In our first full-length episode, Sean and Josh interview Rob Parkman about his ministry experience. Rob is an alumnus of Eston College and a regular lecturer for the college’s mini-semester courses. Currently, Rob is entering a new season of entrepreneurial ministry and brings a wealth of experience to our conversation.
The main theme that emerged from our discussion was that if you want ministry to remain exciting for the long haul you must learn to live faithfully while still engaging risks for God’s kingdom. Another key idea in our discussion was the absolute essential need for young people to become involved in mentoring relationships.
If you want to keep up with Rob, you can become friends with him on Facebook or follow his blog at www.robparkman.com.
Detailed show notes:
* Rob shares his story from how he came to faith, and his journey doing ministry with his wife Camille.
* Roughly 80% of people drop out of ministry, and the main thing that helps people remain in ministry is if they have a close friend/mentor (Rob has a great article about mentoring on his blog).
* What it means to think from an entrepreneurial mindset and how adding to your financial capacity opens doors for ministry.
* Rob mentioned Dan Miller, who argues that if you love what you do for work you will make more money than if you do something that pays more but you don’t actually like (from the book 48 Days to the Work You Love).
* The connection between small steps and the big picture. The goal in your twenties is to remain faithful. We need to learn to trust the process, even if we aren’t seeing the results we want. Most importantly, it is essential to establish a practice of daily time with God.
* Rob explains how important is it to have a partner who shares the call of God on your life, and how does giving up a regular pay check affect your wife and family.
* The idea of risk can reinvigorate our ministries and lives. If we start feeling like we are stagnating, it is important to trust God and pursue the gifts he has given you. In this regard Rob mentioned T. D. Jakes, who talks about “making yourself interesting again.”
* Why do people struggle to attain longevity in ministry? Rob argues that if you have been intentional about having mentoring relationships in your lives, you can stay encouraged, which is the most important part of staying in ministry for the long haul.
* We concluded with some practical tips on how to establish strategic mentoring relationships.
