In an older, little book called How to Have a Happy and Successful Ministry and An Active and Growing Church, David F. Cripps gave some great advice to young pastors:

Do not wait until you have a church that you feel is worthy of your best effort to pull out all the stops. Give the best of which you are capable from the very beginning.

Are you giving the best of which you are capable of in your current ministry?

I once heard someone say, “If you want a larger church, grow the one you have.”  Don’t wait to get to what you think will be a better place to serve – serve with all your energy in the place God has placed you.

Jesus said, if you are faithful in small things, you will be faithful in bigger things. (Luke 16:10)

When you’re in the grind of day in / day out ministry, it’s easy to think small.  The big vision is there but often hidden in the mundane. Here are ways to give your all now:

Discipline & Development

A good work ethic is a product of good discipline.  How is your week broken down? Does your calendar reflect a grip on your schedule and your plan each week? Are you growing as a leader?

Creativity

Do you think about your church? Do you think about ways you can make it better?  Are you in conversations with others about little ways to enhance and create new ways of doing things?

Leading

Are you confident in helping people move from A to B?  Are you engaged in leading yourself and your home well? Is your leadership patient and kind? Are you willing to tackle hard issues?

Prayer

Are you giving your all in prayer for your congregation?  Do you have a prayer plan?  Do you have a prayer team?

Preparation

Do you give your all in preparation? I confess I have fallen into the notion that if it’s a smaller thing, you can wing it! It’s easy to think more “informally” about a particular situation or gathering. But preparation is key to being effective – whether you are preparing for a large or small crowd.  In reality, when it’s a smaller crowd, the accountability factor to preparation is almost non-existent – it usually falls on you to do it and do it well.

Presentation

Are you on time? Well groomed? Are you doing your best to present the Gospel to people in the church and in the community through your words and actions? How is your car or your office – are they clean and tidy?

Relationships

Are you investing time in meeting with others? Are you collecting friends, remembering names, connecting with people outside your church and in the community?  Are you visiting with people and helping to make a difference in their lives?

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Is. 40:31

Tim Price is the Director of Harvest Ministry Teams, a non-for-profit equipping ministry for young leaders. Based in Troy, IL, Harvest is involved in worship ministry events and training events for students and leaders all over the Midwest. He also serves on staff part-time at Troy United Methodist Church. Tim writes at TIMPRICEBLOG.COM sharing ideas, clarity and insights to help others confidently lead the church they serve. @HMTRESOURCES.

This post was originally published by TIMPRICEBLOG.COM.