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Can you have ministry without regrets?
Michael McEwen, BR Content Editor
December 03, 2013
2 MIN READ TIME

Can you have ministry without regrets?

Can you have ministry without regrets?
Michael McEwen, BR Content Editor
December 03, 2013

Eddie Thompson, Baptist State Convention consultant for family evangelism and discipleship, taught a breakout session on ministry without regrets at the Baptist State Convention Nov. 12 in Greensboro.

Thompson has served as BSC senior consultant for marriage and family since 2008. He pastored churches in Monroe, Apex and Charlotte. Thompson has also served as president of Faithful Families, a ministry dedicated to strengthening and encouraging the family. For more than 20 years, he and his wife Janet have led marriage and family conferences.

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BSC photo

Eddie Thompson

Thompson said, “Around the age of 50, most individuals begin to really realize the number of regrets they’ve made through the years. We’ve collected many of them over 50 years, so how can we make powerful decisions now that make an impact for our ministries and our families?”

One of the biggest problems in ministry today, Thompson said, is teaching and modeling how to forgive in both the family and ministry dynamics. “The family is where most of our regrets occur. The prime disciplers of children are mom and dad. What if we learned then how to model forgiveness through discipleship in our own homes?”

Thompson said that one of the pastor’s greatest responsibilities is to equip the saints for ministry. “I do not believe that most of our equipping comes from the pulpit. The greatest equipping will come from life-on-life experiences with family and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

“So, listen to your wife and watch out for long-term stress, pastor. Most importantly, become an expert at identifying and handling conflict. Denial is a place where we go when we don’t want to deal with problems. Conflict can easily take over your homes and your church if you don’t stop it in its tracks.”