We’ve had some big changes in my home recently. Our young boys have started at a new school, and my wife has gone back to work after a break. These are all positive changes for our family, things we’d prayed about for a long time. For me, they have meant a couple of enforced changes to my tried and tested routine. They’re good changes, positive changes, but my fallible and fallen flesh struggled to change my rhythms and routines for others, even my family. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing as the pastor, trying to prove to people how committed I was as their minister, that I (initially) missed a significant opportunity to prove to my family that they are my primary ministry.

So, how do we make sure that they are?

When I was taking my first steps into vocational ministry, an older and wiser mentor said that, come what may, my priorities should never change: faith, then family, then my ministry. I must admit, being all fired up about giving more of my life to the call I felt, this advice didn’t sit well at first and is something I’ve wrestled with for a few years now. I was excited to spend more of my day equipping the saints for their own ministry (Ephesians 4:10-13). However, the longer I thought about it, and the more time has passed, I’ve come to see that he was absolutely right. I’ve seen it this last couple of weeks more than ever because, honestly, I’ve had it wrong, and I’ve fallen short.

One of the peculiarities of living in this part of the world is that many take an extended summer break. It’s hot; it’s quiet, and many leave for a couple of months. My wife and boys did so this year, leaving me here to pastor and potter around by myself. Without really trying, I got into such a rhythm and routine. That meant I knew where I’d be on any given day at any given time, barring an emergency. When my family came back, I found myself, to my shame, feeling resentful of the extra responsibilities and commitments I now had, and the additional demands on my time that appeared as soon as the plane landed. This only got worse as school started for them all. After the initial sinful and selfish shock wore off, I remembered what my old mentor had said. I also thought that it couldn’t be just me that feels like this from time to time. So, I resolved to share how I have been working through these feelings and thoughts, using the framework from my mentor: faith, then family, then ministry.

Faith First

Those in vocational ministry must have a sincere, personal, and genuine faith. Such a thing might sound like a given, but sadly, scripture shows us that this is not always the case (Micah 3:11, Judges 17-18, Exodus 32:2-6, Zephaniah 3:4). As the old saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” and we must have a genuine faith in, and relationship with the Lord, about which to tell others. Simply, faith first, because this is what will last (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

Then, Family

It’s unscriptural to think that you can be an effective minister of the Gospel to others if you are not that for those closest to you. In a paragraph detailing the character required of those called to the spiritual leadership of the church, Paul writes this:

“…If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5, NET).

Thus, scripture explicitly tells us that family comes before church ministry.

How, then, do we do it? How do we make sure our families know that they are more important than our ministry?

Between 2015-2018, my life changed in almost every way possible: My wife and I had two children, I lost my job, I miraculously and spectacularly got another job. We moved house twice, I did a master’s degree, and I took over as the pastor of the international church we’d been part of for five years here in Bahrain. We had a busy few years, and I look genuinely terrible in photos from that period. This truth of faith, family, and then ministry was still valid during those hectic years. Let me share with you the four P’s that helped us through it.

1. Plan

You need to be intentional with your time. There’s an adage called “Parkinson’s Law” that says: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

You need to have a plan, and you’ll need to stick to it. If I had an hour to write a paper for seminary, I wrote it in an hour, and then I closed the computer. If I had 90 minutes while my little boys had a nap, I’d fill it with study. However, when they woke up, the family came first again. Make time for family time. I have rarely (if ever) had someone be mad at me for saying, “Sorry, can’t meet you on that day, I’m taking my son/wife to…”. If anything, people will respect you and your ministry more when they see you hold it in proper perspective. Plan to spend your time properly: faith, family, ministry, and then stick to it.

2. Present

When you’ve planned family time, be present. Not just physically present, but mentally, emotionally, energetically, and spiritually present. Don’t plan time for study and then think about study over coffee with your spouse. Don’t plan to take your kids to the beach and then let your mind drift to what you’re preaching about next week. Be present. Be there, all of you. A proper plan will help you be present because you know that you have time later/tomorrow to think about and work on whatever is trying to get in on your family time. Tell yourself, diligently, “No, I’ll do that tomorrow.” Commit your plan to paper, then commit to being present in all things.

3. People

Make a plan, be present, and involve people. When people want to help, as your brothers and sisters in the faith so often do, accept it. Is there something you are doing at church that someone else can be equipped, empowered, and platformed to do? If you can give more of yourself to your family by delegating tasks to someone else, shouldn’t you do it? This isn’t an excuse to cut short your core duties and responsibilities; I am simply encouraging you to consider including others in your plan if it helps you to be more present.

4. Pray

Finally, pray, pray, and pray some more. None of this will be possible without the Lord and His guidance. Sure, you could wake tomorrow and find a color-coded, hour-by-hour plan of your week miraculously waiting for you on your desk. However, more often than the miracle, God is going to guide you through the many, many prayers, the many times of reading and meditating on His Word, the many times you purposefully plan your time to honor Him, to show love to your family, and to serve His people and His church. More often than the miracle, God is going to guide you through the many prayers you pray.

Family is a precious gift that most would never consciously take for granted.

Sometimes, though, we unintentionally do so when we attempt to be all things to all people and forget who we are first. First, we’re known, loved, redeemed, forgiven, and accepted by the maker of heaven and earth. We’re made in His image to reflect His character and love to all creation, which defines us more than anything else. Secondly, He created us to love one another. For some, this takes the form of a physical family, a tremendous gift of God. For others, it’s a family of believing brothers and sisters. Beyond these two unequivocal commands (Matthew 22:34-40) comes our call, ministry, and mission to take God’s Good News of redemption and salvation through Jesus to those around us. I’ve got it wrong a few times and am ever thankful for a gracious, heavenly Father and a forgiving family.

As my old mentor said, “Faith, then your family, then your ministry.”

Seven years ago, my family and I moved from Southern California, where I was a pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, to New York City so that I could study under Tim Keller and his newly formed partnership with Reformed Theological Seminary – it was a decision I will never regret. I was in the first cohort of this new alliance, and while I learned many things both in class with Dr. Keller and as a pastor working with him at Redeemer Downtown, a few things stand out.

His humility.

For a man who is possibly one of the most influential Christian thinkers and authors of our generation, he lives and speaks very humbly. His apartment (he still rents) looks like it hasn’t changed since 1987 (popcorn ceilings and all), and I have honestly never heard him speak ill of any person – ever. I asked him about the latter, and he told me that since we all probably have said things that we regret or that came out wrong at some point, then it probably isn’t completely fair to judge someone too harshly – especially if you never took the time to sit with them and really hear what they fully thought on a given subject.

His pastoral heart.

I remember one day in our pastoral resident cohort, Tim told my colleagues and me that while it is not uncommon for Christian leaders to be paid well for being good public speakers, good leaders and good authors, it is uncommon to for them to be paid well for being good pastors – but that is exactly what people need more than anything. He ended the meeting by saying that it is his goal to make us into good pastors, if church leadership gets that right, then other aforementioned areas are automatically strengthened.

I could go on and on, as Tim has always taken time out of his very busy schedule to coach and teach me (both in and out of class), to support me (letters of recommendation, phone calls, etc.), and to meet with me in seasons of great personal transition and turmoil – times which I always found grounding, encouraging and life-giving. All that being said, I am thankful for Tim and am heartbroken over the news of his cancer. I will be praying for God’s intervention both medically and miraculously as his voice, his insights and his gospel-centered perspective are sure to be an ongoing source of comfort and clarity in the challenging circumstances we are all currently in and likely headed toward. I invite you to intercede in these areas that he has specifically asked for prayer in.

Tim’s Prayer Requests:

1. “For God to use medical means or his direct intervention to make the cancer regress to the point of vanishing.

2. For Kathy and me, that we would use this opportunity to be weaned from the joys of this world and to desire God’s presence above all.

3. For my family to be comforted and encouraged.

4. For the side effects of treatment to allow me to continue writing and speaking.”

Conference dates and more information will be coming soon!

In light of COVID-19, the Calvary Chapel/CGN Conference “Essential Church: Identity, Power and Mission” will be moving to an online-only format.

We are disappointed that we will not be able to fellowship with you in person, but we feel moving to an online platform is the safest and most effective way to carry out the conference this year.

We are currently in the planning stages of building a livestream package for you, our ministry partners, to advertise your business or ministry on our conference livestream platform.

Stay Tuned for More Details!

In my last article, I discussed two key components for successful church planting: prioritizing and preparing. By prioritizing, I meant establishing “church planting” in the DNA of your church’s mission. By preparing, I meant sending out church planters and team members that are fully equipped. In this article, I want to address the third component of pastoring a church that plants churches. That third component is partnerships.

PARTNERSHIPS

We can do more together than we can on our own. I doubt anyone would argue against that idea, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. It feels easier and less complicated to do it on our own, preferring our way as the best way, unencumbered by the potential milieu of challenges partnerships present. But my pushback on that is: What about learning from each other? What about considering better ways of doing ministry? What about the strength of ministering together instead of solo? What about your wisdom and gifts being used to bless other ministries? Effective church planting means strategic partnerships.

This is one reason why I appreciate Calvary Global Network’s emphasis on collaborating for the kingdom. It’s clear that the vision of CGN is: big picture partnerships that facilitate healthy ministry relationships, leverage expertise and experience, and unite likeminded people in order to grow God’s kingdom for His glory. Strong partnerships make flourishing ministries. In this article, I want to suggest three key ingredients to having healthy partnerships.

1) Servant Attitude:

The purpose of partnerships isn’t to be served, but to serve. Of course, there is the strategic piece to partnerships that enables you to execute the mission of your church more effectively. But the disposition of each partner must be to serve the other. Certainly, this was the mindset of Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 20:28). Servant-oriented partnerships provide the soil to grow humility, transparency, love and unity. This will assist in eliminating conflict that’s generated by pride, ego, self-centered ambitions and ungodly agendas. Of course, that would never happen in ministry (smile). This also causes the partnership to be of greater mutual benefit.

For example, we have an “Awaken Crusade” in Mexico City happening in 2019. We partner with well over 100 churches and organizations with the goal of, equipping churches to evangelize, reaching the impoverished with food, medical care and clothing, through an event called Blessfest, hosting a major evangelistic crusade and conducting church planting training conferences. The local church leaders have been overwhelmingly gracious to us, catching the vision, engaging their congregations and providing people to serve. As a result, people will be saved, the saved will be equipped and more churches will be planted!

2) Relational:

Having a servant’s heart creates partnerships that are relational. Partnerships do not exist to just execute an initiative. While that may be true for institutions, it’s not true for the church, which is a living organism composed of people. Honestly, sometimes I can become more focused on the system that is executing the goal, than I am on the people who are doing the work. That leads me to be impatient, uncaring and unrealistic expectations I place on others.

Collaborating for God’s kingdom means investing time in people and developing relationships founded in love, being unified in the Spirit, and having like-minded theology and ministry philosophy. Taking the time to develop these relationships makes partnerships a joy instead of a burden and maximizes their effectiveness. But not only that, these types of partnerships have the greatest capacity for alignment in theology and ministry philosophy. What’s the point of partnering if you are not going in the same direction? As the Scriptures say, “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” (cf. Amos 3:3). Relational partnerships not only begin with alignment, but deepen the alignment over the course of time, making them stronger.

3) Strategic:

Finally, healthy partnerships are complimentary. There’s no reason to partner if it means unnecessary redundancy. Be honest about the areas that are weak in your ministry and prayerfully consider partnering with an organization that can fill those areas in a way that is excellent. A few years back, we decided that we needed to engage an organization that excels in equipping Christians in apologetics. By God’s grace, a strategic partnership with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries was birthed and has become an integral part of our church.

Areas of partnership include: a regular rotation of world class speakers equipping the congregation, utilizing their home group curriculum called Everyday Questions, developing apologetics curriculum for our Christian School, hosting a ReBoot event to address relevant issues facing our youth, sending evangelists to RZIM’s Emerging Apologists Program and working together to reach the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. It would be impossible for us to replicate what RZIM brings to the table. Working strategically together enables us to fulfill our mission more effectively.

Years ago, a handful of us in New England had the desire to reach Canada with the gospel. Most of our churches were really small, and we felt by ourselves there was little that we could do. But we banded together, created Calvary Chapel French Outreach Initiative, and partnered with a Calvary in Montreal. God blessed the fruit of those labors! We discovered that what we were unable to do on our own, we were able to do together. Two truly are better than one (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Like some of you, ministry has been a continual growth process for me. It seems that there are some who just “get it” and “got it” from the get go. But for me it’s been a journey; specifically, in leading a team effectively to fulfill the vision and mission that’s before us. For context, Calvary Chapel Las Vegas has paid employees in both our church and school and also has hundreds of volunteers who serve in multiple ministries. Over the past year, three principles have emerged that have helped renew the ministry and make us more effective. It’s not that these principles are new, of course they’re not, but they are being implemented more intentionally; and the fruit is evident. I want to share these things that I believe you have to get right as a leader to have a fruitful ministry.

1) RIGHT PEOPLE

First, its critical to have the right people on your leadership team. For leaders, the maxim has been that people are your greatest asset, but that needs fine tuning. It’s not just people; it’s the right people. Jesus spent an evening in prayer before selecting the 12 that would comprise His leadership team (Luke 6:12). He told them they hadn’t chosen Him, but He had chosen them (John 15:16); meaning they were carefully selected, not chosen rashly or arbitrarily. When you’re bringing someone into your leadership team, it’s worth prayerfully waiting, in order to choose the right person who is in love with Jesus, has biblical integrity, is gifted and skilled, and is passionate about what God has called them to. When it comes to your team, you are as good as the people you surround yourself with. Sometimes in the Calvary context excessive emphasis is put on the senior pastor, when in reality we all know it’s about much more than just one man. Moreover, it’s not just who we bring on, but also who we hang on to. One of the hardest decisions to make in a ministry is to let an employee go or to tell a team leader that their season in a particular area is coming to an end. But in the end, you always have to do what God is directing you to do, what is best for the leadership team, and what is best for the church overall. Consider your team right now and evaluate whether or not you have the right people on board. Make the right decision and choose the right people.

2) DEFINED MISSION

Second, its vital to define your mission. There are so many good things to be involved in: homeless ministries, radio and media outreach, missions, conferences, Bible school, schools of ministry and satellite campuses. It’s a potentially endless list, but there is a threshold you can reach where you’re involved in so many things, that you are effective in none of them. While the biblical mandate is clear for every local church to make disciples of all nations and to equip believers for the work of the ministry, how that works out practically changes from church to church. Put in the time to pray and fast, so you can hear from God. With your leadership team, define the mission that God has given to you. Then, evaluate all the things you’re doing and make the difficult decision to cut out those things (even good things) that don’t fit within that defined mission. We have been going through that process, and it’s bearing fruit for our church. This pruning process will help you avoid “mission drift” and make your ministry more fruitful.

3) UNFLINCHING FAITHFULNESS

And finally, as you have the right people and a defined mission, go after it with all your heart. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:2 that there’s one thing required of a servant of God and that is faithfulness. Every servant wants to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” I like to note He doesn’t say, “good and famous.” He says, “good and faithful!” We need to make sure we are aiming at one thing as His servants, and that is unflinching faithfulness. In our ready-made culture, we want immediate results. The reality is that any good thing that lasts takes time to build, whether it’s a marriage, a business or a ministry. I remind our church planters that they’re embarking on an adventure that requires an investment of faithfulness over time. Be committed to put the time and effort in faithfully; day by day, person by person, outreach by outreach, teaching by teaching, like the faithful farmer that Paul talked about, and God will be faithful to bring the increase.

I’m praying that as you read this article, God guides you in each of these three areas and gives you the courage, strength and wisdom to make the necessary changes for His glory.

When Protestants broke with Rome in the 15th Century, Rome countered the Protestant departure with a claim to Apostolic succession: “Look,” they said, “Our leaders go all the way back to the original Apostles in an unbroken line of succession. Today’s Pope is the spiritual successor of Christ Himself. He appointed Peter, whose role as Bishop of Rome flows right down to today in an unbroken line of spiritual authority.”

That argument compelled many to keep unity with Rome. Others weren’t convinced and left to swell the ever enlarging ranks of Protestant churches.

From then till now, scholars from both sides rally support in the debate over Apostolic Succession.

There were some early church leaders who proposed the idea of succession. The first century church father Ignatius stood out as probably the clearest voice arguing for a single bishop as the leader of a local church, his office secured by his ability to draw a relational link back to the original Apostles.

The second century Father Irenaeus was also used as a support for Apostolic succession. But a close look at his writings in this regard places the principle of succession, not in some spiritual dynastic lineage; as if having an older bishop laying his hands on a younger man conferred special grace that bestowed the authority of Peter, James and John.

Irenaeus said succession consisted in a bishop’s adherence to the faith of the Apostles. It was a matter of doctrine, of Gospel-centered values and the mission of the original Apostles, passed on to their followers, from one generation to the next. Church leaders obtained authority only to the degree they were loyal to the foundation the Apostles laid. Their authority was derived directly from their adherence to what was already given; it did not originate with them or the office they held. It was certainly not passed along merely by the laying on of hands.

There are many quotes from Irenaeus to share in this regard. One of the most poignant is from his epic work Against Heresies III:24:1.

“[I have proved] that the preaching of the Church is everywhere consistent, continues in an even course, and receives testimony from the prophets, the apostles, and all the disciples through [those in] the beginning, the middle, the end, and through the entire dispensation of God. And that well-grounded system which tends to man’s salvation, namely, our faith, which we have received from the Church, we do preserve, and [that faith] always, by the Spirit of God, renews its youth, as if it were some precious deposit in an excellent vessel, and causes the vessel itself containing it to renew its youth also. For this gift of God has been entrusted to the Church, as breath was to the first created man, for this purpose, that all the members may receive it and live.”

In another place Irenaeus says:

“Therefore it is necessary to obey the elders who are in the Church; those who-as I have shown-possess the succession from the apostles. [They], together with the succession of the episcopate [bishops], have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. And [it is necessary] to hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession, and assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever. [Consider them] either as heretics of perverse minds, or as schismatics puffed up and self-pleasing, or again as hypocrites, acting this way for the sake of money and pride. For all these have fallen from the truth.”

The “heretics” and “schismatics” Irenaeus mentioned here were Gnostics, about whom Against Heresies was written. He refers often to the apostolic “tradition” precisely because Gnostics claimed to possess an original tradition; a secret teaching handed down by Jesus to the Apostles and communicated to only the Gnostic leaders. For the right fee, those leaders and teachers would pass it along to those who desired to be enlightened. Irenaeus countered by showing that Jesus’ teaching had never been secret. His life and work were and open book for all to read. The Apostles faithfully transmitted that, at first in an oral tradition, then in a written tradition, as embodied in the books of the New Testament, the Church was soon to form into the canon.

Irenaeus’ entire argument was that a genuine church existed wherever church leaders (elders, bishops) remained faithful to this oral and written “tradition.” Irenaeus did give a nod to a local church’s ability to list its lineage back to the apostles, but only insofar as they reliably adhered to the tradition of the Apostles’ teaching.

Nowhere do we see Irenaeus establish an innate spiritual dynastic line where one man hands the “keys of the kingdom” to another. And for church leaders to later in history claim special authority due to “tradition,” using Irenaeus’ work as justification for doing so is, is an egregious misuse of what he meant by tradition. For Irenaeus, tradition meant nothing if it wasn’t drawn from a faithful adherence to Scripture.

Modern church leaders would do well to remember this when they’re pressed to compromise on moral and spiritual issues.

The authority of pastors and church leaders comes from one place: God. It does not adhere to their office. A title means nothing, no matter how big the hat or fancy the label. God gives authority to fulfill His calling and mission for that person. When they step outside that role, they possess no real authority. The authority of the minister is derived from and directly proportional to their loyalty to the Apostolic message and mission.

Let’s remember there’s power in the Gospel to save the lost and transform our world. We do no service by watering it down or fudging its truth. Those who curse us today for sharing the undiluted message of the Cross, are the same ones who will thank us tomorrow for loving them enough to tell it like it is.