God has arranged it so that we are the only Bible that some people will ever hear. If we proclaim the message of the Cross in the power of the Spirit, Jesus will do the rest. Paul wrote, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tables of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:3). spiritual growth is important not only for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others who will be changed through the message we carry.
Example
Graham Cooke
The highest call of God on your life is to be a laid down lover of Jesus, full stop. From that place flows the joy and grace to love others. The Jesus in you is bright, full of hope, and captivating. By loving the Lord wholeheartedly, people will be softened by the purity of your heart and inspired by your hope and passion. Living fully redeemed and lovesick is the greatest invitation of our generation and the pathway to true revival.
Author Unknown
Every step you take creates a path for someone to follow.
Dave Harvey
A pastor is not called to be a template. We have to be careful not to create a culture where people feel obligated to mimic their pastors or any leader in the church. In the past, there has been some of that – certainly not explicitly taught by any pastors that I am aware of but has somehow been assumed.
Henrietta C. Mears
You teach a little by what you say. You teach most by what you are.
Eugene H. Peterson
We need to learn from the centuries of experience provided by our brothers and sisters in the church and in the Bible. A Christian who has David in his bones, Jeremiah in his bloodstream, Paul in his fingertips and Christ in his heart will know how much and how little value to put on His own momentary feelings and the experience of the week. To remain willfully ignorant of Abraham wandering in the desert, the Hebrews enslaved in Egypt, David battling the Philistines, Jesus arguing with the Pharisees and Paul writing to the Corinthians is like saying, “I refuse to remember that when I kicked that black dog last week he bit my leg.” If I don’t remember it, in the next fit of anger I will kick him again and get bitten again.
Gary Rohrmaye
I am a big proponent of the concept that Christianity is more “caught than taught” and that a person’s meaningful involvement in the process is critical to them experiencing the power of the gospel in their lives. This meaningful involvement takes time and persevering love.
Dr Dennis Anderson
You cannot see faith, but you can see the footprints of the faithful. We must leave behind “faithful footprints” for others to follow.
John of Kronstadt
People offend you, irritate you, breathe contempt and malice against you; do not repay them in the same way, but be gentle, meek, and kind, respectful and loving towards those very persons who behave unworthily to you.
James Charles J. C. Ryle
Fathers and mothers, do not forget that children learn more by the eye than they do by the ear… Imitation is a far stronger principle with children than memory. What they see has a much stronger effect on their minds than what they are told.