“Congratulations!”
I heard that word a lot on the weekend of and the days following of June 16 of 2024, the Sunday I was officially installed as the lead pastor of Kaimuki Christian Church and School (KCCS). I was thankful for the congratulatory greetings—and confused.
I was confused, not because I questioned people’s intentions. Rather, I was unsure how to respond. I knew that some were congratulating me for the same reason they’d congratulate someone on their college graduation—as a way of celebrating a milestone achievement. For some, they congratulated me because “I had worked so hard to get here,” and they perhaps assumed that I had spent the better part of my ministerial career striving to achieve this lead pastor position. For others, the reason was that I was “finally living my dream and doing what I always wanted to do.”
To be fair, during my years living in the mainland United States, I had frequently expressed my desire to return to Hawaii to help further the gospel in the region of my upbringing. But none of the reasons expressed above were the reality behind my installation.
Let me explain.
Laboring to be Faithful
First, I wasn’t actively laboring to achieve this title, position, or ministry. I have never put myself on a “career track” toward becoming a lead pastor, nor have I ever actively or intentionally labored to achieve such a position. Aspirations? Sure. But working so hard to achieve it? No. I was diligent in other things.
I labored to accurately handle the Word of God on every preaching and teaching occasion. I labored to sacrificially love every person who was entrusted to my care and ministry. I labored to lead and oversee every ministry entrusted to me, ensuring that how things were run was consistent with biblical principles and prescriptions. But to acquire the position of lead pastor was not something I “worked” for. Rather, I simply answered God’s call when He called—just like I did on every other occasion where he summoned me to a particular ministry, both in Hawaii and previously in California.
Second, I did not say “yes” to God’s calling to the lead pastor ministry at this church because I would finally “get to do what I wanted to do.” Yes, I’m passionate about preaching, discipleship, and leadership. Yes, I’m passionate about Christian education. But to say that I’m “living my dream” is simply not accurate, because my dream has never been about what I wanted to be doing.
As KCCS’s lead pastor, I am not living my dream. When it comes to my ministry, my dream has nothing to do with me. My dream is not about my finally being able to live in Hawaii. My dream has everything to do with what I have always wanted to see happen in Hawaii. My dream has always been to see souls in the region of my upbringing transformed into disciples of Jesus Christ. That’s the dream. It’s not about what I get to do (or not do) as a minister; it’s about a vision of what happens to the people to whom I minister. My dream is not, and never has been, about a ministry job description; it’s always been about people’s spiritual transformation. That’s what I answered the call to become KCCS’s lead pastor. And that, I believe, should be the reason every minister says “yes” to any pastoral ministry position or title.
Many ministers go into vocational ministry because they have a passion to engage in something –whether to preach, teach, disciple, and exercise leadership. And those passions are indeed good. In fact, the apostle Peter says that pastors must be eager about the things they do (1 Pet 5:2). The motivation for the duties of shepherding has to come from within. However, having a passion to do something is not enough.
A True Minister’s Dream
A true minister of the gospel must have a passion not just to do something, but to see something happen—the salvation and sanctification of people. And it is for this that he labors and agonizes (see Col 1:28-29). The minister must care more about the salvation and growth of God’s people than whether he gets to do what he wants to do. A true gospel minister’s greater concern is about seeing God’s effecting supernatural spiritual work take place in people. You see this with the apostle Paul when he revealed his heart to the Thessalonians – a heart that ought to be the heart of every minister.
Paul explains to the Thessalonians why he sent Timothy to them. He wanted to go to them, but was hindered. He was concerned that they would be tempted away from the faith. He didn’t say, “Well, at least, I had the opportunity preach to them.” Paul wasn’t keeping a tally of the number of cities he had the opportunity to preach in. He said, “When we could endure it no longer…when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith,” (v 1, 5). Paul’s concern was not that he would get to “live out his dream job.” His concern was regarding the actual faith of the people.
In other words, his greater concern was not that he got to preach, but what was happening to the people to whom he preached. His greater concern wasn’t that he had the opportunity to experience missions work in Thessalonica to add to his resume, but rather whether or not those to whom he ministered in Thessalonica were walking in the faith they professed.
It’s no wonder Paul likened his heart for the Thessalonians to that of both a mother and father for their children (1 Thess 2:7, 11). Parents’ dreams for their children are more than just having children; they are about what they desire to see happen in their children. Parents don’t rest until they are assured that their children are doing well.
Similarly, a true minister does not rest until he knows God’s people are walking well. He is cognizant about what is happening to God’s people. His focus is not on building up his ministry resume to “professionally develop”; his focus is on caring for and laboring for the spiritual welfare of God’s people who are entrusted to his care. He rejoices when they are walking well; he weeps when they are stricken; he weakens when they are weak; he becomes intensely concerned when they are led into sin (2 Cor 11:28-29). And his heart and mind do not rest until Christ is formed in them (Gal 4:19).
Paul was under no illusion that he had control over their faith. But he cares. It is their faith—not his ministry experiences—that concerns him. Who cares if he gets to do what he’s “always wanted to do?” There are more important things in God’s greater work of redemption than a minister finally getting his dream job.
It’s Not About What We Get to Do or Not Do
God’s redemptive work is not about our dream jobs; it is about a sanctified people to be presented as an adorned bride to the Bridegroom who came down from heaven to seek her and gave his life for her. To see each and every man presented to Christ complete in him is the vision that drives his ministry (Col 1:28). Therefore, he isn’t looking for a “congratulations” from anyone on earth, but instead the words “Well done, good and faithful servant,” from Christ to whom he will present the people he shepherded and labored for (Matt 25:20-21; 2 Cor 11:2; 1 Thess 2:19).
I love being the lead pastor at KCCS. It is a tremendous and undeserved privilege that the Lord, by his grace and mercy, has entrusted to my shepherding care such a beautiful church and school. To be placed in such service is something I truly thank God for. But congratulations…for what? The dream is not yet fulfilled. And even when it is, don’t congratulate me then, either, for it is Christ, not me, who will have accomplished it (Rom 15:18).
