Looking back on my ministry, I can clearly see that there were times when I experienced a strong inner conviction. That conviction became a lasting passion, and as I followed it wholeheartedly, I often saw God bear good fruit. I say this cautiously, but I wonder if this is what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit. Of course, I value careful planning, listening to different perspectives, and following good processes. But there are also moments when I have a deep, unmistakable conviction about a certain direction. When that happens, I hope our church family will trust me and walk with me.
I try to listen well to others, and I don’t begin with a fixed ministry strategy or a personal agenda. But when God places a clear conviction on my heart, I focus on that. For that reason, while the routine task of preparing our annual ministry plan can be handled by someone with administrative gifts, new ministries that God wants our church to pursue do not always arrive conveniently during the year-end planning season. Sometimes they begin unexpectedly in the middle of the year. To some people, this may seem unplanned, spontaneous, or even one-sided. Yet when that conviction comes, I cannot help but follow it.
God gives leaders the ability to see aspects that others may not yet see. Those serving in the front line often have a much better grasp of the details than I do. But when it comes to the overall direction of the church, the issues that require immediate attention, or the best way forward, there are times when certain things become clear to me.
Sometimes members of our congregation, out of their love for the church, share thoughtful ideas and suggestions, which I am grateful for. Often they see the practical details much better than I do, in which case I gladly encourage them to carry out those ideas. However, when it comes to changing the larger direction of the church, I often hesitate, wondering whether this would create another issue down the road.
In church ministry, more often than not, what makes the greatest difference is not a great idea, an efficient system, or an exciting program. It is mutual trust, cooperation, and sacrificial commitment. I remember a time when I was serving in Korea. The youth ministry leaders gathered together to discuss several challenges we were facing. At the end of the discussion, one sister said something I have never forgotten: “We’ve shared many different ideas today, but honestly, I think most of these problems would be solved if we were simply willing to devote ourselves wholeheartedly. If we aren’t willing to that, these problems will just remain as problems.”
When a child is born into a family, everyone in that family must make sacrifices and share responsibilities. Until that child is able to stand on his or her own, those challenges will continue. Sometimes the only thing we can do is patiently endure, wait, and entrust everything to God, who rules over both time and circumstances. When God led the Israelites into the wilderness after the Exodus, they inevitably faced many difficulties. Even though they were at the place to which God had led them, there were still many reasons for complaint.
This year as well, there are things that I have been pursuing wholeheartedly because of the strong conviction God has given me, and I believe there will be more in the future. Sometimes I myself am not sure, but I hope that we would become fellow workers in that journey of following God’s direction and that everyone would contribute their wisdom, especially in the practical details, so that together we may experience God’s work among us. Our church is a church led by God. And I pray that this will become even more true in the days ahead.
