The Four Stages of Ministry: Part Four - Finishing Well

 
The Four Stages of Ministry: Part Four - Finishing Well
By Jeremy Vess based on "The Four Stages of Ministry" by Gerald Brooks

I had the privilege of attending a pastors forum where Gerald Brooks was leading a session entitled "The Four Stages of Ministry."   The following is what I learned.  (my notes and thoughts are in italicized words)

The one thing we all long to hear as we pass from this life into eternity is "well done good and faithful servant..." Whether in ministry or just in your everyday life, finishing well is a must if you wish to leave behind something of substance.  Finishing well requires setting a pace that will last until the end.  This means you must have a bigger point of view than just trying to make it day to day.  You must set a pace of a marathon runner and understand that throughout your "race" you will need to sprint from time to time, but sprinting cannot be your everyday pace or you will burn out. We owe it to ourselves, our families, our church body and most of all to Jesus to finish well.  

"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrew 12:2

Stage 4: Finishing Well

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Finishing is intentional.

Don’t take:
a. God for granted
Judges 16:20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

b. God’s Word for granted
Jeremiah 2:8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me

c. Your commitment to God for granted
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
 
 
You can’t coast to the finish line.
a. Finishing is not an accident.
* You can’t cut corners.
* Safety protocols must be in place.
* Accountability must be a choice.

Age isn’t enough. More years doesn’t equal more maturity.

a. Find a reason
* Power of purpose: The “Why” gets you through the “what.”
* Learn so you last

b. The challenge: What you already know is the biggest obstacle to what you need to know.
* Think bigger
* See bigger
* Live bigger
* Serve bigger

c. It’s prominence, not power.
* Lead with longevity
1 Samuel 12:2 And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and gray headed, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.
* Finishing is a lifetime

d. Lead spiritually
1 Samuel 12:3 Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.
 
 e. Lead financially
1 Samuel 12:3 Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
* Never cut financial corners
* Do you give faithfully?
* Are you a good steward of your own personal finances as well as the church finances?
* Do you tithe?
* Do you give offerings?
* Are you leading in this area?
 

f. Lead with ministerial integrity
1 Samuel 12:3 Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
* Oppressed: Never manipulated
* Integrity: Is well known

Lead verbally
1 Samuel 12:5 Then he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is witness.”

Lead biblically
1 Samuel 12:6-7 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who raised up Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord which He did to you and your fathers:

Lead prayerfully
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
* How you manage one season is the key to success in the next.
* What are you sowing in this season that you expect to harvest in the next?

“When you become a leader, you lose the right to think about yourself.” –Pastor Gerald Brooks

Lesson from 2023 Pastors Roundtable Victory Church Raleigh with Gerald Brooks "The Four Stages of Ministry"  Additional notes & commentary added by Jeremy Vess