It's the title of a blog entry from a pastor who was reflecting on his 20 plus years in the ministry. Some of the observations were humorous and some were, from my experience, painfully true. Here are some of the items on the list that I could relate to.
2) Sheep bite. It's true. They can even leave scars.
5) Nothing is as good as it seems; nothing is as bad as it seems. Keeping balance in ministry is important. That way you won't panic when someone comes into your office to complain about some part of the ministry "that's a total failure"; you also won't become so full of yourself when someone comes into your office to tell you that "this church is the best in town."
16) People will remember how you treat them long after they have forgotten your sermons. 'Nuff said.
19) The pastor who is always available will be of no use when he is available. I know this from personal experience. Folks love an open door policy but there are times when the door needs to be closed so that you can think, reflect and pray.
29) View pastoral ministry as a marathon, not a sprint. We live in an "instant" society. Don't let your people put you under such pressure.
34) Make friends with books. They will never leave you nor forsake you. (one of my favorites) My books are my babies. When I do retire I'm concerned that there won't be enough room at home for my books. Something will have to go!
58) Most of the theories in church growth books are wrong. (like that one too) And besides, the Holy Spirit grows the church - not a bunch of techniques and theories.
92) Sermons don't grow on trees. They can be found on the Internet. But who wants to preach someone else's sermon?
103) If you can explain what's going on, God didn't do it. (my favorite) This one really resonated with me. Life in Christ has grown in ways that we had never planned for. I never expected that we would acquire property and build a brand new worship facility. I never believed that our baptized membership would grow to over 500 souls. In the end, we give God all the credit for the many blessings we've received in less than 10 years. May the Lord continue to lead and guide us in the next 10 years!
