A Young Pastor’s Christmas Wish List
Every Christmas at Journey, we write at least one, if not two, articles on pastors’ Christmas wishes. Last year, we wrote two articles featuring the Christmas wishes of pastors throughout the centuries. You can read those here (Part One) and here (Part Two).
Because Journey’s ministry focuses on young ministers, this year, we asked Journey members – and non-Journey members – what they are “wishing” for this Christmas as they carry out their ministry. “What would you ask of God, your church, or board as a Christmas gift this year?” Here’s what they told us.
A YOUNG PASTOR’S WISH LIST FOR GOD:
Wisdom. I need to give myself and my time to the things that really count, the primaries rather than the secondaries.
Grace – not just as a theological truth, but as an everyday reality in my life.
Drilling down deep into my soul. It’s so easy to just focus on ministry, social media, activities of all kinds. I read a couple books this year that talked about really feeding my soul and keeping my soul. It was all new to me. I want God to teach me about soul life in Him.
People being saved in my ministry and church. Not a week going by that people don’t come to know Jesus.
Patience to carry out my calling in a way that is pleasing to God, beneficial to the people I pastor, and character building in me.
A passion for him. Too often I put ministry, even family, ahead of him. I want to know what Paul meant when he said, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” Not just in my brain, but in my heart.
A strong sense of His hand on my life, forming and guiding me.
A mentor.
My children’s salvation. I want them to know and love God deeply.
God’s presence and to see His hand at work in my ministry.
Refreshing energy for my soul.
Relief from stress for our family.
In Journey we talk a lot about the Emmaus disciples and their hearts burning inside them for Jesus. I don’t just need that, I want that. I want my heart to burn for Jesus.
Peace and joy in my heart.
Emmaus Road moments throughout the year when Jesus breaks into my journey and reveals himself to me in powerful ways. I want my heart to burn for Him more and more.
Friends, real friends, in ministry, other pastors my age who understand. I want friends in ministry who I can talk with.
Renewed joy.
His help for consistency in my life
To be refreshed and energized in my calling.
Peace and wisdom.
Peace and rest.
Holiness. True holiness. Not legalism and not just personal convictions, but true holiness unto the Lord in a way that pleases and honors him.
A YOUNG PASTOR’S WISH LIST FOR MY CHURCH OR CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Clarity about what my church and church leadership think about me as their pastor and how I fit in the church’s future.
A willingness to steward my calling.
Accountability. Giving me someone to check on my spiritual life.
Mature men who will meet with me for prayer regularly.
A recognition of my calling. I’m not “just a kids pastor.” I’m a pastor, called by God.
A Christmas bonus would be nice one year.
A financial raise. The cost of living is really high and we’re having a hard time.
People who will love my children, show them Jesus, and invest in them.
Plenty of margin to savor the Christmas season with family and friends.
Unity and ministry participation from the Church.
A paid vacation from the Board
Anything that invests in our family. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or just something to make memories as a family. It shows they value us as a whole family not just me as their pastor.
A salary that is adequate to provide for my family
Health insurance for our family.
Respect for who I am and for my ministry here. I know I don’t have 30 years of ministry experience, but I’m not a kid or inexperienced either.
Time to study and pray each day. Freedom from the “business” of church to focus on spiritual ministry to God so I can minister well to my church.
A sabbath day each week.
Respect and affection for my wife. She works as hard as I do. It would be nice if people would send her a note or just tell her they love her and are thankful for her.
More help in ministry – a new staff hire would be great!
A sense of urgency from the church!
Prayer. I would like to have my people tell me again and again that they are praying for me and my family.
A pay raise from the board.
Recognition for my service in private and in public. Affirmation in front of the congregation or board would mean a lot as I seek to grow in my position.
FINAL THOUGHT
The Word of God teaches it is in giving that we receive, a life-giving lesson for pastor and church alike.
Puritan writer and preacher John Bunyan adds an eye-opening postscript:
“The more he cast away, the more he had.”
Contrary to the prosperity anti-gospel so popular today, this theme of giving and receiving is not a “get rich” scheme. Instead, it is the economic system of the kingdom: as we seek first the King and His Kingdom in all we are and do, all we need is given us by the Father of Lights.
As a young pastor years ago, I too had a wish list for God. Let me share the story of this wish and the miracle that followed.
I love to share the story of our Fort Wayne pastoring days. As 30-year-old pastors, my wife and I accepted the pastorate of a church that had seen far more than its share of heartache and trial in the months before our arrival. In boxing terms, the church was almost down for the count.
But God wasn’t. Neither would He let His church stay down.
He was poised to deliver a miracle.
The miracle began with an honest assessment of our position as a church: we were months behind in our bills, the bank was ready to seize our property, and lawsuits had been filed against us for actions taken before I accepted the pastorate. As a church, we were on a precipice and teetering.
The miracle continued as I told our church what they needed to know about our financial and legal situation, inviting them to “take the risk” of trusting God with my wife and me.
The miracle continued as a pastor got on his knees daily in prayer, confessing to God that I was not up to the task before me – He had to move. I prayed daily for God’s provision and wisdom. I prayed for God’s deep working in my life, making me a vessel of honor to Him, a vessel through which He could work.
The miracle continued as the people came together in prayer individually and together at the church for special prayer meetings on Sundays, Wednesdays, and even frequently on Saturdays. These meetings continued throughout the length of our stay as pastors. What a praying people they were!
The miracle continued as I informed our people that, as a church, they had made financial commitments to twenty-six missionaries, but for the past three years, the church had not kept those commitments.
The miracle continued as I told the board, not the church, that I was cutting my pay by 25%. My wife, eight months pregnant, took over the direction of our broken church daycare, working 12 hours a day. She would do so for no salary for several months – again, I told the board but not the church. My wife and I then told the church that in addition to paying God His tithe, we would be giving an additional offering of 5% every week – effectively 15% of a salary I had already cut by 25%.
The miracle continued as I asked the church to join us in giving 15% every week AND bringing an offering of any size for missions every week. I told them that as we kept our commitments to God, His church, and His missionaries, as we put the King and Kingdom first, He would meet our needs.
The miracle was then delivered: our people responded with overflowing generosity and joy. Week by week, they brought their offerings. Week by week, they served in ministry. Week by week, they took care of each other. Week by week, they met for prayer; week by week, they told me they were with me, many even stopping me to pray with me. Week by week, they worshipped God together as one person. They responded to the preaching and teaching of His Word with a passion that was overwhelming.
One day, the mail contained an envelope from out of state. Inside was a note from someone I knew, but someone who knew nothing of our church’s difficult situation. The note said, “I don’t know what is happening with you or your church right now, but I felt the Lord impress me to send this check to help you. Use it as you think best.” With the note was a check for a very substantial amount. I did not immediately deposit the check but took it to the pulpit the following Sunday, where I held it up high for my people to see, telling them what they already knew: God was going before, pouring out His blessing on us! I encouraged them that as we continued to be faithful in our giving and ministry, He would be faithful to finish what He had begun. We had a powerful worship service that day, one filled with the presence and joy of the Lord! And God graced us in this way for months, even years, to come.
God resurrected a church. But, and here’s the point: He did not do it in spite of the pastor and people; He did it through them as they were faithful to Him in discipleship and generous to Him in giving and ministry. Like Nehemiah, our people had a heart to give, and with God’s help, they rebuilt the walls.
Young pastor, your miracle is just ahead of you.
Church member – and yes, church board member – your miracle is just ahead of you.
Let us not grow weary in well-doing but continue to go deeper and deeper in discipleship and generosity with God, His church, and His servant-pastors. Let’s not just “believe God” but act on that belief by acting on our prayers, working with Him to see them come to reality. Christmas wishes, like prayers, can come true as we cooperate with the God who is at work, His wonders to perform.
Follower of Christ, look again at the Christmas wishes above and ask God which ones He would choose to use you in making come true.
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