Dr. LeRoy A. Pennell
Over my 45 years of being a pastor, and now 4 years of pulpit supply, I have always tried to have a schedule and tried to discipline myself to keep that schedule. Obviously, there needs to be a bit of flexibility built in to take care of emergencies that may come up, ie: deaths, unexpected church and home problems, etc.
I found it helpful to plan my year at the beginning of the year, my month at the beginning of the month, my week at the beginning of the week, and my day at the beginning of the day. By doing this we are more likely to fit our priorities into our schedule and not leave them undone.
We need to do that with Soul-Winning. If we do not schedule it and plan it, it will not get done. Then, let your schedule be your boss. You should never wonder, “What am I going to do today?” Let your schedule dictate your day. By doing this you will find that you can accomplish much more with your time. Possibly, you can make a list at the beginning of the day. Have a time for Bible reading and prayer to begin your day. Let God speak to you before you try to speak with man about God. Bible reading, like Soul-Winning, is one of those things you must make time for and then stick to it. Of course, not all Soul-Winning times need to be structured or scheduled time. Some of my favourite Soul-Winning experiences have come at unexpected times. They were just Divine appointments.
Remember, people who live by a schedule get much more accomplished in a day than people who do not. We all wish we had more time and this is one way of seeing that wish fulfilled.
Bro. Pennell
We would like to invite any Independent Baptist preacher (pastor, missionary, evangelist, or retired) to offer helpful advice, experiences and thoughts that will encourage others in the ministry. I want others to hear what you have to say. If this is of interest to you, please email me your thoughts or suggestions. None of us will get ‘paid’ for any of this, but all of us will get ‘sharpened’.