Biblical Wisdom from Seasoned Church Leaders
Stepping into the ministry is one of the greatest callings — and one of the most challenging. Whether you’re preparing for pastoral ministry, pulpit supply, missions work, or church planting, there’s no substitute for learning from those who’ve already walked the path.
At KJVChurches.com, we’re committed to helping you not only find sound Bible-believing churches but also grow in your ministry and spiritual maturity. That’s why we reached out to experienced pastors, preachers, and ministry leaders to share practical, biblical advice for young preachers — and what they wish they knew when they were starting out.
If you’re a young man preparing to serve in a King James Bible-believing church, this is for you.
🎯 1. Go Where You Can Serve, Not Just Where You’ll Be Served
“Bi-vocational ministry is doable. For example, we’ve been helping with pulpit supply in Labelle, FL for over two years. The church can offer a young preacher a living wage and housing for a year. If needed, he could take on part-time work while serving. The building is paid off, and it’s a great opportunity in a growing town.”
Karis Baxter, pastor’s wife at Naples Independent Baptist Church
“Ask the Lord not to send you to the biggest or best-paying church — but to the one where you can serve and help the most.”
Unfortunately many people are looking for a position, a paycheck, and preeminence, or even power, but not a place and a people to serve. Of course you have to feed your family, but if you’re serving God, the focus is supposed to be on eternity, not a cushy lifestyle here on earth.
🙏 2. Pray, Study, Be Patient
“I’m just three years into pastoring — still fresh. My advice? Pray, study, and be patient. Let God work in His timing. Don’t get discouraged — members will come and go. Preach the Word — not for the fear or favor of man. Understand that not everyone is at the same level spiritually. Put your family first — don’t neglect them. It’s a fine line. Pray… then pray again… and again.”
Jason Talya Coffelt, pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church
While not necessarily a rule, a lot of young men think they are going to revolutionize the world of ministry, or have the attitude that they are the long-awaited solution to all of ministry’s ills. Or, even worse, their own private doctrines and interpretations, which are generally just ancient heresies, become their hobby horses and destroy their ministry while harming many people around them. You aren’t anything special: keep praying, keep studying, and be patient, and God will use you in His time.
👂 3. Learn From Others
“Seek wisdom from older pastors and develop a healthy fear of God.”
G Antonio Smart, pastor at Victory Baptist Church
Both wisdom from good counselors and a fear of the LORD will help any young man get ahead in ministry. This isn’t a competition: we all serve the same God, and others can assist you through their years of experience and wisdom learned through mistakes.
“Listen to the advice of experienced pastors. Don’t think you’ll be the next Jack Hyles.”
Manny N Marla Fernandez, pastor at Eagle River Baptist Church
While we certainly hope no one is trying to be like Jack Hyles, this statement is a general truth: don’t try to imitate someone else. God uses each of His servants through their individual personalities. God doesn’t need a duplicate of someone else, and if your personality is so weak that you find yourself trying to mimic someone else, then you may not be mature enough for ministry just yet.
“Find a good mentor!”
Luis Reppert, pastor at Iglesia Bautista Esperanza
Mentorship is an important benefit to anyone in any situation, but it has special benefits for young men starting out in ministry. Find someone that’s accomplishing something like you want to accomplish, and see how you can learn from their example. As in any situation, you can learn good things, and also learn from the mistakes made by others, even those you truly love and respect.
❤️ 4. Stay Faithful & Love People
“People will come and go. Some will hurt you. Some will bless you. Stay grounded in sound doctrine and biblical principles. Don’t worry about what others are doing unless it helps you grow in Christ. Love people. Work hard. Leave the results to God. And stay — unless God clearly moves you, stay for the long haul.”
Todd Herbert, pastor at Winning Side Baptist Church
The old joke says “Ministry would be so much easier if it wasn’t for the people!” Of course this tongue-in-cheek treatment of ministry is understood to be ridiculous: the ministry is people. No matter what we do in ministry, it will somehow affect or be focused on helping and serving people.
However, those people are humans, and will fail. It’s just a matter of time. Don’t let their inevitable failures and sins derail you: ultimately, we serve the LORD Jesus Christ, and if someone disappoints us, then He will send us someone else to serve. If that continues until we draw our last breath or until Jesus comes to take us home, it’s Christ that we serve. Just stay the course.
“Be faithful even in the little things. Stay in the Word!”
Clayton Richard Stevicks, pastor at Hallmark Baptist Church
The big things in life are made up of lots of little things. KJV Churches is a database of over 12,000 church listings, each one important to a church, a pastor, and a congregation out there. If we were dismissive of a listing just because it’s “just one small thing,” eventually the entire site would be worthless, since it’s made up of thousands of small things. Don’t ignore the details!
🙌 5. Live a Life of Prayer
“Prayer is life.”
Gabriel Gonzalez
Your level of spirituality will be determined by your prayer life. You can pretend and put on a good show, and you may even fool people, but ultimately you and God know whether or not you’re really serious about serving God.
Final Thoughts:
If God has called you to preach the word and lead His people, take it seriously. Learn from those who’ve gone before you. Stay in the Word, stay humble, and never stop praying.
True ministry is not about building your platform — it’s about building people in Christ. You don’t have to be flashy, famous, or follow trends. Be faithful. Love your church. Preach the word. And remember: the calling is great, but the One who called you is greater.
📍 Looking for a place to serve?
Explore churches in need of pulpit supply or leadership at www.kjvchurches.com — the largest online directory of Independent Baptist and King James Bible-believing churches.
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