Interview with Ron Edmondson
Ron Edmondson joins us for the next episode of the Find Your Calling Podcast. Ron shares what he has learned about finding clarity in his calling as he made the decision to move from the business world into full-time ministry where he has spent the last 15 years leading churches.
Ron is passionate about both planting churches and helping established churches thrive. In addition to his role as pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, he coaches and consults with church and ministry leaders. In the podcast excerpt below, Ron talks about some of his observations working with church leaders and why he believes calling is so critical to thriving (and avoiding burnout) in ministry.
“In my work with pastors, I see many of them failing to think about or honestly answer the question, ‘Who am I created to be?’ A lot of the time, I see pastors trying to be everything to everyone, and so they try to invent themselves into something they’re not. But that’s not who God has called them to be. I always tell young leaders I’m coaching, ‘If you’re not careful in knowing who God has created you to be, ministry will eat your lunch.’ It’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll burn out. You’ll be overwhelmed with the demands of ministry rather than delegating and raising up new leaders and letting the body be the body.
“I counsel leaders to ask themselves these questions and evaluate which answer is more like their current situation: ‘Do you have to work to get excited about the vision, or is it consuming you? Do you get up in the morning and have to make yourself go to the office, or can you not wait to get there? When you think of work, do you feel overwhelmed, frustrated or angry, or do you get excited about the potential?’ Asking ourselves questions like these allows God to speak into where we are with our temperament, disposition, heart and spirit. I’ve seen so many pastors that are totally ineffective because they should’ve left years ago and instead hung on out of a false sense of loyalty or fear of what’s next, or waiting for retirement or the paycheck. That’s not fair to them, the church they serve, or the Kingdom.”
Check out Ron Edmondson’s web site www.ronedmondson.com.
Ron Edmondson is the senior pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, and previously successfully planted two churches. Specializing in organizational leadership, he thrives on helping pastors and ministry leaders think through leadership, strategy and life. His non-profit ministry, Mustard See Ministry, provides devotional resources and conducts family and church leadership seminars. He also regularly writes on leadership, church and family at his blog. He and his wife, Cheryl, have two adult sons, Jeremy and Nate.
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