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Sustaining a Lifetime of Ministry
Sustaining a Lifetime of Ministry: Session 1
Expectations (The Parable of the Sower)
Having the right expectations about something can mean the difference between frustration and perseverance. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus shares truth that will shape our expectations for ministry. Join Pastor Colin as he walks through this parable and shares practical wisdom for fruit and perseverance.
Discussion Questions:
- How have you seen the Word of God have different effects in people in your life or ministry?
- How do you respond to the fact that Jesus Himself experienced a wide range of responses to His ministry?
- How do the “cares of the world” and the “deceitfulness of riches” distract people from truly receiving the Word of God? How do they distract you?
- Pastor Colin said, “Telling a person that he or she is a Christian when they do not love, trust, or serve Jesus Christ is one of the most spiritually damaging things we can do.” Why is this so spiritually damaging?
- “One of the greatest responsibilities for any ministry leader is to make sure that the Word of God is at the heart of your ministry.” Think about the various spheres of where you want to bear fruit. Is the Word of God at the center of your ministry? How can you make it more central?
- Jesus called this section of parables “secrets of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:11). Why is that appropriate considering the message of the Parable of the Sower?
Respond to this teaching in prayer:
- Praise God for the power of His Word and His grace in revealing these truths to us. (According to Jesus in Matthew 13:11, God does not reveal this to everyone.)
- Confess how your heart has rejected His Word by letting other things distract you and steal your joy.
- Ask God to help you guard your heart. Ask Him for help to patiently sow His Word in your areas of influence.
- Since God can change the hardest of hearts, ask Him to change the heart of someone you know who seems far from faith in Christ.
Go deeper by reading these articles:
Why Christians Should Not Get Angry with the Lost by Pastor Colin
How the Apostles Changed the World by Pastor Colin
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Limitations (The Parable of the Weeds)
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