Pastor Ingram: Live a Legacy Life
Editor’s note: Mark Ingram is the newly installed pastor of Stewart Road Church. He joins the group of area pastors who write about faith topics on Friday’s Faith Page. This is Ingram's first column. He can be reached at contact@stewartroad.org.
Tomorrow I will celebrate 44 years on this earth. Although I’m starting to feel the changes in my body to older age, I appreciate the wisdom that comes with older age. In my 40s, I’ve learned to value the relationships God has put in my life. Helping others, mentoring younger ministers and helping others achieve their God-given purpose have been my aim in recent years. Everything was mostly about my conquest and self-improvement in my 20s and 30s. As I get older, my values have shifted to helping others make a difference.
My family and I recently moved to Monroe to pastor Stewart Road Church. One of the biggest reasons for moving 10 hours away from our home down south in North Carolina was to “Make a Difference.” Living a Legacy Life is the spiritual driver of my life at this point. My definition of legacy is defined like this: “Living a life in such a way that you make a difference.”
Psalm 112:5-6 says, “Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely, he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever."
What we do for ourselves usually dies with us, what we do for others lives beyond us. I love this quote: “You will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. Whatever you’ve acquired in this life, you can’t take it with you," author unknown.
Everything in this life will pass away, such as rulers, nations, professors and teachers, possessions, careers, houses, cars, political movements, 401(k)'s and everything in this life we cherish. That is the fact of life! However, Jesus and His Word never pass away. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35)."
As I turn the page to a new chapter of my life living in Michigan and pastoring a new church in this community, I’ve asked myself the question: What does “Legacy Living” look like? First, I think a Legacy Life requires a lifestyle of faith. Faith is referenced 300 times in the Bible. I’m not talking about belief, rather I’m talking about risk. Significant moves are never easy. At every level of life, a big step of faith is required. Think about it … graduation, marriage, starting a family, a new career, moving away from home. These are all monumental legacy-making decisions.
The second thing about Legacy Living is that it takes sacrifice. To do anything significant in life, we have to lay something down. As a church, we are called to lay down our personal agenda and convenience over doing what is right even at our own hurt. Sometimes this means losing members or offerings. We must sacrifice our needs and desires for the most Kingdom impact.
Lastly, living a Legacy Life takes generosity. I’ve noticed in my 40s I love to give more. Generosity and giving continue even when we are no longer present. Now is the time to start making a difference. It is my hope and dreams to make a difference in Monroe, Michigan.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Mark Ingram: Live a Legacy Life
