When I was a younger pastor, I loved serving the Lord. I lived full out for Christ and for the church the Lord allowed me to shepherd.

As the leader of a couple’s class, new Christians will often ask me: “What are the main ingredients to having a happy marriage?”

It seems there is a good amount of talk these days about people “collaborating.” Both collaboration and cooperation are legitimate and good words. To collaborate means to “co-labor, or to labor together.” To cooperate means “to operate together.”

One of the blessings of teamwork in local church ministry is the opportunity to invest in those who serve.

What happened? I often contemplate this question when I consider the condition of many young leaders in my generation (and many in the generation before mine as well). It seems like my social media feeds often have reports from friends made in high school and Bible college or ministry colleagues who have gone hook, line, and sinker for some trendy, new philosophy of ministry.

The longer I serve in ministry, the more I recognize the value of working with young people. In fact, the longer I serve, the more I believe we should pour more of ourselves into serving our youth.

Each time I read Exodus chapters three and four, I am reminded of the ongoing pattern of the work of God: in response to the cries of His people, God comes to do a mighty work of deliverance—and He did. The plagues of judgment upon Egypt, the dividing of the Red Sea, the giving of His Law, and provision of manna. All of these were mighty miracles that only the God of all power could accomplish.

One of the things I look forward to when hiring staff is the opportunity to invest into their lives. Between praying for and pastoring their family, weekly staff meetings, and other times of training, I want to do all I can to help build them up in service and as spiritual leaders.

May I pose a question? Does acceptance occur before or after change? Consider the truth that is revealed in Ephesians 1:6, Jesus “…made us accepted in the beloved…,” and then began the process of conforming us to His image!

Can there be any more startling—or liberating—words in the entire chronicle of human history than those spoken by Christ on the cross just before He died?