Pastoral Depression by Pastor Ben Courson

Ben Courson, founder of Hope Generation, talks about pastoral depression and how we deal with it in leadership positions. Ben speaks from his own experience as someone who suffered for a decade with chronic depression. In the Bible we see that Job, Elijah, Jonah, and David all suffered from depression. It is not uncommon. And it is not a sign of weakness. With compassion and wisdom, Ben explains how depression can be viewed biblically and what good can come from it. It’s a message of—what else?—hope.

“The greatest Bible characters were often depressed.” -Ben Courson

“Depression is not a sign of weakness. Sometimes it is a sign of strength.” -Ben Courson

“The One who invented the phrase broken heart knows how to heal your broken heart.” -Ben Courson

“What the enemy intends for evil, God intends for good. He can take your greatest disadvantages and turn them into advantages.” -Ben Courson

“Give everything but up.” -Ben Courson

How to Serve When You’re Struggling by Pastor John Panico

How to Serve When You’re Struggling by Pastor John Panico

Pastor John Panico, Delray Beach, FL, talks about how to serve when you’re struggling. Struggles come in every area of life—financial, physical, emotional, relational, work—you name it. There is nothing in life you can expect to be completely exempt from struggle. But God has promised to  carry us through these times of difficulty. Pastor John gives five key points to help you persevere in trials. You will be encouraged. Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

QUOTES:

“Remember your relationship with the person of God. We have to stay at His feet.” -John Panico

“Respond to the struggle with the promises of God.” -John Panico

“The enemy never attacks you generally; he always attacks you specifically.” -John Panico

“Rely on the power of God.” -John Panico

‘So many things we start in the Spirit, but we try to finish in the flesh.” -John Panico

“Rely on the people of God. You are not the lone ranger.” -John Panico

“Remember to rest in the presence of God.” -John Panico

Let's Study by Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel talks about the importance of studying God’s word, following the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:1, who…received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. The practice of studying God’s word is essential in growing as a disciple of Jesus. Daniel shares a Bible study tool from Greg Laurie’s book, Start to Follow. It is the 3 Rs: Read: What does God’s word say?; Reflect: What does this teach me about God?;  Respond: What will I do with what I just learned? Teaching people to read the Bible is no small matter in a culture where the vast majority of people do not read a book after finishing high school or college. It needs to be taken seriously. If you don’t like to read, ask God to change your heart. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18. A practical message and a great encouragement!

QUOTES

“We are to be in God’s word, under God’s authority, men and women of the word.” -Daniel Williams

“People who want to know God need to learn how to study the Bible, to build their faith.” -Daniel Williams

‘We can go to God’s word and know who He is, and know God’s heart.” -Daniel Williams

“The discipline of reading has been lost, but it’s important for us as Christians to know that it’s part of our faith. It’s part of our education to learn what God has said.” -Daniel Williams

“The Bible is a supernatural book.” -Daniel Williams

“God’s word is the final authority.” -Daniel Williams

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Telling Stories by Pastor Rodney Wilkinson

Pastor Rodney Wilkinson, Gospel Fellowship Church, Boynton Beach, FL talks about telling gospel stories. As Christians, we have the greatest story in human history, and we need to be able to tell it effectively. Stories have always been a vital part of life. Jesus was a master storyteller. He did this all day, every day. What does it take to tell a story? It takes courage. You have to be prepared and you have to be bold. It takes compassion. You have to care about the people you’re talking to. It takes connections. Your story has to make connections with real people in a real world. Jesus used stories to prepare people for the gospel. This is a great perspective of the how and the why of storytelling. And why we need to listen to the narrative of our culture in order to respond in thoughtful and effective ways. 

QUOTES: 

“God is constantly giving us opportunities to tell the gospel story.” -Rodney Wilkinson

“It takes courage to be able to tell what God has done in your life.” -Rodney Wilkinson

“I’m telling this story so I can see lives changed and impacted because of the gospel.” -Rodney Wilkinson

“We have to be able to share this gospel in a way that shows up, not as some antiquated story, but in real time, every day, right where our people are.” -Rodney Wilkinson

Partnering with Other Churches

Pastor Daniel talks about partnering with other churches and what that has looked like recently with Redemption Church, where he pastors in Delray Beach, Florida. With intention and purpose for advancing God’s kingdom, developing relationships among the community of churches where we serve has produced cooperation and fruitful ministry. This results in a greater impact than we could ever have alone. He shares six principles which will help you as reach out and partner with others.

QUOTES: 

“It’s going to take not just one church or ministry team, but a lot of teams and churches to reach our city.” -Daniel Williams

“We have this group text of about 8 to 10 pastors in our area…that text one another every Sunday morning and give encouraging words—I’m praying for you…Here’s a verse for today…Be encouraged—and it feels like we’re doing ministry together.” -Daniel Williams

“Have a posture of humility. It’s not about me. It’s about God and His kingdom. You may be established in your community, but you still have to have a humble spirit.” -Daniel Williams

“We have to make time to invest in relationships. This is not easy. It’s going to take some time and some scheduling.” -Daniel Williams

“As ministry leaders, we need to embrace wisdom through other people and make the time to learn. You can do this, because the benefits will be tremendous in your life as you build relationships.” -Daniel Williams

Loving The City by Pastor Casey Cleveland

Casey Cleveland, Lead Pastor at Avenue Church, Delray Beach, FL, talks about what it means to love your city, and how they do that at Avenue Church. (But first, he shares the story of how he and Pastor Daniel met and the impact that had on him and his church. God is at work!) One of the tools Avenue Church has used in loving their city has to do with math, where “a hundred is greater than a million.” Jesus operated His ministry this way, pouring Himself into the 12 disciples. Delray Beach, like every city, has its own unique diversity, and Avenue Church has been trying to love people where they are and to create a family within that group. Using Paul Tripp’s 4-Circle paradigm of Love, Know, Speak, Do, Casey explains the approach they have used in connecting with their community. ‘Keep giving them Jesus.” This is 18 minutes of godly wisdom and it’s pure gold.

QUOTES: 

“This has been our guiding principle…as Jesus was sent, so He now sends us.” -Casey Cleveland

“How did Jesus love the world? The first thing He did was enter the world…We try to leave our own world and enter the world of the city.” -Casey Cleveland

“Our first move here in the city has to be an outward move.” -Casey Cleveland

“We want to lovingly apply the gospel to their area of need as we speak the truth to them.” -Casey Cleveland

“We commit to the process of change which is often slow and super messy.” -Casey Cleveland

The Priority Of The Gospel by Pastor Kevin Saxton

Kevin Saxton, Middle School Pastor, Family Church Downtown, West Palm Beach, FL talks about how we can know what is the most important thing in life. A bivocational pastor, Kevin is also a firefighter. And he and his wife Tracy have seven children. There are many important things needing his attention. What does the Bible have to say about what is the most important thing? Where should we put our energy and focus? In 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Paul describes what is of “first importance”—the gospel. “Our lives have to be rooted and founded on the gospel as a matter of first importance.” It is why we do everything we do.

QUOTES:

“I went back to the scripture to try and figure it out—what are the most important things I am supposed to be doing?” -Kevin Saxton

“The most important thing is the gospel.” -Kevin Saxton

“The gospel is something very particular, the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him from the dead.” -Kevin Saxton

“The gospel changes everything. Nothing stays the same.” -Kevin Saxton

Leading With Clarity by Pastor Bill Mitchell

Pastor Bill Mitchell, Boca Raton Community Church, shares about leading with clarity. This talk is from BocaLead, a monthly business luncheon hosted at their church and taught by Pastor Bill. Using a ladder as a model, Bill shares the six rungs that are essential in leading with clarity: 1)Identity; 2)Direction; 3)Operations; 4)People; 5)Engagement; 6)Influence. The two side-rails represent your personal life and your corporate life. This is a process that Bill and his wife personally go through together every 5 years or so to reassess where they are and where they want to be heading. (Complete notes from this event are available at bocalead.com/clarity.)

QUOTES: 

“Clarity is the ability to clearly lead people on an agreed upon journey.”

“This whole thing is called alignment. We’re going to align our thinking to clarity today.”

“Alignment: These six areas will bring stability to you and your organization as you seek to lead in the direction you have set."

“As you look to the future you have to understand your identity, and it’s not easy. Don’t get stuck in your past identity.”

“Where are you heading? What are your values? How can you use those things to inspire and motivate others?”

“If you are a person of discipline, you are a person who works out what you do.”

Developing Leaders by Dan Grittner

Dan Grittner, Lifespring Church, Royal Palm Beach, FL (a brand new church plant scheduled for launch September 2019) talks about his own experience under the godly leadership of his youth pastor and how it changed his life. It takes time and effort. Watch for the potential in those around you, that you can build with and invest in them. The life changing difference is that you care about them, about their heart. This is a powerful exhortation from the heart of a pastor.

QUOTES:

“You’ve got to spend time with your leaders.” -Dan Grittner

“It’s not about giving someone a task and them doing it. It’s about building a family.” -Dan Grittner

“Who is it in your life right now that you know that you could build more time with?” -Dan Grittner

“He is a creative God and He lives inside of you. He wants to give you a creative way of making disciples.” -Dan Grittner

“You’ve got to be after their heart.’ -Dan Grittner

What the Church is Meant to Be by Pastor Glenn Shaffer

Pastor Glenn Shaffer, Destiny Life Church, Claremore, OK talks about the Church as it is described in the New Testament and how seeing the body of Christ with fresh eyes can help us. What does it mean (Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ) to equip the saints for the work of ministry? What is a proper understanding of the role of each member of the body in relation to the leaders? Positional mentality, performance mentality, and personalities are three areas Glenn talks about in this context, as hindering the church’s work of ministry. You’ll want to hear this.

QUOTES:

“There’s something about the New Testament understanding of what the church really is, that transforms you.” -Glenn Shaffer

“Sometimes we don’t realize how valuable Christ’s gifts are in the church and how much we need one another.” -Glenn Shaffer

“Something that is really burning on my heart is that we would emphasize placement in the body, as the scripture does, and not position…Placement is where Christ has set us; position is where man has set us.” -Glenn Shaffer

“We don’t go to church. We are The Church, going.” -Glenn Shaffer

The Problem with Comparison by Bryan Saylor

Bryan Saylor, Young Adults Pastor at Calvary Chapel, Melbourne, FL, talks about the problem of comparison, what happens when you begin to evaluate what God is doing in your ministry by comparing it to what God is doing in someone else’s ministry. This can be a result of insecurity or of pride. Someone else’s ministry looks better, so you feel bad. Or someone else’s ministry looks less than, so you are filled with pride. Either is dangerous because it distracts us from what God has called us to do in ministry. Bryan shares three important questions God asks us, questions that will help us identify the root of comparison and eliminate it from our lives. “When it comes to comparison, my prayer is that we would preach the gospel to ourselves and remind ourselves of the glorious riches that we actually have in Christ.”

QUOTES: 

“Comparison is one of the greatest things that can derail us or distract us from the mission God has given us.” -Bryan Saylor

“Comparison can be insecurity, but it can also be pride. Either way you look at it, it is dangerous.” Bryan Saylor

“These questions are gut punchers—they are difficult to hear. But as we wrestle with them, we discover the true heart of God and the fact that God wants us to move closer into trusting Him.” Bryan Saylor

The Blessings of Unity by Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel talks about the blessings of unity among God’s people. David wrote of this blessing in Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (Psalm 133:1) Verses two and three of this psalm describe God’s blessing on those who practice unity. We may come from many different backgrounds and tribes like David and the 12 tribes of Israel, but God wants us to walk together in unity as one people—the body of Christ, the Church. Unity is extremely precious and valuable. Seeing the power of God work through the unity of His people is a great witness to the world of who God is. It brings glory to Him. Daniel shares some ways that local churches in Delray Beach. FL are working together in unity. How can we practice this unity that pleases God today?

QUOTES: 

“If you walk in unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ, you’re going to walk in strength.” -Daniel Williams

“Walking in unity helps us walk in God’s ways.” -Daniel Williams 

“When you walk in good works and you’re doing this together, it makes a powerful statement. People see that strength and they glorify God the Father.” -Daniel Williams

“Unity brings life and nutrition to your soul.” -Daniel Williams

“Unity does not mean uniformity. We can have our own unique heritage, but we are one in Christ.” -Daniel Williams

“Be eager to maintain unity in the body of Christ. Let us learn from one another. Let us grow and develop and serve the Lord with other believers.” -Daniel Williams

The Weapon of Prayer by Pastor Daniel Williams

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel gets excitied, encouraging everyone to pray! Understand this: prayer is a spiritual weapon. “You are in spiritual battle. If you are ignorant or ignore that fact, you probably aren’t winning the battle.” (David Guzik) The Apostle Peter describes this reality in 1 Peter 5:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. No amount of studying or skill can overcome a lack of prayer. God’s power is activated through prayer. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15) We all need this reminder of the amazing access to God’s strength and power through prayer.  

___

“If you are strangers to prayer, you are strangers to power.” - Billy Sunday

“Many people devote themselves to studying God’s word and preparation but not necessarily prayer.” -Daniel Williams

“We must be aware of the fact that we are in a battle. And we must know how to fight as men and women of God.” -Daniel Williams

“As soon as you pray, God is on the move.” -Daniel Williams

“There is a huge impact on our world when we are men and women of prayer, trusting in God, depending on Him.” -Daniel William

Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture by Dr Warren Gage

Leadership Lesson | Dr Warren Gage 

Dr. Warren Gage, Fort Lauderdale, FL, talks about how we understand and preach Christ in all the scriptures. Jesus spoke about this in John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.” What we want to find in all the scripture is the gospel. Using three different passages—the sleep of Adam for his bride (Genesis 2), Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6), and the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Dr. Gage points out where and how the gospel is pictured, sometimes simply and other times with elaborate detail. You can read more on this subject in Dr. Gage’s book Milestones to Emmaus. Follow his leadership ministry at alexandrianforum.org

____

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:29

“We have to have the resurrection that validates the work of Christ on the cross, that is the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice on our behalf in a substitutionary sense.” -Warren Gage

“The core of the gospel is substitution. I would urge everybody that is in a preaching or teaching role—that is the point that needs to be clarified most, the idea that somebody has to understand that Christ died in their place.” -Warren Gage

“We can read the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, in such a way as to see the gospel in all the stories. I think it’s the common denominator to every major narrative in the text.” -Warren Gage

“The more of these illustrations that you see, eventually you learn that the gospel really is everywhere.” -Warren Gage

Empowering Your Team by Pastor Bill Mitchell

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Bill Mitchell

God has called us to work in teams. The greater the vision, the greater the need for a great team. We need to be learning from mentors and also passing on our influence to others. In this week’s lesson, Pastor Bill Mitchell, Boca Community Church, shares about the importance of empowering others. Pastor Bill started a ministry called BocaLead, hosting a monthly luncheon speaking to over 400 local business leaders, sharing biblical principles with the aim to raise the bar on ethics and integrity in the business community. Here he shares five ways to empower the people who work on your team, distilling the main points of the book The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, “one of the seminal books on leadership.” 1)Model the way. 2)Inspire a Shared Vision. 3)Challenge the process. 4)Enable others to act. 5)Encourage the heart. Those are the points, but you’ve got to hear him share it. It’s empowering. Find out more at BocaLead.com

___

Quotes:

“You don’t have to be a leader of hundreds or thousands or a movement, you can just be a leader with one other person. Leadership principles work in your home as well.” -Bill Mitchell

“You and I as leaders have to model the way for other people.” -Bill Mitchell

“Help people see the future where you’re heading, but also help them do away with the things that don’t apply today.” -Bill Mitchell

“Challenge the process is really looking to see how it can be done better, quicker, less expensively—whatever is important in your industry—but doing it honestly, doing it with inspiration, doing it with competence.” -Bill Mitchell

“The ability to enable somebody to use their gift allows great things to happen.” -Bill Mitchell

“Ultimately as a leader we’ve got to go deeper than just the top, physical things that we’re doing. If you encourage the heart, you will stand out…Just be kind to people, be compassionate to people, show a little generosity.” -Bill Mitchell

“I would suggest to you that you develop a consistent way in which you lead, so that when people come they will see a true vertical.” -Bill Mitchell

Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers by Pastor Daniel Williams

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel talks about how leaders can encourage people to become actively involved in serving God through serving others. Jesus demonstrated this active service by washing His disciples’ feet. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15) The idea of encouraging others to serve is a natural part of leadership. From Jesus’ example in Mark 1:16-18, Daniel shares practical ways to help us in recruiting and retaining people for ministry. Have the right attitude. Ask people personally. Give clear instructions. Lead by example. Explain the why of what we do. Be real. This is hard work. People need encouragement. Give them the word of God. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Show appreciation to your volunteers. Rely on God. “What we’re doing is impossible without the Holy Spirit. It is God working through us.” We have to be able to choose people and then depend on God to do the work. Pray and ask for the Lord to do it, for His kingdom and His glory.

___

“We have to work together to get great things done.” -Daniel Williams

“We want to encourage and persuade people to serve God by serving others.” -Daniel Williams

“Serving is a part of our faith. It’s how we grow. And we should want to recruit people to mature and to grow in the body and to serve one another.” -Daniel Williams

“It is an incredible privilege to serve Jesus. People follow passion. They follow conviction. If you have the right attitude that says it is worth it, people will follow that.” -Daniel Williams

A Strike Team by Pastor Peyton Jones

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Peyton Jones

Peyton Jones, Longbeach, California, is an author, church planter, leadership trainer, podcaster, and writer. In this week’s episode, Peyton talks about the strike team approach to ministry, based on the model of Paul, what a strike team looks like and what it’s made up of.   We know from his epistles that Paul did not go alone and that he moved very quickly in teams. Ephesians 4 describes the roles of team members as they have been gifted by God: He gave gifts to men…And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.(Ephesians 4:8, 11-12). Jesus is the only one who embodied all five of these Himself, but He has given these gifts individually to those He has called to equip the saints. How are these gifts different from each other? What is their purpose in ministry? “If you had all these guys working together, imagine the powerful combination that would be. That’s what Paul imagined. In fact it’s more than what Paul imagined—it’s what he saw. And it’s what he did.” Read more about Peyton Jones and his ministry at peytonjones.ninja

___

Quotes: 

“Although Jesus died on the cross, and we know that His work was finished on the cross, for our justification, Christ’s work of kingdom expansion was not finished and He left that to us. He passed on the ministry of spreading the word of what He did on the cross…His ministry continues through us.” -Peyton Jones

“Not all leaders are going to be alike. The body of Christ needs to grow and grow until it fills out that Jesus-shaped hole that was left. And it will only happen as these gifts are working.”  -Peyton Jones

“Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers…That strike team packs a powerful punch. It’s a team impacting the community around it. It’s what I call the A-Team. They are frontline.”  -Peyton Jones

‘Paul knew he only had a limited amount of time. So he would identify their gifts. He would strategically get them raised up. And then he would deploy them outward. And not just outward from their church, but into their community.”  -Peyton Jones

“If the church will go back to this, we will begin to pack a punch. We will have people who not only know good theology, but they know how to do practically what they’ve been reading about or teaching about.”  -Peyton Jones

Spiritual Disciplines by Pastor Daniel Williams

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel talks about ways to cultivate our faith through the practice of  spiritual disciplines and why these disciplines are so vital. In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney says, “In my own pastoral and personal Christian experience, I can say that I have never known a man or a woman who came to spiritual maturity except through discipline. Godliness comes through discipline.” In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul instructs Timothy to undertake this training: Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. Spiritual disciplines do not need to be complicated. It is more about seeking to be in the presence of God and using spiritual disciplines as a way to get to know Him and trust Him. Making the word of God your first priority, worshipping God through singing, fasting and praying, practicing a Sabbath day of rest, giving thanks to God, having fellowship/community with other believers, serving others—these are just some examples of spiritual disciplines that will draw you closer to Jesus. How are you seeking God’s presence through spiritual disciplines? What is the next step for you? “From faith to faith. Step by step. There is profit in godliness. The way that we become godly is by being with God.”

___

“To have spiritual disciplines cultivates our faith, it takes work, it takes time, it takes effort—but it is definitely worth it.” -Daniel Williams

“So many times in our life, we don’t want to do things that make us uncomfortable, that are hard—even the word discipline, that you practice this effort—but the Bible says if we are going to grow in our faith we need to practice spiritual discipline.” -Daniel Williams

“We want to do things that help our faith grow, to trust in Jesus more. In any good relationship, there’s work.” -Daniel Williams

“We can actually limit God in our lives because we lack faith and trust in Him. We don’t do what He says because we don’t believe what He says.” -Daniel Williams

“The best thing for you as a ministry leader is this—to be in the presence of the Lord. This is how I view spiritual disciplines. We get to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and we get to seek Him. That should be your top priority. And that should be my top priority.” -Daniel Williams

“Knowing the living God—Jesus, the King—changes everything. Out of that intimacy flows ministry.” -Daniel William

From Faith To Faith by Pastor Daniel Williams

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Daniel Williams

Pastor Daniel talks about having faith in different seasons of life and ministry, how important it is for us as church leaders to trust God no matter what is going on at any given time. “It is from faith to faith that we are to live, to walk by faith and not by sight.” This type of faith is cultivated. It grows and changes. What may have taken a huge step of faith in our life three years ago may not be the same today. God grows our faith step by step. What is faith and why is it important for us as ministry leaders? “Faith is trust in someone or something. Our salvation comes by faith. We are saved by grace through faith. We trust that God has the power to do this.” In Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews, we are given great examples of faith and this definition: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) One of the temptations of having the gift of leadership is to begin to trust in our own abilities rather than trusting in God. But we need to constantly remind ourselves, through prayer and intentional reliance upon Him, that God Himself is the source of our plans and any success we may have. Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3) How can you cultivate your faith today? What is God telling you to do that requires faith? Daniel gives four reasons why faith is important in this and every season of life. You don’t want to miss it.

___

“Seasons were given to us by God. They’re for a reason. Without change, without seasons, we can become stagnant and just take for granted the season we are in.” -Daniel Williams

“We need to cultivate our faith. We need to exercise our faith to get stronger like a muscle, and we need to continue to put on more weight and to continue to walk by faith, one step after another.” -Daniel Williams

“As Christians our faith is based on God’s word, based on what He is telling us. He asks us to listen to His voice, to understand who He is, and to base our lives off of who He says He is and the promises that He tells us to walk in.” -Daniel Williams

“We will be blessed when we trust in Jesus and His word.” -Daniel Williams

“You are the mission of Jesus…He puts us in situations to build our faith. He is sovereign. He is good.” -Daniel Williams

The Hard Work of Ministry by Pastor Pilgrim Benham

Leadership Lesson | Pastor Pilgrim Benham

Pastor Pilgrim Benham, Bradenton, Florida, shares about persevering in the hard work of ministry, challenging us to reset our minds and have a different perspective about work, remembering what it is we are called to do. The great story of Ernest Shackleton’s exploration of the Antarctic and how those who went on that expedition knew what they signed up for is worth hearing. The Apostle Paul writes about what he suffered in the hard work of ministry in 2 Corinthians 11, that he was imprisoned, beaten repeatedly, near death, shipwrecked, tortured, stoned, constantly in danger and suffering from a chronic physical ailment. What kept him going? Jesus did. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (Hebrews 12:9) What is overwhelming you in ministry? Call out to Jesus. Paul also wrote about running this race with endurance—which is very hard work. Endurance is “patience where you sit down and accept the thing that is in front of you. And not just sit down, but master it.” Are you not bearing fruit like you thought you would? Don’t look back. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 Ministry is hard work. But stay focused on Jesus and finish well. He is worth it. 
___

“The idea is that when I come to serve Jesus in ministry, I’m not here to get anything back. I’m here to give.” -Pilgrim Benham

“Sometimes giving means struggle, it means suffering.” -Pilgrim Benham

“I want to encourage you to run the race that’s marked out for you—with perseverance, with endurance.” -Pilgrim Benham

“That’s what I long for—to know that the ministry that He’s doing in my life is going to result in fruit, which is souls.” -Pilgrim Benham