“11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.”- 1 Timothy 4:11-14 (ESV)
My journey in ministry is one that some would call a rarity. I was called to preach the Gospel and totally surrender my life to ministry at the age of 12 years old. Fast forward nearly 8 years later, at 20 years old, I am still living my life to the same calling as I was when I was 12. However, that is not to say that there have not been some severe difficulty and intense trials along the way. Whether the trials be spiritual, mental, or physical, they have been consistently present in my ministerial life. Despite the trials’ pulsing presence , the great steadfast aid of the Scriptures has outlasted each pain. Out of all Scriptures, I have found that for young ministers–for all young Christians, actually– there is perhaps no better resource than Paul’s letter to the Romans to form a solid theological basis. 1st and 2nd Timothy is the greatest place to go to learn how to put the Biblical truths found in Romans into day to day action!
Nowadays, some churches discourage their ministers from calling upon themselves and their congregations to learn and daily live out powerful theology! It seems to me that they fear that such strong preaching would challenge their desire for normal, easy going, story-telling, comedic, motivational Sunday morning speeches. But young minister, that is not your calling! Your calling is to equip the Saints for the ministry of Christ Jesus, not to “tickle the ears” of man! You are a shepherd of souls, not an entertainer of the flesh. So feed the flock with TRUTH that is ROOTED in Scripture, not figments of your imagination or even passions of your heart! Trust only in the LORD, and stand firmly in His Word. When they do not understand your words or when they spit out the food of truth that you provide them, provide words of love that you’ve first spoken through your life outside of the church walls. “Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” as Paul instructs Timothy. When you do that, the Lord WILL work in the dead hearts of man!
Over the past 8 years alone, I have already seen peers of mine, who had followed a like-minded goal, walk away. Most did as Demas did, too in love with the passions of this world and resolute to follow those lesser things wherever they may lead. For others, they left out of an abundance of ego and a lack of spiritual care for themselves. Though they poured themselves out like a drink offering, they did so without going to Christ themselves for constant renewal because they thought they didn’t need Him that desperately. What a crucial mistake so many of us make! We pride ourselves on self-satisfying strength from our delusional egos, but if we examine ourselves through the clear lens of truth that the Scripture provides, we find that we are indeed empty, dead, having no real strength because we haven’t tapped into the renewing work of Christ, everliving in our souls.
Some churches as a whole make the same mistake that so many of us individual Christians do by relying on a peculiarly stubborn pride called “tradition”. In their human logic, some think Our pastor has to have had a lot of experience…he must be a man with a sense of humor…have a huge family…or any number of other misconceptions. That’s just how it has always been done. It’s sad how some churches and people would rather die in their own ways than to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s shaping them according to the Will of God. Now, I am not implying that a church should only listen to the young minister or young pastor. However, age or status should never be a motivating factor behind who speaks life into them. The call of God is what determines such decisions. So churches, do not turn away the young man who seeks to be poured out by God for His will simply because he is young! The same goes for the man who has answered the call later in life; just because he is not the perfect age you prefer does not make him less usable for the Kingdom! If God has called them–young or old–and the calling is evident, lean into them! For you will be witnessing God at work, and that should be enough!
I will leave you with this: to the youthful or elderly man who seeks to be used by God in the work of His ministry, like Paul advises in 1 Tim. 4:12 and 5:1, do not let the naysayers allow you to lose heart! This is a dying world that consists of dying men! Use your life-giving gift to accomplish what it is meant to do! If God has indeed called you, no manner of man’s tradition or preference can deny you His calling.
So with that, march on!