I must admit that question really took me by surprise. I have never been one to separate my personal and pastoral life, as Flora and I see ministry as part of who we are, not something we do. So, I have never separated spiritual development into the categories of personal vs. professional; but I do understand the rationale and benefit. Without a doubt, my spiritual development makes me a better pastor, husband, father, and person; so I've never thought to compartmentalize it. But, I realized that was a great question and I thought maybe our own church family should know and be aware of what your pastor does to foster his own spiritual growth and I want to challenge you to create your own growth plan/habits.
As I reflected on the question, I realized there are things I do regularly for personal/pastoral growth:
- I try to maintain a regular early-morning workout at the gym (although I may skip a few days). During those workouts, I have found it to be a great time to listen to the Bible on YouVersion (and read if on the treadmill or eliptical.) I can literally go through entire books of the Bible during a single workout. It is a great way to start my day filling my mind with Scripture and focusing my thoughts on the Lord.
- Flora (my wife) and I usually enjoy morning devotions together on the couch, prior to leaving for work. We have currently been going through a simple devotional by one of my favorite authors, Bob Goff. The title of the book is Live in Grace, Walk in Love and I highly recommend it. It's not a deep book, but it certainly challenges us to live each day in service to our Savior.
- Prayer is also an important part of my day. The Bible instructs us to pray without ceasing; so my day is filled with prayer in the car, prayer as I start my day in the office, prayer as I walk our campus and see what God is doing around us, prayer throughout the day and prayer to close the day. Those prayers are for the needs of my family, our church family, the missionaries we support and the families in our school. I often use the model A.C.T.S - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
- Daily Bible study is an essential spiritual discipline. It is through God's Word that we get to know God more deeply. I most often focus my personal study in the same areas that I am preaching, unless there is a need to study something different. Right now is one such time in my life, as I’ve been focused on hearing God’s voice.
- I have found it very uplifting and encouraging to listen to several sermons online from various churches each week. Even preachers need to hear some good preaching and to be challenged by the Word.
- As one who is committed to being a life-long learner, I frequently enroll in free online classes or courses offered through Luther Rice Seminary (Project Focus) or book studies offered through Dallas Theological Seminary. These tools are free to anyone and I highly recommend them.
- I have found great reward in making an intentional effort to regularly read a variety of leadership & church growth books.
- I submit to personal accountability with our church staff and with pastors outside our church. I recommend that everyone have at least one person or a small group of people to be accountable to. Too many pastors forego accountability and ultimately make poor choices or lose their ministry position.
- I recently started participating bi-monthly with a network of pastors focused on self/soul-care, personal growth and spiritual development of pastors for the health and growth of the local church.
- I lead a monthly cohort of pastors who meet for personal prayer, growth and friendship.
- Through the years, I have selected to serve on community Boards or in cohorts for the sake of what I can learn personally, rather than what it benefits me professionally. I've found people outside my circle think differently than I do and I need to be challenged in my thinking and by others who hold different opinions.
- I try to attend at least 2 conferences per year for the sake of learning new things or being reminded of things I may not have thought about or used for a while.
- Flora and I try to visit family or just get away by ourselves several times per year for the sake of unplugging, reconnecting with each other and reflecting on the goodness of God.
- Finally, my friend, Bill Yeargin, challenged me to be a life-long "learner," rather than a "knower." It is his mantra and has impacted me personally and it has impacted our 134 employees, too. As you walk around our campus, be ready for someone to ask you what you learned today and they expect to hear your answer. None of us will ever know everything and all of us can learn something new each and every day!
So, there are a few of the things that I do to keep growing and keep learning daily. I'm sure there are other things that I've missed, but that's a good list to get us started. So, what about you? Are you making an intentional effort to grow, develop and mature spiritually? Remember the old saying -- "Those who aim at nothing are sure to hit it every time." Let's aim to grow in our faith, so we can learn to lead others well.
Healthy growth takes effort, so take some time to think about habits that will help you stay healthy spiritually.
