One of the greatest decisions I ever made (and continue to make) is learning from mentors. If you’re waiting for mentors to chase you, you’re missing the point of mentorship. Growth comes when we lower our pride and admit we need help. This is why, in the midst of my own ministry hurt, I ran after Robert Mondavi-type pastors who weren’t jealous of others but were zealous for the kingdom. I desperately needed (and still need) pastors who were willing to share what they had without any worry of reciprocation. And because of their faithfulness, it increased my passion and filled me with hope for a future of healthy ministry.
Because I freely I received, I now want to freely give to anyone who comes to me as God gives the opportunities.
3. Networking means “God is working.”
God works in community. Our guide told us that when Robert Mondavi learned something new, he would call together the local vineyard owners to share what he had discovered. Why? He philosophy was, “When I help others, I raise the vintage of the Valley.”
This was completely contradictory to my human nature and what I had learned in the early days of ministry. In my broken pastoral mind, what I had was mine, and if I shared it, I would have to share the “success” that rightfully belonged to me. Not only that, but IF I shared it, I wanted to make sure I raised the “vintage of my reputation.” I was driven to build MY church, not realizing that it wasn’t mine to begin with.
I am eternally grateful for the healthy pastors who spoke into my life for the purpose of “raising the vintage of the kingdom.” I’m thankful for the Pauls (mentors) and Barnabases (encouragers) who unselfishly poured into me from their own failures and successes, from their creativity and dreams. The more I networked with other leaders, the more health I began to see in my ministry. Allowing people to speak into me led to a deeper movement of God in my life. I don’t think that happens by chance. Scripture is proof that God works through community. We just have to drop our pride and allow it to happen.
I really wish I could take all pastors through that tour of the vineyard. Apart from leaning about wine, vines and crop growth (which is brought up so often in Scripture), these three kingdom lessons have transformed my ministry philosophy.
Today, make a commitment in your heart to take a new turn in ministry. Make the decision to raise the vintage of the kingdom by taking strategic next steps to see kingdom health in your life.
Repent of selfishness and give God your brokenness.
Chase a mentor. Be a mentor.
Share some of your failures. Celebrate God’s victories.
And when God does something new to you, call up another pastor to talk about it.
Raise the vintage of the kingdom today.
Dave Barringer (@PDBarringer) is the lead pastor at Kalamazoo First Assembly of God in Portage, Michigan. He blogs about pastoring and marriage at PDave.me.