December 9, 2024
I turned 60 on Nov. 3, and was more excited about that pending birthday than any other since turning 16 or 21.
The reason for the excitement is the potential for this season of ministry leadership. Those who are living in the fourth quarter have gained a lifetime of experience and should know themselves well enough to understand where to invest the remainder of the time the Lord gives them.
How can ministry leaders function at their best in the fourth quarter of life? Here is my advice to myself and I hope it will be helpful to you also.
1. Do what matters most: I live by priorities, as do most people. My three leadership priorities are advancing the mission, addressing emerging problems, and attending to the people on our team and those we serve. Like most people in ministry leadership, there are things I do well and some not as well. In the fourth quarter, I hope to spend more time on the areas where the Lord has gifted and qualified me to make a gospel-advancing difference.
2. Think about yourself less: Too many of us, me included, are like the old man who said, “I’m not much but I’m all I think about.” We are not the center of the universe and obsessively thinking about ourselves prevents us from thinking about how to more effectively serve and care for others. If we are willing, God will help us make the mental shift away from ourselves to others and what they are facing.
3. Laugh at yourself more: This is a big one for me because I already laugh at myself a lot. We should take the Lord seriously. We should take the real-life issues being faced by others seriously. And we should take our work seriously. But we should not take ourselves too seriously. According to a 2023 article from Psychology Today, “Counter-intuitive as it may seem, laughing at oneself can increase self-confidence, too. People who present themselves to the world, weaknesses and all, with no apology, show strength that perceptive others notice and respect.” I hope to be able to laugh at more of my unfortunate missteps.
4. Care well for other people: At the end of one’s life, none of us will wish we had worked a few more hours, but we will likely wish we had more time with the people we love. The good news is that we do not have to wait until the end. We can make decisions each day to care well for those we love the most. God has given me an incredible wife, two wonderful daughters, friends who make life fun, and co-workers and ministry partners who are the best anywhere. My goal is to care well for each of these in this season of life.
5. Take care of your body: Aging brings new freedoms and joys, but it also brings new challenges. One of those is a body that is in decline. Exercise seems to help manage the impact of that decline. Of all the things I need to work on in the fourth quarter, this may be the most challenging. Regular exercise requires me to say ‘no’ to something else and to say ‘yes’ to a bike ride or a walk.
6. Continue to learn and grow: Richard Blackaby says that he likes to look at a pastor’s bookshelves and see what year he died. To stay fresh in life and ministry we must continue to read books, take courses, read journals, and learn from other leaders.
7. Make a gospel difference with my life: One of the most pressing needs in the lives of disciples of Jesus is evangelistic intentionality. In all the years I have walked with the Lord, He has continually challenged me in this area of my life. I hope to continue to use what time I have left to be intentionally evangelistic and lead others the same way.
There is more I could say, but this short list will suffice for now. My goal in the fourth quarter is to finish well. I want to walk in close fellowship with Jesus, maintain healthy and helpful ministry boundaries, and enjoy the full and rich life that God has given me. I pray that for you as well.
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Todd Gray is executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. This commentary first appeared in Kentucky Today.
