What follows has been adapted from a brief talk I delivered to the Oklahoma chapter of The Gospel Coalition on October 2. Here are 10 things I wish I'd known when I first started out as a pastor.
1. I wish I'd known that people who disagree with me on doctrines I
hold dearly can often love God and pursue his glory with as much, and in
some cases more, fervency than I do. The sort of intellectual pride
that fuels such delusions can be devastating to ministry and will
invariably undermine any efforts at broader Christian unity across
denominational lines.
2. I wish I'd known about the inevitable frustration that comes when
you put your trust in what you think are good reasons why people should
remain loyal to your ministry and present in your church. I wish I'd
been prepared for the feelings of betrayal and disillusionment that came
when people in whom I'd personally invested so much love, time, and
energy simply walked away, often with the most insubstantial and
flimsiest of excuses. Continue at Sam Storms
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