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Next week marks 14 years since I became a senior pastor. My father was a pastor and as a child, the last thing I wanted to do was follow in his footsteps. He worked long hours, the job was stressful and he received a meager wage. My passion was music, but at the tender age of 16, I found myself behind a pulpit preaching at my father's church, desiring to one day lead my own congregation.

At age 27 I was called by a small church in Utah to be their pastor. New Pilgrim Baptist Church was one of the oldest African-American congregations in Utah, but constant pastor turnover was stunting the church's growth. It was a far cry from the mega-churches I interviewed with in other metropolitan cities. But everything that could possibly go wrong with my other job prospects did, until I was left with no other alternative than to move my family to Utah. Some would call it fate. I call it divine providence.

I was fortunate enough to have my father and other great mentors. But even though I was adequately prepared for ministry, I had to learn many lessons from experience. Over the years I have made many mistakes, but I have learned from them and made adjustments.

While I strive to be a good Christian leader, I remind my congregation I am flawed and often share some of my personal struggles. The Apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth, "Follow me as I follow Christ." He accepted the responsibility of leadership, but he made it clear he was not to be the object of their worship. Religious leaders set themselves up for failure when they lead people to believe they are perfect.

It is impossible to be a successful pastor if you do not care deeply about people. John Maxwell says it this way: "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." Of course when you invest time and energy into people, it can lead to disappointment, but it can also be rewarding.

It has been difficult to grow an evangelical church in Utah because the majority of the population is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have had to redefine my idea of success. The true measure of a church's success is not its seating capacity. A church is successful if it is being faithful to the Biblical mandate to spread the Gospel message.

Leading a congregation has its ups and downs, but when I look back over the many people whose lives I have had the opportunity to impact over the past 14 years, it has been well worth it. My father always said, "People will remember how you made a difference in their lives, through the love of Christ, even long after you're gone."

Contact Corey J. Hodges, pastor of New Pilgrim Baptist Church, at coreyjhodges@comcast.net.