Next Generation Leaders: This is What You Need Now

Now that we've explored why waiting is important on the journey to your dreams, and we've been able to look at warning signs to avoid along the way, it's time to jump into the most important part of this series--what you need to develop in you before ministry, especially before any sort of platform is given.

Honestly, there are many lessons you'll learn in ministry but the ones we will explore over the next 3 weeks are perhaps the most important. These next few weeks will be vital nuggets for anyone pursuing the call of vocational ministry and you certainly won't want to miss it.

Today we kick off with PATIENCE. It's a good segway from last week's look at the value of waiting and indeed the two are somewhat similar. With that, I want to open up with one of my favorite verses, Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT):

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.”

This verse has carried me through many of my "discouraged in my dreams" days over the years. When I've watched a door to an opportunity close, I thought of this verse. When I felt like my dreams were fading in the distance, I thought of this verse. I've wept, yelled, and debated until the peace this verse brought invaded my situation and emotions. [Thank goodness for the truth of Scripture having the power to knock some sense into us when we're emotional, am I right?!]

When we wait, we begin to acquire a patient endurance that only waiting can produce. It will be this patience that carries you through the rough patches of ministry. It will give you a perseverance through the lonely, heavy-hearted, and weighted moments no one sees but God.

It will be this lesson that allows you to, as Hebrews says, "receive all that He has promised." 

But it's more than just patience. This word has a direct correlation with the first part of the verse and the phrase, "confident trust in the Lord." Confidence, also identified as "courage" here, is vital to anyone's walk. One must have confidence in God and His promise, courage to carry out His will, and lean on that truth in trying times. Without this process and ability to live it out, one will struggle in any pursuit to encourage others to live accordingly.

Learn to trust in God and lean on His timing, and develop the ability to wait. To endure. If you try to make your dream happen on your own or rush the process, you won't cultivate this valuable trait. Only time and waiting can.

If you dream of preaching to thousands of people...or leading worship in an arena...or desire any form of ministry, first develop patience endurance. You'll need it on the journey!