By Louis Husser
ROBERT, La. (LBM) — On a dreary Sunday morning in January 1992, my family and I drove from our home in Picayune, Mississippi, to the little town of Robert, Louisiana. I had been asked to preach in view of a call to be the senior pastor of what was then known as First Missionary Baptist Church of Robert (and later became Crossgate First Baptist Church).
I told my wife, “If the church does three specific things we will not be coming back.” In all honesty I am not sure why I accepted the invitation to interview for this position. I was formerly a senior pastor and the experience, to say the least, had been tumultuous and not one that I wished to repeat. On our drive home, we laughed as we discussed the three “forbidden things,” as the church did all three and that I had accepted their invitation to return the very next Sunday!
I wanted to build men. My heart burned to teach the word by example and to allow God to work through my human efforts to change the lives of families by building strong men to be the spiritual leaders of those families. The only way I knew to accomplish this was to be in a leadership role as the senior pastor.
My confirmation of this call occurred that day at that little church in Robert. A young father walked the aisle, dedicated his life to the Lord and expressed a desire to be the spiritual leader of his family. I knew at that moment that God had plans for us at the First Missionary Baptist Church of Robert.
Little did I know that 32 years later, I would write this article to express to other pastors and church leaders the importance of staying with their congregation.
There’s great satisfaction in watching the fruits of one’s labor manifested in seeing families as well as individuals to grow in their spiritual journeys, and to watch their children to do the same. A pastor who chooses to leave his flock will never experience this phenomenon. Pastoral struggles are real. However, the joy that comes from seeing a mighty movement of God on a congregation, does not compare to the temporary relief of seeking an “easier” church to pastor.
Thirty-two years ago, I did not come to Robert with the intention of staying. I simply planned to stay until God would tell me to move on. Like most pastors, I assumed my work would only last a few years.
There were struggles to endure, battles to fight, and changes to be made as in any ministry. Yet, I only have words of encouragement to pastors about long-term ministry.
1. Make long-term decisions. Every change we make and every plan we implement affects many other people in the present and in the future. Whether we build new facilities or change curriculums, these decisions will have effects on future generations. It is easy to fix urgent problems, but we must consider the effects that will result further down the road.
— Also, always remember that your motives are being examined and that your choices have blessings or consequences.
— Importantly, never be too prideful or confident to seek advice of a Christian mentor; someone who is a prayer warrior and who will help you see your situation more clearly.
2. Guard your wife and children from negative people and from church drama. They will be somewhat exposed, and they must be your first ministry responsibility. Remember, they do not have the power to change the situation. So, if they are not part of the problem or the solution, there’s no need to burden them. Instead of discussing problems with them, find pleasant situations to share with them. Meanwhile, use mentors to help you navigate through difficult situations.
— Turn off your cell phone and spend quality time with them. Be intentional about this.
— Remind congregational members that your wife and children are off-limits for criticism.
[Spending quality time with family will allow you to leave church problems at church and give you a reprieve which can allow you to think more clearly about solutions to problems.]
3. Remember for whom you work, and make sure you please the One who has given you the pastoral assignment. Your work should be “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23-24), and you are to bring honor and glory to Him. During my ministry, I found out that I had distributed tons of disaster relief supplies to people who did not need them and had taken advantage of the situation. However, I followed Dr. Don Wilton’s advice to me to remember, “who I worked for.”
— Remember, you are incapable of pleasing everyone.
4. Retire into something bigger than yourself. Find a purpose. Be self-sacrificing. Your purpose should be of eternal significance. Your purpose should affect people worldwide. A global purpose is so enormous you cannot accomplish it without divine assistance.
5. People change. Cultures change. However, the message of the Gospel of Christ on the cross remains the same and should be delivered with clarity and consistency. People have become more isolated, more selfish, and more addicted to social media, their cell phones, and their computers. We must reach them where they are.
6. People are always watching you, so never use the word “quit” in conversations about ministry. Instead, be intentional to use words such as perseverance, patience, endurance, confidence, hope, etc. The proverbial grass might look greener on the other side, but it’s probably growing over a septic tank. In other words, another church might look more attractive; however, every church has problems.
7. The more broken the messenger has become, the more powerful is the message! God uses “limp” more than he uses a “strut!” Stay humble and remember where you came from!
Louis Husser recently retired as pastor of Crossgate First Baptist Church, Robert.
