Written by: Jim Kilgore, Missionary Evangelist / Church-Planter
People want a Pastor. Throughout their time in your Church, they will NEED a Pastor, several times in fact. Will you be there for your People when they need you? People will need their Pastor to call them at times to rejoice with them, or at times to pray with them over a tragedy in their lives. Sometimes just a letter such as I received from Dr. Jack Hyles, who many years earlier, while my first wife was suffering with cancer, wrote me a note just to say that he loved us and had been praying with us during this season of life. My how that letter, which I still carry in my Bible meant to my wife and I.
To be a Pastor that communicates the love and warmth to your people, you will need the following two principles
The Seventh Principle of Pastoring
Walk with God! I have learned over the years that if I must guard my walk with God. NOTHING must take the place of my personal time with God. I am busy, very busy. I fill my schedule with work that normally lasts 16 – 20 hours a day. Many of you do the same. But we must never crowd Jesus Christ out of our schedules. Again, if you Walk with God, you will never Stumble before Man.
Then, on Sunday morning, I cannot wait to share what God and I had discussed during the other six days of the week!
The Eighth Principle of Pastoring
The next principle is closely associated with the sixth principle: Create your own “Personal Growth Plan,” (PGP)” Do you have a plan to continually grow as a Preacher, as a Christian? Every single person I have asked this question to has frankly admitted that they did not have a personal growth plan (PGP).
· Most people I surveyed had read their Bibles; many had spent some time in daily prayer; some were even memorizing Scripture. Yet nothing was strategically planned. By this I mean, nothing which would lead them to a certain, specific result after three months, six months, a year into the future, or even in five years.
· There was no specific plan to overcome habits; no plan to create new positive ones. I have learned, that most simply do not have a plan for growth in their lives which would place them in the best possible position to be used more effectively for God. Preachers, we must have one ourselves and then teach our people how to develop a growth plan as well.
· We all know that “If we want something, then we must do something.” You see, Failure just Happens; but Success is Planned. Success comes as a result of doing several things on purpose.
· If you go after the growth that you need, you could spend the rest of your life settling for what you have become. The question is, will “settling” provide you with the new skills necessary to lead you to the top of your mountain?
If you need help with a sample Growth plan, please email me at: JimKilgoreMinistries@gmail.com, and request the FREE personal Growth Plan that I have now used for years, I will gladly send it to your email with-in 24 hours.
This is a must for any pastor of any sized Church to keep him focused on growing as a Christian and as a Pastor.
You may also visit my website at: www.JimKilgoreMinistries.com for help as we have over 60 articles which will encourage and produce growth in your personal life.
Jim Kilgore Ministries 