Just last week I attended the Desiring God Pastors Conference in Minneapolis. It was a fantastic three days, with lots of great messages and good fellowship.
From all of it, one thing stands out: I am NOT a PROFESSIONAL.
Much of what a pastor does looks professional. Salary, dress, skill set, expectations — all of these can make it look like a pastor holds a regular, professional gig. But that is exactly what the conference theme looked to debunk. Pastors are NOT professionals. That is because spiritual leadership isn’t professional. Instead, it’s reliant, spirit-led, hopefully spirit-filled.
Some personal applications:
-I want to debunk any notion that I am a professional.
-I want to rely on God in all ways.
-May every single aspect of my responsibilities be brought under the weighty glory of the Almighty God I serve.
-May every temptation (from subtle to blatant) to lead a church according to worldly ways be revealed for what it is.
-I pray for the wisdom and discernment to see with spiritual eyes.
I pray that the unimaginable and mind-blowing love of God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus is the very thing that fuels my life.
A quote from John Piper’s book Brothers, We Are Not Professionals echoes in my mind, and serves well to end this post:
“Banish professionalism from our midst, O God, and in it’s place put passionate prayer, poverty of spirit, hunger for God, rigorous study of holy things, white hot devotion to Jesus Christ, utter indifference to all material gain, and unrelenting labor to rescue the perishing, perfect the saints, and glorify our sovereign Lord. In Jesus’ great and powerful name. Amen.”