November 2024 | 5
Steward Your Life and Ministry Well I’m 49 years old, and even as I write that, it feels surre- al. How can I be on the brink of turning 50 in just a few months? It seems like only yesterday I was playing high school sports, attending college, writing papers in sem- inary, and celebrating the birth of my children. Geoffrey Chaucer once famously wrote, “Time and tide wait for no man.” How true those words ring, both in life and in ministry. We’re all getting older, and change is inevita- ble. By Chad Keck, SCBO regional catalyst
permanent fixtures; we’re stewards. Stewards of our children until they become adults, stewards of our time and talents until we can no longer exercise them, stew- ards of financial resources until they or we are gone, and stewards of our pulpits until the Lord moves us or calls us home. My challenge to myself, and to all of us, is to steward well. Run the race not only to win, but to finish—be - cause none of us knows exactly where our finish line lies. So how do we do that? Here are three suggestions: Don’t neglect time with the Lord and with your fam- ily. Relationships are vital, and no one can pastor well if they’re not healthy in their walk with God or out of fellowship with their spouse and children. Pursue accountability and transparency. We need these qualities with those in our church and community to steward our ministries well and for the long haul. Seek partnership. I cherish the partnerships I have with fellow pastors in our association and throughout the SCBO. As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” SCBO family, let’s go far—and let’s go together.
As I near this milestone of 50, I find myself reflecting more deeply—on life, family, friendships, work, and es- pecially my ministry. Earlier this year, I officiated four fu - nerals within seven weeks. These were for people who, by human standards, were “too young to die”—some my age, and a few even younger. We also lost a couple of pastors in our association, men who by outward ap- pearances were “taken too soon.” These losses stirred my heart and added to my sense of reflection. During my daily time with the Lord, Hebrews 9:27-28 kept surfacing: “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” We are all going to leave this world one day. Every pas- tor will eventually pass on their leadership. We’re not
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