And other words of hard-earned wisdom from Outreach 100 pastors

If you could go back and do one thing differently in the early days of your ministry, what would it be?

Worry less about what people thought. I tried to make a lot of people happy.
—Bob Coy, Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Ask the church to elect elders earlier to provide greater covering, accountability and guidance.
—Steve Stroope, LakePointe Church, Rockwall, Texas

Be clearer about the vision of the church. I often said it verbally from the pulpit, but I didn’t put it in writing.
—Don Wilson, Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Ariz.

Build deeper relationships with other pastors outside of my church.
—Troy Gramling, Potential Church, Cooper City, Fla.

Appreciate the people who were present during those tough years.
—Kevin Myers, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.

Be more patient with people in the church, with other ministers and schools of thought.
—Matt Chandler, The Village Church, Flower Mound, Texas

Take time to play; enjoy my family more.
—Brian Tome, Crossroads, Cincinnati

Not be so dogmatic and blunt.
—Robert Emmitt, Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas

Make sure from the first day that I was apprenticing other campus pastors and church planters alongside me. It was nine years before we reproduced a campus or a church. That is pathetic!
—Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church, Chicago


A strong leader must ...

listen, otherwise you’re just strong and not smart.
—Bob Coy, Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

always model what you’re mobilizing people to be.
—Brian Tome, Crossroads, Cincinnati

incessantly cast a vision.
—Lee Powell, CedarCreek Church, Perrysburg, Ohio

surround himself with people who are smarter and more passionate than he is.
—Robert Emmitt, Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas

have an internal sense of urgency that accelerates things.
—James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

create expectations in the people he leads.
—Steve Munsey, Family Christian Center, Munster, Ind.

be a strong follower!
—Kevin Myers, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.

serve your people well.
—Matt Chandler, The Village Church, Flower Mound, Texas

not let his vision overpower his followers’ faith.
—Jack Schaap, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Ind.

understand that you reproduce who you are!
—Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church, Chicago


When it comes to talking about politics in church, I …

don’t use my position to leverage our people toward a political decision.
—James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

prefer not to from the stage.
—Kevin Myers, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.

don’t.
—Steve Stroope, LakePointe Church, Rockwall, Texas

encourage our people to register [to vote], study the issues and vote their convictions.
—Robert Emmitt, Community Bible Church, San Antonio, Texas

only talk causes, not candidates. I’ve learned my lesson.
—Bob Coy, Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

regularly talk about how politics are futile.
—Brian Tome, Crossroads, Cincinnati

talk about how to treat people with different political views than each of us.
—Troy Gramling, Potential Church, Cooper City, Fla.

stay a mile away.
—Lee Powell, CedarCreek Church, Perrysburg, Ohio

try to address topics that are biblical issues and relevant to our culture.
—Dave Stone, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky.


I try to follow these words of advice ...

“Walk with God.” (my dad and my father-in-law)
—Jack Schaap, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Ind.

“Nobody ever complains about a sermon being too short.” (my mentor, James Flamming)
—Steve Stroope, LakePointe Church, Rockwall, Texas

“Before every victory, there will be a battle. So prepare your mind and heart for it.”
—Steve Munsey, Family Christian Center, Munster, Ind.

“Get OK with never having as much money as the people you are ministering to.” (a seasoned Young Life leader)
—Brian Tome, Crossroads, Cincinnati

“Energize yourself. The other things that drain you … other great leaders can do them.” (Pastor Steve Andrews, Kensington Community Church)
—Lee Powell, CedarCreek Church, Perrysburg, Ohio

“Go somewhere and stay there to work through your problems.”
—James MacDonald, Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

"When you have momentum, don't relax more—risk more!" (John Maxwell)
—Kevin Myers, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.

“Love your wife and preach the Word.” (my father)
—Don Wilson, Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Ariz.

“Be a thermostat instead of a thermometer. Initiate, rather than react, to circumstances and situations.”
—Troy Gramling, Potential Church, Cooper City, Fla.

“Preach to the suffering; there is a broken heart in every pew.” (Olin Hay, a preacher in Louisville, Ky., in the ‘60s & ‘70s)
—Dave Stone, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky.

“If you’ll faithfully proclaim the Word of God, and men get saved, you do whatever you want.” (Del Steele, former chairman of our elder board)
—Matt Chandler, The Village Church, Flower Mound, Texas

“You will disappoint people … just don’t let it be your kids.” (Lynne Hybels)
—Dave Ferguson, Community Christian Church, Chicago

For more wise words and honest reflection on the ups and downs of ministry, see "The Transparent Leader" in the 2011 Outreach 100.

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