Dear Elim Grace,

I’ve been in ministry at Elim Grace for over 24 years now. Next week, September 15th, marks my 7th year as Senior Pastor. This anniversary date is always a good stopping point for me to reflect on what I’ve learned, what I would change and what I wouldn’t change.

Here are seven things I wouldn’t change:

1. My family is first 

In a post titled, “The single greatest thing I’ve been able to give my children,” I wrote: 

“In all of this, I’ve begun to look back on my seasons as a father. I’m grateful for each. Yet in reflecting on it, I think the single greatest thing I’ve been able to give my children across every season is this: I was home (almost) every night. I have made it a point in my work/ministry over the last 23 years (and especially in the last 7 as Senior Pastor) to schedule no night meetings. Of course, there have been exceptions and a season may require it in the short-term, but as much as it depended upon me, I was home every night.“ 

Nothing has changed. Nothing will change.

2. The future is always now 

I work hard to honor past and current leaders. Few things bother me more than “chronological snobbery”. Yet I work just as hard to find future leaders. Developing new leaders means cultivating new leaders. And cultivating is slow, intentional, hard work. As a garden necessitates constant attention and care if it’s going to be a fruitful garden, so always having a fruitful garden of future generations necessitates constant attention and care on my part now.

3. A long runway is better 

“Think one barrier beyond the one you’re at.” I’ve always led by that principle. That means I’m always thinking one step ahead (while not ignoring the step right in front of me). I work to plan and I plan to work far enough ahead that I give people plenty of time to get on board. In other words, I lay down a long runway. By long I mean 2-3 years in advance. It means the right people need to be brought in on significant structural and organizational changes 2-3 years before they’re made. It means in writing and preaching hinting at growth and expansion 3-4 years before it’s time. It means reallocating and renaming a portion of your budget, because you believe that 10 years from now that one move in Excel will have created a new ministry movement across your city and county.

4. Preaching is first and foremost about Jesus. Always. 

Not everything is the gospel, but the gospel changes everything. While there is a time to preach on marriage or sex or finances or politics or — the beating heart of the Christian life is the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. No Christian or church ever outgrows their need to hear the gospel preached. It is the fountain head, the wellspring of heart transformation.

5. The Holy Spirit cannot be an afterthought 

In our life and ministry in Jesus the Holy Spirit is The Helper. Without Him we are helpless to accomplish anything in, through, from and for Jesus. As I’ve said to us before: we can build a successful church without Jesus, but not HIS church. If we want to be part of something that changes the landscape and carries over from generation to generation into eternity, then it will only be through Christ. All things are possible through Christ who empowers, strengthens, fills, transforms, and leads by His Spirit.

6. To achieve is nothing; to achieve with grace is everything. 

To achieve is nothing in that we all achieve things all day long. But to achieve things by faith, in the character of Christ, to the glory of God, with unspeakable joy and full of glory, well, all that is by grace and grace alone. Only what is done in Christ will remain. Will endure. Will be eternally enjoyed and rewarded. “In Christ” is shorthand for “by grace”. It doesn’t mean easy work. It means “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) It means “struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:29). It means in the achieving that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) I’ve worked harder this year than any year prior, yet I feel rested and refreshed. I can only attribute it to the grace of Jesus.

7. Exercise is a non-negotiable. 

Working out is a meeting on my calendar I never miss. Never cancel. Never put off. It means too much to my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. Too busy and too spiritual to workout are both nonsensical at this point in my life. Daily exercise has made me a better husband, father, grandfather, pastor and preacher. I would say I would prove it by not working out for 30 days, but, trust me, nobody wants that!