I’ve decided to create a series of lessons that I am learning about ministry. For those who don’t know, a little more than a month ago I came on board at Cross Point to assist Pete Wilson on a day to day basis. It’s been an amazing opportunity to learn everything I can about ministry and serve with the most talented and best group of people I have ever been around.

I hope the lessons I am learning will give you an insight into the world of ministry and what I am learning. These lessons are just what I am personally learning. Hope you enjoy.

Ministry Lesson #1

A LOT of work goes into a Sunday service. A lot. I am amazed at the energy and time it takes from staff AND volunteers to make Sunday happen. Of course every single second is worth it, but that’s not the lesson. That was just a realization. The lesson that I have learned is that I have to turn myself off in order to worship.

Sundays are a work day. We all have responsibilities on that day, so how do we also experience worship? We all need that time on Sundays to worship with others, but I will admit that it is easier said than done. The first few weeks I found myself sneaking into the service right before the message. I would try my best to listen, but I would still be in work mode.

“Why is that guy standing up in the middle of the service? Why is he approaching the stage? What happened to the video cue?” And on and on it went. I would leave with a sense of job well done and know that people experienced God. But did I?

It wasn’t until after Catalyst that I realized I was cheating God on Sundays. Catalyst wasn’t my responsibility and I sat back and worshiped and learned. It was refreshing and convicting.

So I learned a lesson. I have to turn “off” and give God everything I have during one of the services. From beginning to end. I’m sure it will be a discipline that I will have to work on, but nothing I am doing is as important as stopping and experiencing the creator of the universe with those around me.

Lesson Learned.

What’s a discipline that you have had to institute in order to give God the time he deserves?

I got the opportunity to attend the Catalyst Conference this past week and came back with a notebook full of notes, a renewed energy and a moment that I won’t soon forget.

During the segment to pimp out Compassion International they had a gentleman on stage that told his story of being a Compassion kid. He had the first letter that his sponsor ever sent to him and he read it aloud. The letter talked about God’s love and how excited the sponsor was to sponsor him. There wasn’t anything special or remarkable about the letter, yet it changed this mans life. He was now in Bible college and couldn’t wait to go back to home to teach others about Christ.

Then he was asked if in all those years of writing back and forth with his sponsor if he had ever met him. He said no, he hadn’t. They told him to turn around. His sponsor was behind him and the man completely lost it. Overcome and overjoyed, tears flooded down his face as he slumped to the stage. No words. Just hugging the man who simply cared enough to write. Letters shaped his life. God can use anything.

I immediately put on my calendar, “Write Lucky a letter.” Lucky is my Compassion kid. He gets his money every month, but does he get the love that this man obviously felt? I don’t know, I just know that I need to keep loving and writing and let God take care of the rest.

It’s the best $32 a month you can spend.

When’s the last time you were humbled by someone’s story?

I completely understand that we all have some weird tendencies, but I felt I had to point out one that I have noticed from Pete Wilson. The dude doesn’t throw away his gum. Not sure if he can’t bear the thought of being without it or if he’s not done with it, but he will place it wherever. Here’s some proof.

Those are the only 3 pics I could manage to get, but trust me it’s a daily occurrence. There’s no shortage of gum here at Cross Point either. I guess it’s the little things that make us all weird. Now excuse me while I go put ketchup on my potato chips and drink milk with pizza.

What’s something weird that you do?

I just finished a story. I closed the book and set it neatly on my bookshelf and stepped back and took a look at my accomplishment. Then I asked myself, “What are you going to remember from that book?” You see, I have trouble sometimes remembering a lot about the books I read. I read them and enjoy them, but soon after I forget a lot of the details. I forget the story.

How I answered my question surprised me. I will remember the importance of a story. My story to be exact.

What inciting events are throwing me into new chapters? What memorable memories am I making? What progress is the main character making? What story is my life telling?

Donald Miller faced these questions when two producers approached him about turning Blue Like Jazz into a movie. Once he was told that his life was boring and needed to be edited, he found out what elements were needed to make a story great. What resulted was one of the best books I have ever experienced. I say experienced because that’s exactly what it was. A story about story. Miller is more mature in his writing and it feels different from his other books. That’s neither good nor bad, just different. It is evident that Miller is living a great story now. No more editing.

I will always remember A Million Miles in a Thousand Years because it was an inciting event for me. If you don’t know what that means, then you should read the book and hop into your own story.