World Evangelism Podcast

Mentoring on the Go: Practical Tips for Ministers

W. Austin Gardner Season 1 Episode 61

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Can you really afford to spend all your time preparing sermons without actively engaging with your community? In this episode, we tackle the delicate balance between sermon preparation and meaningful, hands-on ministry. Our guest, an experienced missionary, shares invaluable insights on how to truly make an impact. From door-knocking to hospital visits and even playing soccer, the conversation underscores the importance of being present and fully immersed in the lives of those you serve. We explore how every interaction can be a teaching moment and how to make the most of your time by always having young men accompany you on ministry activities.

Drawing inspiration from how Jesus might have utilized his time, we challenge you to adopt a similar mindset. Imagine a week where you're not just preparing sermons but also training and mentoring through everyday interactions. We discuss practical strategies, such as never traveling alone and always filling your car with young men eager to learn. The goal is to create an environment where faith and mission are woven into the fabric of daily life. Tune in for practical advice and inspiring stories that will encourage you to be hands-on and fully engaged in your missionary journey.

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W. Austin Gardner:

I'd like to talk to you about how you spend in your week. You know, the truth is you're a missionary and you could easily spend your week getting ready to preach on Sunday morning, sunday night, midweek, sunday school, youth night, and you could spend a lot of time in the study. But that's not what the people need. They need you and I would like to challenge you. Yes, you're going to need to set aside 20 hours to study, maybe, but then take another 30 hours and spend time with them. Take them out door knocking, take them out to something new believers. Take them out to the hospital or the funeral. Go play games with them, you know, go play soccer, whatever, but spend time with them and train them. A basic rule don't be in your car alone. Try to get another young man to go with you. Get four young men. Fill up every seat on purpose. You know the conversation is going to go where it wants to go, so you can talk about the ball game, but somewhere along the way you want to do the old Jesus. Juke on them and bring them back to Jesus and talk about Jesus and talk about what's going on in the ministry. Somewhere along the way you want to ask them, how's their Bible reading going? How's their victory overseeing going? When's the last time they witnessed the people? So, in other words, you want to create this environment. I mean, I want you to. If you want to know what your week needs to look like. I want you to imagine what you reckon it was like with Jesus. If Jesus was walking from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and the guys were with him, what do you think he was talking about? Do you think the conversation was any kind of off-color joke? I don't really think so. Do you think that the conversation was all about how the two football teams or the two baseball teams or the basketball teams? I don't doubt that he allowed some fun and joking and playing around. I really believe he did.

W. Austin Gardner:

But you know what he had in mind. He's like I'm on a time limit, I'm going to die. I've got three years and I'm fixing to die and be buried and and rise again and go to heaven. So I have got to do all I can do where I am, the way I am, so that people can go to heaven when they die, so that the gospel will get around the world. I got three years to train these guys and, as a missionary.

W. Austin Gardner:

You need to learn to think like that. I see too manyaries and you have too much time on your hands because you don't have enough people on your hands. I don't know if that made you mad, but I always want to say where are the guys you're training? Where's the guy you're training? They pick up more from just hanging around with you. Now, I'm not saying you know, I've never taken them grocery shopping with me. I've never taken them to buy my clothes with me. I've never done any of that. But you know what, if anything, I'm doing ministry-wise? I am not doing it alone. I'm taking them with me and I'm challenging you to do the same.