Bill Foster is a respected colleague, online friend, and yet another of us allegedly retired pastors serving a church. It is with his graciously expressed permission that I share the following here with you —

“To the Younger Shepherds: Lessons from the Long Road”

When I began in ministry, I thought my calling was to change the world through energy, vision, and relentless effort. I remember my first Sunday as a younger pastor… heart pounding, head full of plans, and a binder of strategies ready to go. I believed the vitality of the church depended on my creativity, my leadership, and my ability to inspire.

If I could speak to my younger self, and to you who are in earlier stages of life and ministry, I would say this: slow down. The Kingdom of God rarely moves at the pace of our ambitions. It moves at the pace of relationships, trust, and the slow, steady work of the Spirit.

Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:6 have become a compass for me: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Your role is to plant and water faithfully. The real, lasting, eternal growth belongs to God alone.

Some of the most important moments in ministry will not happen in the pulpit. They will happen in the quiet places:

• Sitting beside a hospital bed.
• Listening to a young believer wrestle with doubt.
• Praying in silence with a grieving family.

These moments will teach you that ministry is not about how much you can accomplish, but about how deeply you can be present; both to God and to the people He entrusts to you.

Micah 6:8 will keep you grounded: “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”That “walk” is not a sprint. It’s a lifelong pilgrimage.

And here’s something you may not believe yet: your focus will change. In the early years, you may think about building momentum. Later, you will think about building people. You will care less about being impressive and more about being faithful.

As you grow older, you may find yourself praying the words of Psalm 92:14: “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” That is my prayer for you … that you will bear fruit not through frantic activity, but through a life rooted in Christ, trusting that His slow work is always the surest work.

So, to you who are just beginning, or somewhere in between:

And never forget … your ministry is God’s work before it is yours.

Be faithful in the small things.

Be patient with God’s timing.

Be present with people.

— Somebody say Amen…better yet, follow his advice!