Hey guys! How are your hearts doing? Can we drop everything and talk about a book today? I’ve been reading some Christian fiction this past week and this book in particular has taught me some valuable lessons I thought to share.
If you haven't read it, don't worry, you'll still enjoy my lessons. The book in question is called “and the shofar blew” by Francine Rivers. Let me give you a quick summary.
Dynamic young preacher Paul Hudson is committed to building his church―but at what cost? When Paul accepts the call to pastor a struggling church, he has no idea what to expect. But it doesn’t take long for Paul to turn Centerville Christian Church around. Attendance is up, way up, and everything is going so well. If only his wife, Eunice, could see it that way. Still, he tries not to let her quiet presence distract him. But Eunice knows that something isn’t right…and it hasn’t been for a long time. The more Paul’s zeal and ambition builds, the more he loses sight of the One who called him. As Paul and those around him struggle to discern what it truly means to live out their faith, they must ultimately choose between their own will and God’s plan.
This book came with emotions and lots of them. I cried (yes, I am not a hard girl😂), I got annoyed at a certain point, there was a little anger in between too. At some point all I could say is, hmmmmmm… and here's why
1. Pray for your spiritual heads and anyone you know in ministry.
I knew that ministry was not easy but this book revealed a lot. Ministry takes a toll on the personal lives of pastors. It takes a very understanding and spiritually sound wife or husband to share his/her spouse with the church. These people make a lot of sacrifices for us, the least we can do is pray that they are sustained to function well.
2. Results do not always signify God’s involvement.
Paul Hudson’s ambition was fueled by the fact that he had results. His church was thriving even though his secret place was suffering. For anyone doing something for God, sometimes it’s easier to get caught up with the number of people we draw.
How many views did that post get?
How many likes did I get?
How many people were there to hear me minister?
How many people shared testimonies after my program?
How many invitations have I got this month?
I saw how a person can use God as an excuse to pursue his ambition.
3. Learn to hear God
The major theme of this book is about hearing from God. For a long time, Paul Hudson was interpreting his own ambition as God’s will. Learn to separate what your flesh wants from what God’s will is. Don’t misinterpret every occurrence going in the direction of your will as God’s sovereign hand. A shofar is a trumpet used in ancient Israel when God wants to speak to His people. Some people will not hear God's tiny whispers, they will only hear His loud shofar. Don't be that kind of person.
4. Deal with your insecurities before they destroy you.
The reason Paul Hudson was so ambitious was that he wanted to do better than his father who was a well-known tele-evangelist. He never dared to admit this fact and work on it. Unconsciously, this hidden secret was influencing everything even his ministry to God. Know yourself, go through your past and know why you have those triggers. Is there any circumstance in your past that has conditioned you to behave in a way contrary to what God expects? Deal with it, seek help, and pray about it. Let God heal you, let Him deal with the matter at the root.
It will be such a loss to the Kingdom and to humanity to rise so high and then be dragged swiftly to the bottom because of lust, pride, low-self esteem, envy etc.
5. Accountability
Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth. Paul Hudson got rid of anyone who disagreed with him and alienated himself from those who could correct him. when he was drifting away, there was no one to correct him.
6. Don’t water down the gospel to massage people’s egos.
The gospel is God’s intellectual property but too often, people use it anyway they want without seeking His approval first. That is exactly what Pastor Paul Hudson did. To keep the people in the church, he “sweetened” the message. He changed the music to something contemporary because that is what the newer members wanted. It got to a point the blood of Jesus was a subject too graphic to be sung about.
Ministry is not a fellowship of people pleasers. Yes! we are here to serve people but we do not take our orders from them.
7. Never think you are more advanced in the things of God than older Christians just because you appear more enlightened than they are.
Even if you are genuinely more anointed, they have the advantage of age and experience. Humble yourself and learn.
This is a book I would recommend for anyone who has a call of God on their lives (don’t we all) or is specifically called to the five-fold (pastors, prophets, teachers, evangelists and apostles). If you're in a relationship, it will be a good idea to read it with your partner and have a conversation about this topic.
Don’t forget to like, share with your friends and subscribe to this blog. Let me know in the comments, the lesson(s) that stood out for you.
Thanks for your powered summary and God richly bless you for such a light