Ministry – Page 7 – John Markum

What I tell every would-be pastor.

Posted on January 31, 2014 by johnmarkum

One of the greatest opportunities I feel like God has consistently given me, is the chance to speak life over many young adults (typically men) who are considering pursuing ministry as a vocation. Frankly, I think every follower of Christ is called to full-time ministry, regardless of their career path. But God does prompt many of us (myself included) to something separate entirely – to be leaders in the church as a calling and a career.
Here are a few things I try to tell every individual person who is considering becoming a pastor, student pastor, worship leader, missionary, right-hand-man, or any one of a hundred different ways to lead in a church vocationally…

Start where you’re at. If you can’t be faithful serving as a greeter or janitor in your current church, why would anyone ever expect you to be faithful in prepping for messages, counseling couples, managing finances, leading people smarter than you, or planning strategic campaigns?! “He who is faithful in little shall also be faithful in much.”
Start discipling someone. I would expect this of anyone who considers himself a mature Christ-follower anyway. Find someone that you can begin pouring your life into. Don’t try to be their boss. Just try to nurture and encourage their relationship with God. Share of your own struggles and moments that God has used to draw you closer to Himself.
Find a mentor. Just as you should be pouring your life into someone else, you need someone mature who can do the same for you. This helps you be aware of your own blind-spots, and reminds you that you have plenty room to grow as well (and you always will). And as you’ll see further on, you’ll need such a coach to encourage you.
People will hurt you. I’ve had people I’ve invested my life into, walk away from me. I’ve had people that I’ve seen grow, suddenly abandon their faith. I’ve had others who have smiled and nodded during my preaching, who then trashed me to others behind my back. You can do everything right by people, and some will still mistreat you. Love them anyway.
If you can be fulfilled in life doing anything else, do it. This was counsel I received a hundred times by a variety of sources by the time I stepped onto the stage of ministry. And they were all correct. The price you pay emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially, even physically at times, is greater than you could possibly imagine. I don’t know anyone “succeeding” in ministry who isn’t covered in scars and bruises. You will be no different.
God doesn’t waste pain. Whatever you go through for the Kingdom, whatever hurt you endure, whatever you trust God for that He doesn’t come through like you hoped, no matter the sacrifice or cost – somewhere else, God always eventually repays… with interest. Hang in there.
It’s totally worth it. I’ve never had a second thought about why I’m in this for keeps. God ruined my life to do anything else the moment I got to be part of someone’s story of finding Christ. From that moment on, I was done for. No matter the cost, I had to give everything I am to being a part of more stories of God’s redemption in people’s lives. I accept the scars. They pale in comparison of knowing Christ and seeing Him at work. Besides, when I compare my scars to His, I’m reminded that I’ll never out-give my God.

I’m not sure if that encouraged or discouraged many of you to pursuit ministry, but if you’re considering it, someone needed to tell you. If God is prompting you, and you accept that calling, you will join countless thousands whose lives have also been ruined. Let’s build the Kingdom together!

Blessings,
Pastor John

PS. And if that is you, look me up and shoot me a message. I’m always glad to pour into one more person.

Dear Edgewood…

Posted on June 27, 2013 by johnmarkum

Today I’m back in my office at Edgewood from being in San Jose for the past week. I’m here preparing for the message I’ll preach this weekend – my final message as a pastor of this amazing church. Ironically, it was nearly 5 years ago to the day that I preached for the first time at Edgewood. Befitting, that I should be concluding my ministry here at the same time.

There are so many things I want to say to each of you that I find it difficult deciding where to begin. For five years you have loved me, encouraged me, honored me, and taught me at least as much as I ever taught you. I’ve seen so many of you come to Christ during my time here. I estimate that I have had the privilege of baptizing somewhere over a hundred of you into our church family, and more importantly, into obedience as a follower of Jesus. I’ve preached hundreds of times to you. And I’ve seen faithfulness in you that any pastor would love to see in his church family. You’ve listened, learned, grown, and taught me a great deal about my journey in the process.

In less than a month, my family and I will say goodbye and move to San Jose, CA. Leaving you is painful for me, to say the least. May you continue in the things that God has worked in your life, and years from now, I pray that we will continue to celebrate what God is doing in the Quad Cities, the South Bay, and around the world. Though a 2,000 mile gap will soon exist between us, my heart still beats for this place and this family of friends and believers who have been so good to us for the past five years.

So about this weekend…

I’m preaching for the final time before we leave. It’s been over a month since I last preached here at home to you. So most of you already know that I have no intentions of holding back or pulling punches. But I am far less interested in impressing you as I am in blessing and challenging you to reach your full potential in Christ. Among many things that I am praying for God to do this weekend, I am asking Him to draw people to Himself – to allow me the privilege this last time, to be part of seeing Him use this church to impact people’s stories for eternity. And that’s where you and I come in.

Please don’t miss this weekend! I want to preach God’s Word over you one last time. But also, don’t come alone! Bring someone with you who needs a touch from God. I’m very confident He plans on attending, and wants to do something in your friends’/family’s lives.

I’m not making this weekend about me. I’ve got far more important things to talk about than myself. So in advance, I want to tell you that you are a good church. You’ve been good to me and I wouldn’t have traded my time with you for any earthly delight. I’m a better pastor, leader, and follower of Jesus for having worked with you.

To the many of you who have been directly part of working with us in our Singles Ministry, Saturday night service, LifeGroups, and so on… look what God did! You were too good to try easy stuff – you did things that were worthwhile. And look how God blessed your faith! Look at what we got to see and do together!!! It still doesn’t seem real to me that we made it where we are now. But God has been gracious to us. And we got to play a part in His work of drawing people to Himself and making disciples. You are precious to me. And working with you has been the honor of my life. Some of you hold special, irreplaceable spots in our hearts. You know who you are. We couldn’t have made it without you. Not by a long shot! Thank you, friends.

If you don’t normally attend Edgewood, and especially if you don’t normally attend any church, join us this week. I believe God is going to do something greater in our lives than any of us could hope or ask for. I can’t wait to see you there!

Blessings,
Pastor John

PS – services are Sat. 5pm, and Sun. 8 & 10:45am

What I’m Currently Learning

Posted on June 7, 2013 by johnmarkum

The current season of my life is one of flux and transition. I’m preparing for the biggest step of faith in my life: starting a church and relocating my family to a new area thousands of miles away. I’ve been busy traveling, honing and sharing our vision, preparing my family for the move, raising funds, building our Launch Team, and working hard to finish strong with my sending church. Getting stretched in such definitive ways has been an incredible education! Here are a few of the things that God has been teaching me lately:

You can never out-give God. Ever. God has never once asked for more from me than He planned on giving back. We measure our generosity to God in hand-fulls – God measures His generosity to us in ocean-fulls.He’s proven that to me repeatedly over the last year.
Trials are opportunities to see God show up. There has never been a trial I’ve experienced that God has not come through for me faithfully as always. But I also get to know Him in more intimate ways than before as I endure hardship and lean into His grace.
My wife is the epitome of grace under pressure. Her confidence in me and God’s calling on my life is both inspiring, and gut-check. She honestly has more faith than me sometimes, and I genuinely look up to her more often than she can know. I’m so blessed!
I have the best friends in the world. Anything that creates high tension in a persons’ life reveals who their truest friends are. This is true of a death in the family, job loss, or other major life change. And I’ve come to realize that I have been greatly blessed with friends who are willing to stand with us. I’m grateful beyond words for each of you. You know who you are.
When you trust God, He blesses in secondary ways. The benefits to submitting to God are seen in the obedience itself. However, God also seems to consistently bless my life in peripheral areas to my obedience to Him.
Be confident. The most repeated command in all of Scripture is “fear not.” I constantly remind myself of the promises I alone have heard from God.
Stay teachable. I’ve discovered a tension between presenting myself as “I’m confident and thorough,” and “I’m arrogant and full of myself – you couldn’t possibly teach me anything.” But the truth is, I am acutely aware of my deficiencies and want to learn everything I can from those whom I can learn from. I’ve read more in the last six months than the previous two years. I’ve joined a coaching network. I’ve been to multiple conferences. And I regularly connect with other leaders who know me and have access to speak over my life and ministry.