22. Whatever your salary, and it won’t be much, discipline yourself to live on less than you make. Tithe to your church and put at least 5% into your Guidestone (800/262-0511; guidestone.org) retirement.
23. Put as much as possible away for retirement. Have it taken out of your salary before you get your check, that way you won’t miss it. If you have taken it out of your own salary, when your church gives you a cost of living adjustment, gently remind them that the amount of your salary going into retirement also needs to be adjusted.
24. Love your people and they will overlook some of your faults and shortcomings.
25. There are times you need to defend yourself and times you don’t. Occasionally it can be good for you to be falsely maligned, and do nothing in your defense.
26. There are times you must face someone head on and go to war with them. But those times are not often.
27. Get at least moderate, regular exercise. Mow your yard. Park far out in the parking lot and do some extra walking. When making hospital visits, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get plenty of rest. Eat and drink your fruits and vegetables.
28. Pray for your enemies. It will do you good. It may also do them good.
29. Become an expert in at least one area that has nothing to do with the ministry.
30. Spend time doing something that relaxes you and that you enjoy. Hunting, fishing, sports, gardening. A healthy diversion can save and prolong your ministry.
31. As you have opportunity, help someone who will never have the ability to in any way repay you.
32. About once a year read a good biography of an outstanding preacher or Christian. Suggestions: D. L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Sunday, Vance Havner, R. G. Lee, R. A. Torrey, W. A. Criswell, Bill Wallace, Bertha Smith, Lottie Moon, B. H. Carroll, Peter Cartwright, Christmas Evans…
33. Use illustrations and occasional jokes and poems in your sermons. They build interest and help people remember what you had to say. Get sermon illustration books and use commentaries with good illustrations.
34. One day you will stand unprepared and preach a great sermon. This may ruin your ministry. A great, unprepared sermon is the exception and not the rule.
35. Be gracious to fellow pastors. You don’t understand their situation or know what they’re going through. They are often falsely and unfairly accused, sometimes by their peers.
36. Read or listen to someone else’s sermon on a regular basis.
37. Encourage any young preachers in your church. Give them the opportunity to preach. Spend time with them.
38. Consult the following on a regular basis: Adrian Rogers, Warren Wiersbe, W. A. Criswell, Jerry Vines, J. Vernon McGee, H. A. Ironside, David Jeremiah, These are guys who know how to get through to the common man. In my humble opinion, these guys are also doctrinally sound.
39. Occasionally preach a really simple sermon. You may be surprised at how it blesses your congregation. Don’t do this all the time.
40. Don’t neglect the old saints in your congregation. Spend time with them and you may be surprised at how they love you back.
41. You can always be right, or you can have friends. Choose to have friends.
42. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, October 14, AD 2009.
Random Advice to Pastors, Part 1
How to Get a Life When Ministry Drains it Out of You
Other articles in lower right margin
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David...so many of these are sooooo good. I highly rubberstamp the 5% and more to the retirement. Oh how I wish we had done without our Sunday dinner out each week now. Retirement comes a lot faster than you think it is going to. I suggest any love offerings for birthdays and anniversaries should go straight to your retirement. And like you say. Learn to live on less than you make. It can be done. Looking back, I see areas where we could have been even more frugal. (Though my daughter would say, what? no popcorn and crackers? lol) selahV
ReplyDeleteSelahV,
ReplyDeleteGreat comments. I hope some young preachers and preacher's wives will take heed.
You guys should also remember that the earlier you begin to put money into retirement, the more time it has to grow. Do it now. Contact Guidestone and they can answer all your questions.
David R. Brumbelow