Monday was a day of fasting and prayer, with the worship center open so people could stop by between 4 and 7 PM to pray. I had a great time of prayer that afternoon, praying through the prayer guide and other materials I had with me.

While praying for our church and my role as a Pastor, I reflected on that fact that I became a Pastor at age 19 and have now served in that role for more than 35 years. I began praying about the next season in my life as a Pastor and what God would have me do…something I pray about often.

For some reason I started doing some math in my head. If God allowed me to serve until I’m 70 years old, that would be another 15 years and I would have been a Pastor for slightly more than 50 years. Then it hit me – 35 of 50 equals 70%. I’ve already served 70% of the time God is giving me to be a Pastor; and that’s if I serve until age 70. If I retire earlier, then the percentage is even higher.

That was a sobering thought.

Now I know some of you older saints are sort of laughing at me right now. I get it…I still don’t know what “old” is.

You know what else I do get. I get it that the majority of my ministry is behind me.

I also get it that significant ministry remains to be done. Finally I get it that if I don’t take seriously what God is calling me and us as a church family to do, significant ministry will not happen.

Nothing is more significant than doing all we can to see people saved. I’m committed to finishing my ministry the way I began it – by not settling for a maintenance ministry.

I don’t know where you are in your journey, but I do have a question for you: “How do you plan to spend the remaining years of your life? As someone God uses to grow His kingdom or as someone who settles for things as they already are?”

Pastor Steve Hogg