Biblical Soul Care Goals Christian Ministry Leadership

With the complex responsibilities and demanding roles associated with ministering the gospel or becoming a leader in church organization, it is imperative that one develops a plan for personal care and discerning God’s will. This is more so the case given that an effective leader requires experience and skills to bear fruits and overcome the said challenges. To overcome these challenges triumphantly, the Bible in 2 Cor. 4:16 says that the inner person has to be renewed with the kingdom of God and his riches. For this reason, I intend to incorporate various practices in my personal life so as to achieve my personal care goals. For instance, I intend to improve my knowledge of God’s word by reading the scriptures, praying and meditating, practicing spiritual living and rhymes, and learning how to discern the will of God.

With regard to my first task of reading the scriptures, Wicher and Wicher (2017, n.p.) suggest that Bible reading and memorizing scriptures helps us grow and keeps us close to God. To ensure that I grow, I will have to receive Jesus in my life and keep him in my mind. This would only be achieved if I keep the words and scenes of the New Testament in my mind through reading and reflection. I intend to do this every morning in the evening. From this practice, I will have the words of Jesus in my mind. For instance, I intend to read scriptures from 1 Cor. 13 and John 14-17 which will help my soul grow.

Further, I intend to engage in prayer activities every day. Hardin (2012, 218) indicates that prayer tends to have an important locale spiritually in the routine of Jesus. For instance Luke 4:42; Mark1:35-37 indicates that Jesus prayed after ministries. From the experience of Jesus regarding prayer, I intend to obey the will of God, intercede for others (John 17:6-23), pray for guidance (Mark 1:35-39), and be honest and simple. Including prayer in my spiritual life will help me overcome temptations related to the gospel as Jesus did when Satan tempted Him on the mountain while He was fasting (Luke 4:2; Matt 4:2). Tickle (2000, 44) suggests that prayer ensures that leaders lead from the strength of the Holy Spirit and not their own. Prayer also helps people reflect on the scripture and turn their minds to God (Scazzero 2006, 213).

My next objective would be to practice spiritual rhythms. The Bible makes it clear that there should be a day of rest and days of work. For instance Exodus 20:8-11 emphasizes on the importance of rest on the Sabbath but does not command that people should rest on the said day. Rest and rhymes are important for the growth of the inner soul. I intend to practice spiritual rhymes by allocating time to renew my strength in God and refocus on Him. This will help me care for others. It would be prudent to note that the practice of spiritual rhythms will also include spiritual discipline. Wicher and Wicher (2017, n.p.) suggest that self-discipline involves physical health which includes activities such as: time management, diet, fitness, and rest or sleep. On the other hand, Hardin (2012, 217) suggests that growth of the soul would involve imitating the life of Jesus Christ in His submission to the father, faith, teachings, speech, and his life. Being submissive would involve doing the will of God and not my own will or that of other persons. To ensure that I respond to conflicts effectively as per the teachings of the Bible, I intend to follow the peacemaker texts whereby I will seek to make peace with others by avoiding conflicts.