In the Book of Acts, we find the remarkable work of the ascended Jesus continuing to advance God’s kingdom on earth through the church by prayer. Christians are used to thinking about prayer as only a means to get their personal needs met. More mature Christians understand prayer as also a means to praise and adore God, to know him, to come into his presence and be changed by him. But there is another kind of prayer that is not well know. It is what we call Kingdom Prayer.

When Jesus enters the world, he brings with him a new age of kingdom prayer and calls us to enter it with him. Every aspect of the life and ministry of Jesus is deeply rooted in prayer–more than most realize. It isn't just a peripheral thing, it's the life-breath of how he serves the Father as the God-Man, and how he brings the kingdom to earth as the King of kings.

Throughout the Scriptures we find a strong connection between prayer, the kingdom of God, and the mission of God. Never forget that the success of the gospel in church planting and renewal depends not only on God’s sovereignty and the faithful preaching of the gospel—but also on the faithful prayers of God’s people.

It's hard to lead, but it's much harder to love. When Jesus was asked what the main thing in life is, he replied, "Love the lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, "Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22)."

It's very easy to be living for another day in the future, for the product or the accomplishment of your next major milestone. Author Isaac Rubin writes, "The joy and happiness from the process lasts much longer and can be much more satisfying over the duration of your life. But if you are totally goal oriented in a success oriented culture and if the product is the only goal, you will destroy much of the possibility for true joy and happiness in life."

Church leaders must be on guard against the danger of only seeing themselves as servants and soldiers of God, but not children of God. In John 15, Jesus said, "You are my friends." That's richer than merely being a slave or a soldier. 1 John 3:1 says, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" And a Father's love for his child is even higher!

One of the reasons many dropout of the ministry is because they have never learned the simple distinction between goals and desires. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

How many church leaders on their deathbed do you think wish that they had just spent more time at the church? At the root of our frantic propensity to overwork in the ministry, is usually the sin of pride, an exalted sense of our importance to the kingdom of God. The answer is not managing our time; it's managing our priorities.

In the trenches of all the hard work necessary in ministry, it's very easy for church leaders to become discouraged and depressed. It's especially easy to be seduced by the Success Syndrome Seductress! In this session, you'll learn how to balance your life and ministry priorities in the face of what can sometimes seem like impossible competing time-demands.