In my 48 years on this earth, I have heard sermons surrounding Romans 12:1-2 many times. I am certain that it is one that most of you have preached sometime during your career as a pastor or a ministerial leader.
As a refresher, Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Indeed, it is a familiar Scripture and sermon, but I have never heard it preached as I did by Mike Bickle, the senior pastor at Forerunner Christian Fellowship (IHOPKC), on a recent trip to Kansas City. In town for a Christian writers conference and having the privilege of attending services at Forerunner with my brother and his wife, my brother Kevin—who is also a preacher—and I were amazed at how differently Pastor Bickle delivered the message.
Most other sermons I've heard from this passage talked about the obvious—renewing your mind by not being conformed to the world but by being conformed to the ways of Jesus. Pastor Bickle, however, chose to focus on a different part of the Scripture—God's mercy.
"By understanding God's mercy, it motivates us with gratitude to give ourselves fully to Him, and gives us confidence in our weakness that our offering is pleasing to Him," Bickle says. "Paul presented the truths of grace and mercy throughout Romans 1-11—especially in Romans 5-6—and by His mercy, we are accepted by God and have a significant destiny in His eyes."
It's inevitable at times that many of us, including myself, tend to believe that our worship and our efforts for the kingdom simply aren't good enough to please the Lord. Somehow, we tend to believe that we fall short of the expectations God has for us because that's what the world is telling us. And yes, that group includes pastors.
According to pastoralcareinc.com, more than 1,700 pastors left the ministry each month in 2013. Think about that—more than 1,700 a month. That's an amazing and disheartening statistic.
Pastors are leaving the ministry these days for many reasons. Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, tells us in his article "7 Reasons Pastors Burn Out" that pastors leave due to, among other reasons: 1) not being able to turn off work in their mind; 2) ongoing conflict that wears the pastor down; 3) the inability to meet expectations of church members; and 4) no life outside the church.
Those are some pretty legitimate reasons for anyone to leave their occupation or their "calling." But while the world tells us that we're failing, God simply doesn't see it that way.
Granted, I am not a pastor, and I certainly don't know all of the trials and tribulations that a pastor is faced with in his or her everyday life and ministry. I often hear it said that is one of the most difficult vocations that anyone could ever have. Given what I read about pastors every day, there is little reason to doubt that.
I do know, however, that God has a specific purpose for your life, what Bickle refers to as a "divine destiny" or a "master plan." Otherwise, he would never have planted the desire to serve in the ministry in the first place.
When discouragement, disappointment or despair arises in your ministry, and you are tempted to simply chuck it all and give up because the breakthrough that you've been looking for continues to elude you; and when the devil continues to accuse you and lie to you that you're simply not doing enough, take these words from Mike Bickle to heart and be transformed by the renewing of your mind through God's infinite mercy:
"He knew what He was getting into when He called your name. Delight in the breakthrough that you have now instead of the breakthrough that hasn't come yet. While you're pressing for a greater breakthrough, enjoy the Lord enjoying you."
And here's yet another solid piece of advice from Bickle: "If you want to be more passionate for Jesus, study His passion for you."
He's not given up on you; neither should you.
Shawn A. Akers is the managing editor for Ministry Today magazine.
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