one year of youth ministry has taught me...

Today marks the one year anniversary since I came on staff at The Rock Church and I figured today should be the where I make my first post on my brand new blog. There are 5 quick thoughts off the top of my head that I have learned about life and leadership this past year that I would like to share with you all.

1. Passion is not an option
   Don't live life without it! Find something to be passionate about and be passionate. Life is too boring without it. Whether you are about to walk onto a stage and preach or whether you are about to sit down to dinner with your family don't do it without passion. Passion attracts others to your vision. Passion keeps you focused. Passion is a choice, so choose it and don't leave home without it.
   
2. Some things just take time
   When I first became the youth pastor I thought I could change every student within an earshot of my voice and we would have a youth ministry of thousands overnight because I was PASSIONATE. Well... I was wrong, very wrong. First, it cannot be built by me, but by God and second, some things just take time. It takes time to cultivate a loving relationship with your spouse. It takes time to raise children the way God desires and yes it takes time to grow a ministry and change a generation. Time is your friend, so enjoy every minute of it!
   
3. Rest is a must
   Passionate, vision filled, driven people will work until they collapse from exhaustion, but I have found that it is only when I take time to rest and do things I love that my passion is filled back up, my vision gets clearer and my creativity is reenergized. It’s easy, in the name of the vision, to work too hard, so take time off and rest.
   
4. In order to grow you must first grow yourself then your leaders
   Personal leadership development is a must. If you want your ministry, your relationships, your children, your life to grow, you need to work on developing yourself. In ministry you not only need to develop yourself, but your leaders. The more your leaders grow, the more people you can affect, the more your ministry grows, the more people are changed.
   
5. At the end of the day share the love
   Ministry, leadership and life throws us all kinds of situations and it’s easy to forget that we are here to help one another. It's easy with all the conflict in relationships and leadership to forget to share the love. Love covers all sins, it says in the Old Testament. When you find yourself frustrated and too focused on the task, share the love with those around you. People like to be around people who are loving.

This is my first of many posts. Last year has been one of the greatest of my life and everyday I love to wake up and reach this generation. Enjoy!