The Secret to Lasting Impact

I almost quit ministry in my first few years.

Not because I lacked passion. Not because I didn't love Jesus. But because nobody told me what I was walking into. I didn’t go to Bible College and no one taught me how to handle a deacon meeting that went sideways or what to do when your best volunteer burns out.

I needed someone who had walked the road before me. Someone who could sit across the table and say, "Yeah, I've been there. Here's what I learned."

I needed a ministry mentor.

And friend, if you're in ministry leadership: whether you're just starting out or you've got decades under your belt: you need one too.

Here's something I've learned after 50+ years of ministry: the patterns you set early stick with you for life.

The way you handle conflict. The way you rest (or don't). The way you pray. The way you relate to your spouse and kids while serving the church. These habits get baked in during your first few years.

Without a mentor, you're letting the culture around you shape those patterns. With a mentor, you're letting someone who loves you and loves Jesus speak into the soft clay before it hardens.

That sharpening doesn't happen in a vacuum. It happens in relationship. It happens when someone who has gone before you takes the time to walk beside you.

A mentor isn't just someone who gives you advice. That's what Google is for.

A good ministry mentor does something deeper. They share wisdom from lived experience. They've made the mistakes you're about to make: and they can help you avoid a few of them.

Here's what a solid mentor brings to the table:

This isn't about having all the answers. It's about having someone in your corner who has walked with Jesus longer than you have.

Here's where I want to get real with you.

You can have the best mentor in the world. You can read every book on pastoral coaching and ministry leadership training. But if you don't believe: deep in your bones: that God loves you exactly as you are, none of it will stick.

Why? Because ministry will crush you if you're trying to earn God's approval. You'll burn out chasing the applause of people. You'll run yourself ragged trying to prove you're worthy of the calling.

But when you rest in God's unconditional love? Everything changes.

No condemnation. Not "less condemnation." Not "condemnation if you mess up enough." None.

That's the foundation every ministry leader needs. And that's exactly what I wrote about in The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly As You Are. If you haven't read it yet, I'd encourage you to start there. It might just change how you see yourself: and your ministry.

Maybe you're reading this and thinking, "I don't have a mentor. Where do I even start?"

Here are a few simple steps:

The best mentors aren't always the famous ones. Look for someone whose life matches their words. Someone whose marriage is healthy. Someone whose kids still want to be around them. Someone who has stayed faithful over the long haul.

Mentorship only works if you're honest. That means admitting where you're struggling. It means letting someone see the mess behind the sermon.

Research shows that monthly meetings are the sweet spot for effective mentoring. Not random check-ins. Consistent, scheduled time together.

Don't just chat about the weather. Bring your actual ministry challenges to the table. The more specific you are, the more helpful your mentor can be.

And if you've been in ministry for a while? Consider becoming a mentor yourself.

This is how the gospel multiplies. One generation pours into the next. You received. Now give.

Here's the truth I want you to hold onto: your ministry is not meant to end with you.

The leaders you invest in will invest in others. The patterns you model will be passed down. The grace you extend will ripple out for generations.

That's lasting impact. That's the kind of legacy that matters.

And it starts with a simple decision: find a mentor. Be a mentor. Walk together.

If you're feeling the weight of ministry right now: if you're wondering whether you're enough, whether God could really use someone like you: I want to invite you to read The Big Leap of Faith. It's the foundation everything else is built on.

You are loved. Not because of what you do. Because of who He is.

I'd love to keep walking with you. Here are a few ways to stay in touch:

You don't have to be in the same city. Some of the best mentoring relationships happen over video calls or phone conversations. Look for someone whose character and ministry you respect, and ask if they'd be willing to meet with you monthly: even virtually.

There's no set timeline. Some mentoring relationships last a season; others last a lifetime. The key is consistency and honest communication. When the relationship has run its course, you'll both sense it: and that's okay.

Absolutely. Different mentors can speak into different areas of your life: ministry, marriage, leadership, spiritual growth. Just be careful not to spread yourself so thin that no relationship goes deep.