Finishing Strong: Leaving a Legacy that Matters

I have fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I've kept the faith." These words from the Apostle Paul resonate deeply with me, especially as I reflect on my own journey at 60. Paul’s steadfast commitment to his mission is a blueprint for us all, and that's what we explore in this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. Join me as I share my personal reflections on legacy and integrity, drawing from Paul's inspiring example in 2 Timothy 4:7. We'll unpack what it really means to run the race of ministry with perseverance, even when the path gets tough.

Throughout our conversation, I reveal five actionable strategies to help you finish strong, just like Paul did. We'll talk about keeping your eyes on the eternal prize, the power of mentoring the next generation, and how to navigate the temptations that can lead us astray. This episode is for anyone who has felt weariness in their ministry journey and is searching for encouragement to keep the faith and finish well. Dive into these insights and find the inspiration you need to make a lasting impact, much like Paul’s letters continue to do centuries later.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Hi there, welcome to the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. I'm Todd Rhodes, your host and one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffingcom. If you've been following along maybe this is your first time here, but if you've been following along. Today we're wrapping up our two-week series on the Apostle Paul with a powerful theme, and I just think this is the best way to finish out our series on the Apostle Paul with a powerful theme. And I just think this is the best way to finish out our series on the Apostle Paul because this is how he finished. I'm finishing. He finished in 2 Timothy 4.7.

Speaker 1: 0:33

Paul writes, he says toward the end of his life in ministry, he says I have fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I've kept the faith. What a statement. Don't you want to be able able, toward the end of your life and your ministry, to say that Paul knew he was nearing the end of his life, but he could look back with confidence, knowing that he had given his all to fulfill his God-given mission? Now, I don't know about you, but that inspires me. I just turned 60 this year, so maybe it has some additional meaning for me. But it challenges me to ask myself what kind of legacy am I building. How will I be remembered when my ministry race is over? And, to be honest, this podcast is a labor of love for me, for whatever little bit that it helps anybody hopefully you but it's my way of running the race and hopefully finishing the race well and fighting the good fight.

Speaker 1: 1:32

Finishing strong isn't just about getting over the finish, crossing the finish line right. It's about running the race with integrity and with perseverance and a focus on the prize. It's about staying true to your calling, even when it's difficult, and there are some days where the work that I do at chemistry is difficult. There are some days where it's hard to record a podcast, even though I know that it's great for my soul and it's hopefully helpful to the people that listen. It's about investing in others and making a lasting impact for the kingdom, and that's what Paul was all about. Think about Paul's impact. His letters make up a significant portion of the New Testament. He planted churches, he mentored leaders, he spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, and his legacy continues to inspire and challenge us centuries later For crying out loud. The last two weeks, we've taken 10 episodes of this small, tiny little podcast, but what have we been talking about. We've been talking about Paul and his influence and how he finished his race. If he didn't finish the race, guess what? We wouldn't be talking about him here today.

Speaker 1: 2:44

So how can we finish strong like Paul? Because you may be tired and you may be, and there's a verse that says you know, don't grow weary in well-doing. You ever just feel like I know what the verse says not to be weary in well-doing, but dang it, god, I am weary in well-doing. You ever feel like that. I feel like that sometimes. But how do we finish strong? There's always temptation to give up or give in. How do we finish strong like Paul? A few practical tips. Okay, I've got five of them here for you. I'm going to run through them really quickly and hopefully they're helpful.

Speaker 1: 3:26

Number one firstly keep your eyes on the prize. Keep your eyes on the prize. Don't get distracted by the temporary things that come along or lose sight of the eternal. What is ultimately your goal in ministry? What legacy do you want to leave? Keep that vision in front of you and let that guide your actions. Keep your eyes on the prize. When God called you back in the day, maybe two weeks ago or 50 years ago, when God put a calling on your life. He called you to something. Keep your eyes on that prize. So that's the first one. Second one is mentor others. Invest in the next generation of leaders and equip them to carry the torch no-transcript. You've learned them and you can help them grow in their faith and their ministry. So keep your eyes on the prize, mentor others.

Speaker 1: 4:26

Finish with integrity. Live a life that reflects your faith and leaves a positive mark on those around you. That means you've got to be honest, you've got to be transparent, you've got to be compassionate in your interactions with others. It means you have to maintain your high ethical standards in all that you do. And honestly, man, this hurts. I've known some people and you've known some people. Chances are that screwed up on their integrity Okay, and they ended their race prematurely. They ended their ministry prematurely and it's going to be incredibly difficult for them to end their race. So finish with integrity.

Speaker 1: 5:09

Celebrate your wins I don't know how many times this has come up, just in the series with Paul but don't be afraid to take time to acknowledge your accomplishments and celebrate those victories, both big ones and small ones. It's important to recognize your hard work and to give yourself credit for the difference that you're making. I think Paul did that. He was very introspective and retrospective of the work that God had allowed him to do and then, lastly, leave a legacy of love. At the end of the day, the most important legacy that you can leave is one of love. Love God, love your people that he's put in your life, love your calling and let your love shine brightly through your words and your actions. So the bottom line for today the way that you finish matters. It matters. So let's strive to finish our ministry race with grace and with faithfulness and with a legacy that honors God man.

Speaker 1: 6:05

I hope this series. It's been really good for me. I've really enjoyed sharing and learning, digging into the life of Paul and what we can learn from Paul to help us in our current ministries. Like I said, if you've missed any of these episodes on Paul, there's 10 of them, today's number 10. You can go back and subscribe to the podcast. Go back and listen. I think you would enjoy them. All right, we will be back next week. We're going to start a couple of series, I believe. I think it's a couple of weeks on Thanksgiving and preparing our hearts and minds for Thanksgiving, so you won't want to miss that. That starts on Monday next week right here on the Healthy Church Dad Podcast. Thanks so much. Have a great day.