IKE REIGHARD SAYS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S VISION BRINGS SUCCESS

by   Lee Weeks                                                                                                                                                                            Vol. IX, No. 3, March 1996

Like any successful business, there must be a vision if Christian ministry is to flourish. But the vision, Dwight "Ike" Reighard cautioned, must come from God.

"God says if you do what you're supposed to do, then you will be prosperous and you will have success," Reighard said Feb. 27 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Success is finding God's will and doing it"

Earlier this month, Reighard became senior associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Atlanta. Reighard had served as pastor 17 years at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Ga.

Reighard warned with God's vision will come attacks and obstacles aimed at undermining the divine plan.

"You do not struggle against flesh and blood, but there are powers and there are principalities and there are elements that are going to come against you," he said.

Still, Reighard said at the Wake Forest, N.C., school, Christians must hold fast to their calling no matter what Satan hurls at them.

"If you have put the time in on the front end to know that this (vision) is from God, then you're not going to let go of your dream even when it appears that your dream has died," he said.

Reighard recommended putting a God-given vision for ministry in writing by setting goals to make the dream a reality.

"You're going to live your life by default or by design," he said.

Reighard said pastors and other Christian leaders would do well to follow Jesus's philosophy for ministry.

First, Reighard said, Jesus "visualized" his ministry when he said, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost."

Jesus "verbalized" his vision through his teachings, Reighard said. And finally, Jesus "vitalized" his vision consummating his earthly ministry on the cross.

Likewise, Reighard said, Christian leaders who have a vision for ministry must lead by example.

"You will never lead people any further than you yourself are willing to go as their leader," he said. "Do not be guilty of the sin of partial disobedience." [BP]