Seven Markers of Ministry Progress

Mentoring Messages

“Seven Markers of Ministry Progress”

Pastor Keith Hassell

1.         From position to passion

            a.         People follow passion, not position

b.         Position is what you do while passion reveals why you do it.

c.         If you do not have passion, you will expend much more energy enforcing your position

2.         From plans to purpose

            a.         Purpose is more than knowing you are called to ministry

            b.         Purpose is knowing God’s reason for your ministry

            c.         Purpose is living our lives to fulfill God’s plan rather than our own

3.         From pain to promise

            a.         Change is inevitable

            b.         Pain brings change

            c.         Change is posturing for growth

            d.         The promise of God never changes

            e.         Focus on the promise rather than the pain

4.         From programs to people

a.         Wrong concept:  “Lord, if I just had a different group of people, I could really make this ministry take off!”

b.         Truth:  God cannot give us more until we are faithful with what we have.

c.         A leader must learn to lead people rather than programs.

d.         A leader’s true ability is determined by his or her ability to influence and involve others in ministry.

e.         Dying ministries build with natural resources such as money, buildings, etc.

f.          Living ministries build with the resource of people.

g.         People must be encouraged, equipped, and empowered for ministry.

5.         From paralysis to prayer

a.         Passion in prayer begins with the understanding that “in Him we live and move and have our being” and with “apart from Me you can do nothing.”

b.         Develop ways to incorporate prayer into everything you do (prayer before the meeting, ministry prayer times, begin and close every ministry session in prayer, get away often to pray alone, develop corporate times of prayer and fasting for the ministry group, etc.)

6.         From problems to provision

            a.         View problems as God’s opportunities

            b.         Look for God’s provision in the midst of every problem

7.         From pressure to peace

            a.         Pressure comes when we own the problem and the position

            b.         Peace comes when we allow God to own the problem and the position

c.         Peace comes when we rest in the ability of God to carry the burden of the ministry He to which He has called us