you are not alone

Mark 4:36

The FRIEND Ship

We need friends.

We need brothers we can relate to.

Other pastors who are doing what we are doing.

They are facing the same challenges that we are facing.

They are fighting the same battles that we are fighting.

These are our peers.

No one understands a pastor like a pastor.

No one understands a pastors wife like a pastors wife.

No one understand a deacon like a deacon.

We need friends.

We don’t need to sail alone.

Proverbs 18:24 KJV 1900

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 27:17 KJV 1900

Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

We needs friends they are good for our countenance,

A friend sharpens your countenance- he strengthens your spirit until it shows on your face.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 KJV 1900

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

There is POWER in having friends to share the journey with

The MENTOR Ship

Every Pastor can benefit from having a mentor. This is someone who has walked with God and is able to see weaknesses and speak clearly into our lives.

Jethro the father in law of Moses

Exodus 18:17–18 KJV 1900

And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

We need people in our life that have been further down the trail that we have been who have the courage, capacity , and clarity to speak plainly to us.

Can I encourage you to not be afraid of making contact with men of God that you consider hero’s and ask them for help. (Richard Owen Roberts, Bill Stafford, Junior Hill, Fred Luter), never once have they refused my call or demonstrated anything but kindness towards me.

There is power in having others pour ministry into you.

The DISCIPLE Ship

Every pastor has the privilege and responsibility to make disciples.

2 Timothy 2:2 KJV 1900

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Store bought fruit and vegetable are okay, but the best produce is home grown.

I have discovered most would prefer to inherit disciples rather than make disciples.

Investing in younger believers is key to multiplication and effective ministry in the church.

Most pastors, including myself, are short staffed and don’t have the financial resources to hire the staff they could benefit from.

One benefit of raising up leaders from our own congregations is we know them and they already love the church.

Deacons

Sunday School teachers

Children Directors

Youth directors

Outreach directors

My pastor met with me every Thursday morning for prayer, and bible study. I was able to ask questions. He gave me good books to read.

There is POWER in preparing others for effective ministry.

The PARTNER Ship

This is realizing that we can do more together than we can do alone.

Partnership is about sharing ownership, responsibility, sacrifice and outcomes.

Partnership speaks of shared identiy and investment

With our Church - working together with the church you pastor to accomplish reaching lost souls.

The church I serve has found great joy in working together with me to reach the lost, and I have found great joy in work with them.

With our Deacons -Deacons are a gift to the church and the pastor. I have treated our deacons as partners. I will give my all to prayer, study, preaching and loving the people and you give your all to care for the needs of the congregation and serve them well and together we will build the church and bless the church and together we will protect the church.

With our Association - I have found joy and blessing in partnering with our association for prayer, equipping and community ministry. Our association organized a tent crusade and we saw many souls saved and many more believers strengthened. trying to do this alone would have yielded less fruit.

With our State Convention - we give as a church, we pray, we participate in serving. Take advantage of the the resources and opportunities.

With our SBC - we partner with the cooperative program because we can do more together than we can do alone.

There is POWER in partnering to do ministry with other like minded churches.