Thoughts and Questions to Keep Your Passion Thriving

I hate to be a hack and steal other people’s thoughts or claim them as my own, so please note that this is a post by Todd Rhoads and I am only posting it because I do not want to forget these questions. They are great for keeping your passion! Here is what he wrote, and here is a link to his post:

Last week at Catalyst, Perry Noble shared the four questions that he constantly asks himself to make sure he's keeping his passion. Perry is the pastor at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. These are great questions all of us need to ask ourselves regularly to make sure that we doesn’t lose out passion for Jesus, the church, and ministry. Here they are:

1. How much time do I spend listening to God? Perry said that leadership is as simple as listening to God. But in order to listen to God, it takes time… consistent, uninterrupted time.

2. Am I more concerned with being discovered or being developed? This is a constant temptation for Perry and most other great leaders that I know. You must stop thinking constantly about what other people think of you or your ministry (and stop trying to impress them!) and instead, allow God to develop your relationships with others and Him. Also allow God to develop your character and your ministry skills.

3. Am I believing any lies? Perry mentioned that every leader believes certain lies throughout their ministries that hold them back, and in fact, admitted to running from some really stupid things in his ministry. Don’t allow your critics to doubt what God is calling you to do. And when you get depressed or discouraged, simply go back to where God found you. There you will find the strength and answers and fortitude to move forward and not give up.

4. Am I risking or am I playing it safe. According to Perry, great leaders must constantly risk. Many pastors, in fact, are one risk away from a breakthrough. Perry is not afraid to fail. Here’s how he looks at leadership: “Take a risk… fail… take another risk.” If God tells you to do something, do it… even if others think you’re crazy.

My Thoughts: Number 4 is my favorite question. It is so easy in ministry to play it safe and go along with status quo, but what good is that. The famous words, “but we have always done it that way” are only a mere statement of history not and indicator of the future. At First Jenks, we have constantly made risks for the purpose of fulfilling the calling God has placed on our church, “to know Christ and make Him known” or more specifically, “to transform Jenks and the surrounding community for His glory.”

It would have been easier to stay in one worship service. It would have been safe to keep Bible Fellowship based on age instead of adding life-stages. It would have been safe to save our money instead of purchase 27 acres. It would have been safe to stay in our current location instead of selling our property to the school and planning a relocation… but God is good, not safe.

It is my hope that anyone who reads this will be challenged as I have been by Todd’s post about Perry Noble’s 4 questions to keep your passion thriving.