Risky Business
I bought my first life insurance policy in 1985. I was a newly minted minister and an even more newly minted dad. The guy — a minister temporarily out of preaching — who sold me the policy talked about what would happen if I were to die and leave my family behind.
In my early 20s, I was like many young men: Superman, self-assured, and thinking about anything but the possibility of my own mortality. But I was low-hanging fruit. My very profession called on me to at least consider that I would not live forever.
Along with a very cheap, few-hundred-thousand-dollar policy came an investment option that, if I continually turned the funds back into the policy, would eventually pay the premium for me. It wasn’t long until I was asked about the “level of risk” I was willing to take in the market. The higher the risk, the greater the potential return. Since I had no intention of retiring (still don’t), I was all-in for high risk. If that $25 a month had been $250, I’d have a couple of million dollars today.
That word risk is an interesting word. We hear about risk aversion, risk mitigation, risk assessment, risk diversification, risk transfer. It seems everyone wants to avoid risk. That mindset can be a real problem for those committing their lives to work in the Kingdom.
This is risky business we’re in. If you’re training preachers, don’t train them to do the safe thing. If you’re influencing young guys, don’t leave them the impression that this is a field for them to float by in. If you’re mentoring a young minister, challenge him!
Every work is a risk. Every move is by faith. You will not find the perfect congregation. You are needed in an imperfect place. In fact, it may be that the more imperfect the place, the more you are needed.
Struggling churches need good workers.
Places drifting too far to the left need faithful workers.
Places drifting too far to the right need courageous, gracious thinkers.
Small churches in far-off places need dedicated men who simply want to help grow the Kingdom and make it healthier.
Large churches with multiple challenges need those who will lovingly push them to be the best they can be.
You are needed. Don’t quit.
And don’t be risk-averse — risk big for Him.
The rewards are great… and eternal.
“We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and persevere” (Hebrews 10:39).