John Markum

Tag: ministry

If I only get one thing right…

Posted on by johnmarkum

I have about a dozen BIG goals for my life (in no particular order):

  • Love my kids, and teach them to be good adult followers of Christ.
  • Pastor for 30+ years.
  • Train up another generation of church leaders.
  • Be a voice that calls my generation to it’s potential.
  • Be a part of a national/worldwide revival.
  • Start churches on every inhabited continent.
  • Lead without a paycheck one day…
  • Give more than half of my total life’s earnings away.

And I pray for these things daily. These are not just goals and wishful thoughts. I want to see each of these things happen one day. But I made a decision about 12 years ago that still guides me and is at the heart of everything I do. By now, someone is thinking up some great spiritual answer like, “Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” Yeah, but that’s more of a mission statement than a goal.

If I fail at everything I set my heart and mind to do, Oh Lord, let me succeed at this one thing – to love 1 woman my whole life. Unconditional,ly passionately, unwavering, uncompromising. And earn her love in return.

I love the church. I love the calling that God has placed on my life, to serve in ministry. I love the people that I get to serve with, both here at Edgewood and around the world. I couldn’t picture doing anything else with my life (which is great, cause I’m not good at alot of other things). But every thing else pales in comparison to my undying love and commitment to my first calling: Tiffany Markum.

I love you, sweetheart. Besides Jesus, you’re the best thing God ever gave me.

Your husband

The best and worst of ministry

Posted on by johnmarkum

If I were asked (and often am…), “What is the best/worst part of being in ministry?” the answer is simple. The best and worst part of being in ministry is the same thing: people.

   People are the best thing about ministry because I get to see people who are far from God awakened with life in Christ. I get to watch a new or stagnant Christ-follower make the tough choices that separate them from who they were and who they are in Christ. I get to see God work in unique and powerful ways. Hurt people learn to forgive, selfish people learn generosity, and the work of God moves on. People are easily the greatest, most rewarding thing, not just in ministry, but in life as a whole.

   But people are also the hardest part of ministry! People can be mean, unforgiving, hypocritical, arrogant, and beligerent. And that’s just from some people that claim to follow Jesus! I’ve seen people that we have poured our lives into betray us and hurt us. I’ve had people that I thouht were committed to the work God was doing at our church leave us for the new “cool” ministry down the road. A blow to any leader’s emotions. I’ve watched other church leaders run off on their spouse. And perhaps the most frustrating, watching someone attend every week, go through the motions, but never take hold of the life Christ is waiting for them to step into. They “have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.” It’s like getting married and then going back to the way you lived before you met your spouse.

   But for every frustration, heartache, and let-down, the joy that comes from seeing a life genuinely changed is worth it. You can’t get into a fight without expecting to get dirty. Life and ministry are messy! But nothing worthwhile is ever easy. And people are worth it!

John

The phrase no pain, no gain has been a mantra for athletes and fitness junkies for years. And what they understand about physical pain needs to be broadened to a much more general use in all of our lives. Pain hurts. That's the whole problem. No one enjoys it, and if someone does, we rightfully

The Premium of Pain