is” you are dealing with is a Big Stuff kind of thing, guess what? God can handle the Big Stuff.

8) You are not Superman (or Superwoman). Even if you own blue tights and a red cape (ok that would be a little creepy if you owned such apparel and you are over 9 years old), you are not called to be the fix all, be all, answer all to the needs of your church. The church doesn’t need a Super Pastor (or Dear Abby or Dr. Phil or anyone else) they simply need a real person, being led by the Living Lord!

9) You are a Servant! Be prepared to work as for the Lord-- even when no one notices or when the job that needs done is yucky or when you think someone else instead of the “high and lofty pastor” ought to be doing it or when the task is not on your gift inventory list or when the matter at hand leads you to a place of thinking “I’m too good for this.” In such a moment repeat three times: I am a servant. I am a servant. I am a servant of the King!

10) Don’t worry about lists that people want you to make up. If you can only think of nine items, and they want ten… just give them nine. Or make up something dumb for the tenth item, like “why you shouldn’t worry about lists that people ask you to write.” Our way might not be exactly the way someone thinks it should be done… and that’s OK if in your way of doing it, you are doing what Jesus called us all to do: Love God. Love people. Turn our world upside down for Him!