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I Need Help! - Articles | Preachit.org

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I Need Help!

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I Need Help!
 
I am a pastor just like you. It’s Monday morning again and we had a great Sunday service yesterday. The Lord moved in a special way; people’s lives were touched and changed. We even baptized someone this week, yet it already seems so long ago and so far away.
 
There are so many things going through my mind today. I feel like the enemy is trying to sift me like wheat. I don’t know where to start. I have meetings to organize; leaders to train; sermons to prepare; Bible studies to teach; sick saints to visit; visitors to follow up on; letters to write; calendars to schedule; calls to return; counseling to conduct; a baptismal to fix, along with many other things–not to mention my own personal prayer and devotion time. Needless to say, I am feeling overwhelmed.
 
Wait…maybe I can postpone some of these things until next week? Then again, I know that hell hasn’t postponed her plans; in fact, hell is enlarging her borders today. If I delay, hell is gaining ground in my city and my city still needs to hear the Gospel message. I need help in a bad way!

 
Do you feel under-accomplished and overwhelmed with your calling? You’re not alone. Most, if not all, pastors and leaders feel this way on a regular basis.
 
Now before going any further, let me clarify. This is not an article about organization and restructuring; nor is it about adjusting priorities or time management. Although all of these issues are important, you have probably already been there and done that. The kind of help that I am suggesting in this article is “people” help. We need our people to help us but we must reveal our needs to them first. We need help!
 
As pastors and leaders, that is our heart’s cry. We look at our brethren with larger churches and think: Our church would be just as successful as theirs if only I had the kind of help that they have.  Sound familiar? I hear that kind of talk often and, in all honesty, it’s beginning to bother me. After all, is this not God’s church? Are we not all laborers together? The large church needs help just as much as the small church and vice versa. The needs and challenges vary from congregation to congregation, yet we all need assistance.
 
 
Luke 10:2
 
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
 
No one is going to find help for you; you must find it yourself. It is the pastor’s obligation to train up workers to assist. Most of the time, our help is already in our pews; yet, the reason the laborers are few is because we fail to make disciples of our people. The least likely helper to you might be the most likely helper in God’s eyes.  “God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.”
 
Every person in our pews can do something for the Kingdom. One thing more that they do is one thing less that you have to do. The challenge sometimes is just seeing people in a different light. I have tried to put blinders on my eyes when it comes to seeking help. God sees things that we can’t see, and if we would simply trust God to transform the lives that He has already given us, we could accomplish a lot more for His Kingdom.
 
Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Jesus spent the majority of His ministry training people to do His work. He looked past their current conditions and habits and saw their potential, investing His precious time in them. That is what we must do. We must invest our time in people! We must lead people and create our own help, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Jesus spent 3 ½ years creating His help, and it might take you longer than that.
 
Who knows? Maybe that brand new convert will become your next outreach director if you will lead and invest time in him. Perhaps the 12-year-old boy, who sits in your pew, might become your next youth pastor if you just disciple him. Your help is sitting in your pews right now! You must show them the need and then be willing to ask them for help!
 
Earlier, I listed a number of things that any pastor might have to accomplish throughout the week. With a little direction, the people in your church could accomplish at least half, if not two-thirds, of that list. The blessings they’d receive would far outweigh the stress that you’d experience by trying to accomplish everything on your own.
 
How do we get people to help us?
 
1. Learn what people are knowledgeable about. People are eager to help in areas where they have experience and comfort. So ask them. If you don’t, they may never help. For example, if the baptismal needs repair, find someone who has some expertise in that area. Even if you know how to fix the baptismal, treat the person as if they are more knowledgeable than you. This gives them confidence and sets them at ease. When they know exactly what needs to be done, it frees up more of your time because there’s no need to train or teach them. What’s more, you’ll discover that they’ll be glad to help you not only repair the baptismal, but whatever else needs fixing, too. Eventually, you might put that person in charge of church maintenance.
 
Assigning a person to a leadership position gives them a sense of ownership that naturally causes them to follow through with any given task or ministry. That person knows that the responsibility is his, and accountability will come with it. More importantly, delegating tasks helps people to use their abilities and gifts in service to God.
 
2. Learn what people are passionate about. New converts are often passionate about winning souls to Christ. Ladies are often passionate about community, family, and fellowship. Men are passionate about hunting, fishing, sports, business, building things, etc. Learn to use people’s passions to your advantage.
 
Don’t start new ministries just for the sake of having more ministries. You must have people who have a passion for each ministry that you start. Often, people who are passionate about a particular ministry will come to you. Still, feel free to ask them if they don’t. Remember, your church has people who are just waiting for you to approach them. They have passion.
 
We know that without vision the people will perish, but at the same time our vision comes from our passion! I would much rather have twenty-five people with passion and no vision, than one hundred people with vision and no passion. A pastor can develop someone’s vision, but it is a lot harder to stir up passion in their heart.
 
If someone in your church is zealous to teach Bible studies, encourage them to teach. This method is different than the first; these people have passion, but probably little knowledge. It is up to you and your leadership to give them the tools and the training. If need be, give them a job description. If you invest time in them like Jesus did with His disciples, the potential is unlimited.
 
Similarly, if someone in your church has a passion for golf, use their passion to your advantage.  Let them start a golf league that is open to the community. Put them in charge and use their fervor to reach people in your city. Again, you must provide help in the area of vision and leadership, but the passion is already there.
 
God called each of us to serve in His kingdom. As pastors, we would be remiss to ignore the passions that God has instilled in the hearts of His people. Remember, your help may already be sitting in your pews; it is up to you to find and use it!