Don’t Commit to Everyone

. I want to share with you guys today something that i personally found very interesting, and at the same time something i believe is crucial to our calling as ministers of the Gospel, and in our role as Pastors.

. Because as you all already know our role as pastors and as people of faith, is to share it, we are called to make disciples, to bring people alongside us in the things we are doing to teach and develop and train.

. and to equip these people that we disciple with the Word of truth to go out and fulfill their calling as well.

. Now as Pastors our responsibility is to the flock that we have been given whatever size that flock is, some are large some small, but all equally important.

. Now what i want to share with you today is something that i believe is important for the health of our ministries and our own personal journey with God.

. and that is that we do not have to commit ourselves to every person/believer who is a part of our flock. we are called to disciple all yes, but we do not have to commit ourselves to each person in the same way.

. and in fact if we do commit ourselves in the same way to each and every member of our flock, it is actually detrimental in a lot of ways.

John 2:23–25 NKJV

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

. This scripture when i read it a couple of months ago really spoke to me, it makes it very clear that the people its talking about are people who did in fact believe in the name of Jesus (because they witnessed signs)

. But despite the fact that these people believed Jesus did not commit himself to him, because he knew them as he knows all men.

. and this i believe is the principle that God is speaking to us out of this, just because somebody comes along to your church, or comes to you personally and says that they are a believer

. That does not mean that you have to fully commit yourself to that person and to training and developing that person.

. The reason that Jesus did not commit to these people, is because he was fully aware that the conversion in these people was not totally genuine, they had seen some signs and now believed, and he knew that had he committed himself to them as he had to his disciples it would have been a total waste of time.

. because the moment that things became to real, or the moment that Jesus would have challenged these people on something in their lives is the moment that they would have given up.

. This is a reality that we all need to understand and remember, that not every person who comes to your church will be fully committed to God or to you, and not every person who comes to your church is somebody that you should invest in heavily.

. learning how to identify early those who will be a waste of our time and resources is extremely valuable. because the personal cost to you as a pastor and as a child of God can be quite step if we commit or invest ourselves into somebody who we shouldn't.

. For myself when i stepped into the role of campus Pastor at our Cobram church, there was a young lady who i have known for many years who has been involved in our youth group for a long time, who has incredible intentional.

. Yet has for many years consistently made bad life choices, continues to make the same mistakes and often fails to listen to any advice that is given.

. Yet i believed that i could be the one to make a difference (despite a few warning from others) i committed to training her and developing her, (she had passion to do certain things, but was not willing to change).

. so i committed time each week that i set aside to meet with this person, i gave this person many more chances then i would normally give anyone else, but every single step of the way this person let me down, and would not listen often would not even show up to scheduled meetings.

. and continued to slide backwards and make the same mistakes, and honestly i will share with you it left me very discouraged and i felt like i had absolutely wasted mt time committing to this person

. and now i realize the time i wasted their could have been much more wisely spent on somebody else or on a different project that would have been much more beneficial to the church.

. and in the same way their are things that i shared with this person about vision for the church that was wasted.

. I believe there is so much wisdom in verse 24 of John 2

John 2:24 NKJV

But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

. We must only invest and commit to those who are willing to grow and change and do what is required.

. i have seen the negative result in others pastors and other church of investing in the wrong people. it leads to heartache, it can lead to pastors leaving the ministry.

. I believe this is incredible valuable to me, and i hope today that it brings some value and wisdom to each of you.

pray.