Commitment to Christ
In my journey of faith, I have experienced profound connections with Jesus Christ during times of struggle. These experiences led me to be reborn in Christ and transformed into a Christian with a deeper faith and understanding of life. I owe every breath to the divine presence in my life. Therefore, above my roles as a husband, father, or minister, my primary calling is to be a disciple of Christ. Through this calling, I find the strength and ability to fulfill the blessings God has bestowed upon me. This is accomplished through practicing spiritual disciplines and seeking intimacy with and obedience to God. Daily struggles of continuous prayer, dedicating every moment to God, meditating on Scripture, and listening for the voice of God in silence become central to my life.
The scripture that defines my philosophy of ministry is Exodus 4:10-12. I have experienced the meaning of God’s blessings and the pain of loss, and I have found that the promise of God’s presence is the balancing center of it all. I can only fulfill my calling by the grace of God, through my relationship with Him. Understanding how to love those around me stems from experiencing His love in my own relationship with Him. Any blessings that flow through me are the fruit of my intimacy with God.
Stewardship of my Family
After Christ, my loyalty and devotion lie with my family. Guided by God, I gain wisdom and experience as I strive to be the best husband and father that He intends me to be. This wisdom directly influences my ability to navigate my ministry. Therefore, I prioritize my family by being present at home, spending ample time with my wife and daughters, and ensuring their needs are met before anyone else’s. I continuously pursue my wife and strive to raise my daughters to know Christ, teaching them about God’s love and setting an example of how to love and seek Him.
Worship and the Assembly of the Saints
We are called to worship in spirit and truth, demonstrating love in all we do. Worship is an essential act for Christians, and it is the purpose for our gatherings on Sundays and Wednesdays. However, worship is not confined to a single day or specific location. Our time together empowers our lives apart, making every moment a testament to God. During our gatherings, we engage in instruction and exhortation through preaching and teaching, remember and unite through communion, give our time and resources, and exalt God through song. These elements enrich our lives lived for God throughout the week.
The assembly of the saints is not meant to be a spectator sport. Even in popular spectator sports, fans in the stands experience their team’s ups and downs. Our engagement should be even greater! We are called to be fully present and challenged. Within reasonable boundaries, we should be flexible with the format of our gatherings to achieve these goals. However, we must always remember that the object of worship is God, not ourselves. Therefore, we must constantly evaluate if what we do is done in spirit and truth, with the goal of demonstrating love.
I believe preaching should both inform and challenge, utilizing topical and expository sermons. While both are important, more time should be allocated to expository sermons as we journey through Scripture together and strive to apply it to our daily lives. A sermon message should be the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s movement, providing what God knows the congregation needs. Therefore, my intimacy with God and listening to His voice are crucial for building up the congregation. I approach every sermon message with openness to where the Spirit leads, while also staying attuned to the pulse of the congregation. My encounter with the Holy Spirit should become the congregation’s encounter as well.
Discipleship and Evangelism in the Congregation
The essence of spirituality lies in developing an intimacy with God that enables us to hear His voice in everyday moments and recognize His divine action in our lives. As a minister, my primary concern is to aid congregants in their individual journeys of spiritual growth. Therefore, my role is to focus on discipleship.
Discipleship is a personal and intentional effort. We must invest in individuals, equipping them with the spiritual disciplines necessary to incorporate into their lives. These men and women will then come alongside new and young Christians, guiding them in their faith. They should also pray for discernment to identify and engage with those already walking with Christ, nurturing their spiritual potential while producing more disciples for the church. Openness, intimacy, and accountability are key aspects of personal relationships that foster spiritual growth. These relationships promote intimacy with one another and with God, while also practicing listening for God’s voice in each other’s lives. Through regular meetings, vulnerability with trusted partners, and the empowerment of God, we will witness our brothers and sisters reach new levels of spiritual maturity, marked by their ability to love like Jesus and impact the world around them.
An outward reach into the world stems from an inward focus within the congregation and individual disciples. Spiritual maturity is exemplified when a disciple of Christ develops a deep yearning to share their faith and the reasons for their hope in Christ. They actively attend to the needs of widows, orphans, the less fortunate, and the desperate in the community. In essence, they embody the prophet Micah’s call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Therefore, I firmly believe that church growth begins with the growth of individuals within the church. A healthy church becomes an attractive place for the unchurched, providing a haven of peace and rest. Numerical growth in the church follows naturally from the spiritual growth of its members.
However, this philosophy does not diminish the importance of evangelism. I wholeheartedly support every opportunity for the church to be seen in the community and invite the unchurched through its doors. I am deeply committed to the mandate attributed to Francis of Assisi, which exhorts us to “preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.” Knowing the Bible is vital, but allowing that knowledge to transform us into individuals who embody and preach Christ without uttering a sound is even more critical.
By effectively practicing spiritual discipleship, we undergo a personal transformation that allows the light of God’s love to shine through us (Matthew 5:16). This light becomes our testimony to the world, glorifying our Father in Heaven. It is through this love, above all else, that the church experiences growth and impact.
In conclusion, my philosophy of ministry places discipleship at the forefront. It emphasizes intimacy with God, nurturing personal relationships, and empowering individuals to impact the world through their transformed lives. By prioritizing discipleship, fostering spiritual growth, and embodying the gospel through our actions, we create a thriving community of believers who are united in love, devoted to God, and committed to sharing His message of salvation with all.