My Philosophy of Ministry
Clyde Godwin

When I was nineteen years old, I was asked who I thought Jesus was. Before long, that question led me to put my trust in him for my redemption. The answer guides me in my ministry today. Jesus is the good news for great joy that the angels promised. Jesus is the gospel. I believe that when Jesus is lifted up, he draws men, women and children to himself. As Martin Luther said, “he is the light for all other lights. Without him, all other lights go out.” It is my conviction and experience that when Jesus is central to the life of any ministry, there is a depth and breadth which reflects his presence here on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus has chosen his church to express his fullness and fulfillment.

The church’s highest calling is to express and experience God’s fullness through worship. Worship is the heartbeat of the church. Worship flows from a church in prayer. Jesus loved to pray and we are to follow his example. I am called to devote myself to prayer and to lead the church in prayer. Oswald Chambers wrote "prayer is not the preparation for the work, it is the work; prayer is not the preparation for the battle, it is the battle." Jesus loved the word and we are to follow his example. I am called to devote myself to the word and to lead the church in its love for the word of God. Worship in spirit through prayer and truth through the word allows the church to glorify Jesus by enjoying him.

With his joy, the church is chosen to express his eternal wisdom in the fulfillment of his kingdom expansion to every tribe, tongue and nation.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost and we are to follow his example. I am called to lead the church in being missional in everything it does. Through mercy and justice, the church is to demonstrate the power of the cross by word and deed. I am called to lead the church by loving lost people because of God’s promise to save his elect, his chosen people. In Isaiah 9:7, we are told “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”

A great leader in the church wrote that he was “like a man carrying buckets of water until I discovered a great river which carried me.” He discovered the river by believing the great and precious promises which have been given to us for Jesus' certain victory over sin, death and hell. I want to invite God's people to join me in the great river which makes glad the city of God. I want to live and serve in the power of the gospel of grace for the renewal of all things until his triumphant return.