Chasing the Lion, not building a resume

I've had a unique set of circumstances contributing to my spiritual and leadership development. By age 17 I had already gotten the chance to preach for over 400 young men at Georgia Boys State. Before I turned 21 I lead worship for a church of 500's youth group. I had seen ministry, and done ministry more than most before becoming an adult. These were defining moments in validating my call to the ministry. Since my call I've earned a Bachelor's of Science In Christian Ministries from Shorter University, and I'm 9 classes away from a M.A.R in Christian Leadership. While it's been almost 10 years since I surrendered to full time ministry I still get treated as if I just started. One reocurring theme I've found since I turned my profession over to God is people are going to be negative, and they are going to try and discourage you, but in spite of all that you have to be willing to chase the lion. (or if you haven't read the book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day) In other words you need to remember that John 3 calls us to move as the wind blows. What's important is the Hewbrew word that means wind also means spirit. God's word reminds us to move when the spirit moves you, and it may be much like the wind. Here's some challenging things I've encountered since age 18:

-2001: After I made a public decision about my pursuit to full-time ministry a former youth pastor of mine at the end of the service said "you know, it's not all games and pizza parties". He then went on to tell me why this was basically a bad idea.

-2002: I'm driving an hour each way from college to my home church to lead the youth band, and I'm doing practices a couple hours before youth starts. Right when we start a dad of one of th female singers comes up to me and informs me that he'll be staying for practice because I'm not old enough to supervise people properly. He then proceeded to tell me "I don't know what you think you're going to do until you have teenagers, because you can't lead a youth group until you have teenagers of your own."

-2003: I'm still leading the same youth band, still driving an hour each way every Wednesday night (while studying Christian Ministies at college) and I'm preparing them for camp. We usually hired a professional band for camp, but this year our youth pastor felt we were ready to lead. While at camp serving as the worship leader, one of the female adult volunteer's scold's me pubically for 3-5 mins about how rowdy the boys are being in their bunk, and that I need to do something about it. I had to explain that my job that night was pool duty (making sure kids didn't sneak out to go swim), and that the leader in charge of that room at that moment was her husband...she didnt' apologize.

-2004: I'm now 21 years old and a Junior in college. I agree to serve as a chaperone for the youth trip in Gatlinburg, TN for winter extreme. My (at the time) girlfriend and I were already in Gatlinburg because we were coaches for a cheerleading gym that just had a competition. That weekend I was in charge over 80 girls all under the age of 18 (my team won first place). The next day the church arrives and the youth pastor starts telling the kids who the leaders are. Immediately after my group is assigned to me, my girlfriend, and the other college aged leader a female adult volunteer publically (in front of all the kids) makes a angry plea for how college age students aren't responsible enough to take high school students around Gatlinburg. The youth pastor crumbles under the pressure and exclaims "if you don't have a mortgage you can't lead a group"...we were in groups of 8...1/10 of the responsibility that I had just a day before.

-2005: May 28 of 2005 I married my college sweetheart, and almost like magic I suddenly was seen as an adult. I was now a youth pastor at a small church, and I did ministry without too many negatives. People were actually excited to see a young couple serving God.
-2008: At this point my wife and I had our first child, and I was serving full-time at my home church as a staff member. I had much success at this position. Under my leader we increased our baptisms from 46 to 100 the very first year I was there. I felt the call to leave that church. I missed having a flock to shepherd. When I went to resign I was told that I hadn't really accomplished that much, and that I have so much to learn before I spread my wings...I resigned anyway.
-2011: After serving a thriving church in Texas I returned to my home town to follow God's direction. During my time in Texas God allowed me to baptize 30 students, and lead over 50 to the Lord. Our student ministry went from 20 students to over a 100 in less than 2 years. I cast a vision and church bought it giving me $50,000 to update the student building. It was a great time, and I grew a lot there. Now that I'm back I firmly believe God has plans for me to plant a church. After sharing that vision with my home church ministers I feel like I've moved back to pre-marriage status. Here's what's been said:
-You're too young.
-You don't have enough experience.
-You need to learn more.
-Yeah, your degree's are great, but they don't really help.
-It's great that you read church leadership, and leadership books all the time, but that's not real life.
-There are already a bunch of church plants.
-We don't want to see you fall flat on your face.
-I believe in 1 Tim 4:12, but Steven Furtick is the exception.

All I can say is praise the Lord we serve a mighty God who's way are higher than our ways. By the credentials we put on ministers Jesus Christ couldn't pastor any of our churches; he wasn't married, he was only 30 when he started his ministry, and he didn't have enough experience.

If you're a young leader, and God has given you a vision follow it. We are freuds and liars if we challenge our people to live lives of faith, but don't don't live like it. When I moved from Texas to Georgia it wasn't because I had a job lined up, it's because God told me to. He isn't interested in our resume's as much as he's interested in our hearts. If all I ever do is honor him with my integrity then I would count my "career" in ministry a success.