Restoring Passion in the Ministry- Guest Post, Levi Leeder

I asked my good friend, Levi Leeder, to write a post on passion in the ministry. I have several ministry friends, some are serving as pastors, some as associate or youth pastors, some school teachers, some missionaries, and others. I know, from my own personal experiences and from talking to ministry friends that it is easy to lose our passion in the ministry. I asked Pastor Leeder to write on this subject, because I believe that he is truly passionate about the work of the Lord. I hope that his post will be a blessing to you.

Living in Grapevine, Texas I have the opportunity to see men that represent the passion they have for their favorite sports team. When the weekend started everyone donned their favorite sports teams colors as if they where a badge of honor. If you where to ask any warm-blooded American who they routed for it would be safe to say that 95% of them would give you an answer. Win or lose, the passion of a sports fan will never die.

When we look at the Churches of this generation we have a lack of passion sweeping through them like it’s an infectious disease. We would rather stand up for our favorite sports team then stand for The Lord and His Church. We have traded our Bible for a Football, our Churches for a field, and our Faith for a false sense of enjoyment. Passion is not something that can be manufacture, bought, or born with. Passion is when you devote your whole heart to a cause, vision, or goal and will do all you can to see it through. The question has to be asked, “why has the passion for the ministry faded in so many Christians?” I believe we can have revival in this generation but it will need the Christians of this generation to get a passion for the ministry again. So how do you continue to have a passion for the ministry?

First, we must remember who lives through us. Galatians 2:20 says: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. When we think of all that Christ has done for us we can’t help but keep the passion that was started at the start of our salvation. I am humbled by the fact that God chose to use a worthless sinner such as me. When the Creator of the universe decides to leave his glory and die for you it should light a passion in your heart.

Second,we must understand that we are examples to those around us. Matthew 5:16 says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. Have you ever taught a class of young people? When you are teaching a class there will always be a leader of the group. The mood of the leader will spread and effect the rest of the group. D.L. Moody was quoted saying, “the world has yet to see what one man can do that is wholly surrendered to God”. One of the reasons the Churches are full of people with a lack of passion is due to the lack of passion in the congregation. We are called to be a light in this dark world and as a light we have a responsibility to spread that passion to others. You need to stop and ask yourself if you are the reason passion has been stifled in the local church. We must carry the passion that Christ has given us to those around us so the light of Christ can burn brighter.

In conclusion, I want to make it clear on why we can’t afford to lose our passion. Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. When you have your sights set on a goal you will be focused on finishing it no matter what. We as Christians do not have the luxury of going through this life without a fire in our souls for the lost. I believe, with all my heart, that if we lose our passion then the future generation has no hope. We have an obligation to this and future generations to keep that passion that we once had. Christian, you must keep your passion; the future depends on it.

For more info about the Pastor Leeder’s ministry as a youth pastor, check out Bethel Baptist Church in Grapevine, Texas.

Next week I will continue Lessons My Mom Taught Me, you won’t want to miss it.

If you haven’t yet, check out Calvary Baptist Church, the church that I am the pastor of.

Lessons My Mom Taught Me- Home Is a Haven

High school was very difficult for me. I did not have a whole lot of friends during my time in high school. In fact, it wasn’t until about my junior year when I could reach out to younger guys that I really had a nice base of friends. Admittedly, some of it I brought on myself; some of it was not my fault though. I know it doesn’t sound very manly to admit, but there were several times in my time in high school when I came home crying just because someone had treated me cruelly. By the way, as a side note, there is never a good reason to be mean to anyone, ever. Jesus calls us to live above that and love one another. It is a shame that in a Christian high school, where everyone professed to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour, there was so much hatred and cruelty, but that is a different post for a different time. In high school I endured people saying cruel things to men, about me, spreading vicious rumors about me, treating me like the worst kind of person imaginable. I was mocked, scorned, belittled, and hurt. I am telling you all of this, not so you will feel bad for me, but so that you will see the burden that I felt. Put yourself in my shoes for a moment. Does it hurt? Do you dread waking up in the morning to face another day surrounded by people that hate you? Yeah. It’s tough. But do you know what made it all worth it? HOME. You see, my mother lived by a principle. Home is a haven. When we come home, the worries that we had from school were no longer important. At home, everyone was loved. At home, it was calm and relaxing. At home, I was safe. My mom made this happen by doing several things. Often there would be a plate of cookies or brownies ready for me and my siblings when we came home from school. Most mornings when we woke up and many evenings, my mom would turn on some soft playing music that was relaxing and calming. And every single day when we came home, my mom was genuinely happy to see us. It has been said that two things make the spirit of a home what it is, mom and music. My mom strived to make the spirit of our home one of safety and love.

I compare that to what many other children face. I can say with certainty that many children do not experience that type of home. From conversations I’ve had with friends, to seeing the homes of children we pick up on the church bus. Many children lack this type of home. Here is the problem with that. Most children and teenagers do not find safety or rest in school. Even the most popular in school are faced by pressure and difficulties among their peers. Those that do find safety and rest at school are in for a world of trouble, because there is a need to hold on to it, so peer pressure is easier to fall to. Children that lack a loving home lack stability. By the way, if you think what I am saying is hogwash (that’s a fun word to use) this is something that I studied about and I have many sources to back me on this. Kids need a loving home. Period.

Can I be honest about something? I love my dad. That was made very clear by my series called Lessons My Dad Taught Me. But, if I would have had my dad without my mom, I do not believe I would be a well adjusted member of society. My dad would testify to that. If I had not had my mother, I would hate the life of the ministry, I would be bitter at life and people, and I would not have any of the positive relationships that I have today. Why? Because when I would get beaten down by the outside world, I knew I had a haven, a place to go where I felt safe. Home. That is not to say that my dad did not do a good job, it’s just that my mother made it a point to make home a place of comfort (please don’t read into this what isn’t intended to be said).

If you are a parent, which I’m sure many of you are. Do not make home a place of fighting and bickering. Too many homes, Christian homes, are a hotbed for strife; that is not the way that it is supposed to be. Why do so many children grow up and want nothing to do with the church? Oftentimes it has nothing to do with the church, but it has everything to do with the home. It may have been Lee Roberson who said that our country is weak because the church is weak, but the church is weak because families are weak. My mother taught me that in order to make a family strong, a family needs to feel safe from all trouble at home. No hatred, no anger, no strife. Just love, acceptance, and encouragement. 

My mom is full of wisdom, you can hear her at the Sword Ladies Jubilee on 

Check out Calvary Baptist Church for more about me and my ministry.

For some of the music cd’s that my mom would use at home, go to Faith Music Mission. 

Lessons My Dad Taught Me- Quality Time

Ever since I was a little boy, my dad made it a point to spend time with me. When I was in elementary school, sometimes my dad would pull me out of school early and we would go see an Orioles baseball game. My dad would buy me a cup of Dip ’N Dots and we would sit and talk while watching the game. I remember my dad taking me every year to the Ravens training camp, and getting autographs from players and getting to talk with Tony Banks and The Goose. Once I got into the 5th grade or so, dad would wake me up early a few times a week and we would jog in the woods. Once I got older and my tastes began to change, dad would take me to McDonalds every Monday morning and we would spend time with each other and talk. Several times we would drive a few to hear a preacher out of town, and when the winter came my dad would drive me every single week to go snowboarding. My dad invested a whole lot of time in me. I remember that most of those drives to and from snowboarding I would talk to my dad about a subject that I was passionate about- please don’t laugh- the life of Walt Disney. I don’t want to brag, but I have read over a dozen biographies of Walt Disney, his life fascinates me, it did even when I was a teenager. I would talk for hours about Walt Disney to my dad. Do you something I realized not to long ago? My dad did not care even an ounce about what I was talking about! Seriously, who really wants to know how Dumbo did in the box office or why the Disney Studio riot happened? But as a teen, I did not know that. My dad engaged with me about something that he cared little to nothing about. Why is that? He was trying to invest time in me.

I love my parents. They mean the world to me. The hardest thing about living in Georgia is that I don’t get to see them nearly as much as I used to. I believe that a large part of the reason that I feel love by my parents and why I love them in return is because of time spent. My dad made it very clear in his actions that his job was important, but his family was more important. Yes, sometimes he had to take a phone call while we were spending time together and sometimes he did have to go on an emergency hospital visit, but I never had a doubt in my mind that he would rather be spending time with me than doing that.

Who do you love? We all love at least one person in our lives. Is it your parents? your spouse? your child? co-worker? The list goes on and on. Do you know how to express that love in a genuine way? Give them your time. Time is the most valuable asset that we have, therefore the things that we spend time on are ultimately the things that we truly care about. As a pastor, I love my congregation. I need to be diligent to give them my time, in writing them letters, in listening to them if they need to talk to me, in prayer, and in other areas. You see, it takes more than telling someone that you love them, it takes actions. Talk is cheap, actions are valuable.

I have never doubted the love that my parents have for me. Not many grown children are able to say that. A lot of children feel like they took second place to work, or maybe even third, fourth, or fifth place. But since my parents spend their time on me, I know they love me and I love them in return. Quality time is important.

Don’t forget to check out Calvary Baptist Church

This is the last of the Lessons My Dad Taught Me Series. To read the others again, here is No Complainin’ About Nothin’, The Importance of Soulwinning, and Never Argue With Anyone About Anything Ever.

Stay tuned for a new series coming next week: Lessons My Mom Taught Me!

Lessons My Dad Taught Me- Never Argue With Anyone About Anything Ever

College was a huge step in my life, as it is with every college student. It was particularly hard on me and my family because the college I had chosen to was in California, (West Coast Baptist College) while my family lived in Maryland. I was far from home. This was not my first time being far from home, I had spent summers serving at the Bill Rice Ranch, but this was the first truly long time. My family flew out with me to get me all set up and ready. We made the most of those last days we had together. I will never forget my father pulling me aside and giving me a word of advice. This was one of the last things he advised me on before they left, and it will stick with me until the day I die. He said to me, “Curt, never get into an argument with anybody.” He then explained to me that preacher boys are notorious for enjoying an argument over theology, or personal standards, or other things (He was right) and that doing so is an unwise and not a spirit-filled thing to do.

It did not take me very long for me to realize that he was very right about what he told me. In my time at college, I heard preacher boys argue in dorm rooms, I saw them argue on Facebook, and I overheard them argue while out soul winning. By the way, this is not a reflection on my alma mater, this is a reflection on human nature. It seemed as if everywhere I turned people were arguing. I will not say some of the ridiculous things that were being argued about, because some who read this may have been the people who were arguing!

Before you roll your eyes and say, “Well, doesn’t Pastor King think he is so perfect!” I have to admit, sometimes I did not follow my dad’s advice. Sometimes I got sucked into arguing. I remember one time in particular, there was a guy who told me that the preaching at church was not really as important as we made it out to be. Now, maybe he just said that to grind my gears, because it did! I got angry and I began to argue.

Looking back though, I realize just how foolish it was. How much time was wasted by guys sitting around and arguing all afternoon? Sometimes when we would get back from visitation on Saturday’s, guys would come into the dorm with a big grin on their face. People would ask, “Did you see anyone get saved today?” And they would reply, “No! But we got to argue with some Mormons, and boy did we let them have it!” Do you know what happened? These guys would spend an hour arguing theology with Mormon missionaries. I am not saying that Mormons can’t be saved, but I am saying that arguing with one isn’t going to do it! These guys would waste all of that time on this group of Mormons while the entire time they could have been knocking on more doors, inviting people to church and spreading the Gospel. When they decided to argue instead, nobody won. They didn’t win, the Mormons didn’t win, certainly God didn’t win. Oh wait, there is someone who did win…the Devil.

And that is the whole point. Arguing is nothing but a waste of time. All it does is it swells the ego of the person who “won the argument”, and it keeps us from doing what we are supposed to be doing.

You might want to argue with me and say, “But how will we show people that they are wrong?” When you decide to argue with someone, they don’t care what you have to say. If you want to help change someone for the better try to love them to where they need to be. Many of you have heard the famous phrase, “It is easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar”. Although that is technically not true (flies are definitely more attracted to vinegar) the lesson remains the same. You are not going to help people change or grow by arguing or belittling what they believe or do, you win them by loving them.

I still cannot get over how much time I wasted that I could have used to serve the Lord in an effective way. If only I had heeded that lesson that my dad taught me much sooner. Arguing is a waste of time, never argue with anyone about anything.

God is doing great things at Calvary Baptist Church in Hartwell, GA! Check us out!

My dad is the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Temple. Give it a look!

Check out the other Lessons My Dad Taught Me: No Complainin' About Nothin' and The Importance of Soul winning