Do Not

Have you ever wanted to have an honest discussion about ministry at your church but were afraid to? Have you ever wanted to wrestle directly with Satan's lies so that you could finally heal from those terrible deceptions? Have you ever felt that something at church was off but you couldn't put your finger on the issue? Have you ever felt so drained because of ministry that you couldn't think straight?

My name is Cody Adams, and I have worked in youth and adult ministry for a total of sixteen years. I wanted to help others by letting them hear Satan's lies and God's truths so that God's amazing truths and guidance can transform them. Satan wants nothing more than to keep you quiet and stuck in your own self-doubt and insecurities. God wants you to see that you are being molded and shaped in amazing ways and that you should have a courage that the world cannot match. In DO NOT: The Don'ts and Do's of Ministry, you will find in each chapter a topic that comes up in ministry. Do you ever think about leaving your church? Do you struggle to be passionate? Do you struggle with what to do when your church has no vision steps? Do you thank God for blessing your church? Do you work ahead? These and many more questions are found within these pages.

Inside these pages, you will find Satan's attacks on your very soul. When you feel like you may need rest, what does Satan say to you? He tells you that you have things to do. He tells you that rest is a sign of weakness. He tells you that you must push through exhaustion and keep doing everything so you are a "success". I wanted you to wrestle with and hear what Satan says so that we can have a conversation together about those lies and then hear what God has to tell you. God wants you and I to hear the truth and be set free but we often ignore it because the lies of this world and Satan are louder in our hearts, minds, and souls.

If you dive into this book, you will find tough questions about church administration and leadership as well. This book will go into the simple church issues and the tough church issues. This will help you navigate the lies and deceptions that Satan throws our way and find the truths of God's Word. I have been in the trenches of ministry for many years and I want to help others avoid the pitfalls that I have seen or experienced if at all possible. Ministry is working with people and when you are dealing with people, you will find that things get more challenging than you ever thought. If you are working with students, you will have to deal with their parents as well and that may prove more challenging than you think. If you are working with adults, you have a WIDE range of ages and Satan will use these differences to try and separate you all where God wants to bring you all together. God wants the church to be focused on the mission and a vision of how to accomplish that mission. God wants all parts of the body of the Church to work together to glorify the Lord. These are all things that I would like to talk with you about as we journey together in this book.

I experienced much pain through ministry but what I realized was that that was not what God wanted. God wanted me to see that even though people can be cruel, God is working. God is shaping and molding each one of us to be more Christ-like each day if we let Him work. Not everyone listens to what the Lord is trying to speak into the very core of their being. Some are taking jealousy, anger, pride, lust, and all things sinful into their heart instead of being transformed by the Lord. Do not let those people stop you from being passionate daily for the Lord! Do not give up! Do the hard things and love God with every fiber of your being and then act on that every day!

Because of Christ,

Cody Adams