There are so many issues and influences that make it difficult for the pastor to maintain the right focus. It reminds us of Peter’s experience on the Sea of Galilee:

“So He [Jesus] said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:29-31).

In The Christian Minister’s Manual, Guthrie Veech summarizes the focus of Christian ministry with these eight guidelines:

1. Focus your ministry, first and foremost, on Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

2. Focus your ministry on love (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

3. Focus your ministry on the Word of God (1Peter 2:2,3).

4. Focus your ministry on your own growth (2 Peter 1:5-8).

5. Focus your ministry on grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18).

6. Focus your ministry on faithfulness (2 Corinthians 9:10).

7. Focus your ministry on lost people in your community and around
the world (Matthew 28:18-20).

8. Focus your ministry on prayer (Colossians 4:2).*

Perhaps we could consider the primary focus to be on God through Christ by the Holy Spirit, with the other seven resting on this foundation.

The apostle Paul gave this grace perspective: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18,18).

The author of Hebrews admonishes us to keep “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb. 12:2).

May we have faith to maintain the right focus, rather than being distracted by the wind and waves of opinions, emotions, and trends.

*The Christian Minister’s Manual, Guthrie Veech (Standard Publishing, 2012), 15-17.