Unlearning and relearning how to walk with God in ministry. Hosting events God's way - Part 2
Spiritually preparing for your events and your own walk with the Lord.
We’ve covered so much in part one, so if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend going back—it will bless you. When the Lord first spoke to us about hosting these events in churches and the surrounding communities, He reminded us to keep them in their proper place—on the wayside as we walk with Him. Friends, Jesus is the prize. He is the One our hearts were created for and long for.
God the Father reminded us that these events are not the main show of our lives. They were not what we are called to and they are not to become idols. Neither do they define our prayer life; rather, they flow out of our fellowship and intimacy with Him. As we walk with God, He gives us assignments along the journey. But, if we’re honest, sometimes we make the assignment the main thing, and it takes the place only God should have. Ultimately, when everything is done and the applause fades, the only One left is us and God. And He shouldn’t be our last resort—He must remain at the center of our lives. After all these events are for him and about him.
Colossians 3:1–4 says: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” I am convinced that life without deep friendship, surrender, and obedience to God through prayer, worship, and the Word is a lesser life—not the one He destined for us. I don’t know about you, but I want GOD—all of Him: His heart, His thoughts, His ways. After all he himself said the following: …”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
This has been a huge lesson for me. I’m someone who wants everything to go well; I can obsess over the details so much that I stop enjoying life until the event is over. That was how my heart operated in 2022. I loved the Lord and still spent time with Him, but I was consumed with making sure everything went perfectly, I was consumed with cares of life and the needs for the ministry. The event weighed heavily on me, especially since it was well known in our circles.
Ultimately I have learned that God is the One who brings the increase to anything He asks us to do—and He’s not obligated to make it what we want for selfish reasons. When we try to control outcomes, anxiety and fear creep in, and our hearts become easily shaken by circumstances. And so 1 Corinthians 3:6–7 keep me in trusting God: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
Not obsessing over an event or putting it ahead of my relationship with God has been such a blessing. I didn't do this willingly or intentionally but like I said the cares of this life come in and take the life God has intended for us to have. But now I have peace, joy, and the freedom to relax and leave the results to Him and in 2025, my husband and I were able to enjoy our walk with God regardless of how the event turned out—the challenges and the victories. He remains our best friend, our main focus, and the center of our worship.
Praying together, praying separately and with our volunteers.
Another important element of our ministry is praying together regularly for the ministry and for the different elements of each event. Josh and I set aside specific times during the week—particularly in the evenings and on Fridays—to pray together and listen to what the Lord is saying, seeking direction for what He wants for these events. We quickly realised that this ministry was started by God and can only be sustained in Him.
From December 2025, we also decided to regularly include fasting on a weekly basis in order to pray, seek the Lord, and intentionally create space for Him to speak. So, dear friends, pray about every element of your event and involve the Lord in every aspect of it. This includes the programme structure, who to invite to speak, who to select as volunteers, and what to preach on, etc. Proverbs 3:5–7 captures this well, encouraging us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Friends, if we want to grow in ministry with a clear conscience, purity of heart, and a genuine love for the Lord, we must admit that He is God and we are not. Therefore, we need Him and desire only to do what He wants.
We also did our best to pray together with a few volunteers and some church members. This is so vital because the Holy Spirit can work within the team to impart the vision for the events and the heart behind them, enabling all of us to serve together with the right motives. This is a standard we want to maintain within our ministry and projects. Those that did pray with us blessed us deeply and brought great so much confirmation and encouragement to keep going. We had individuals who came to pray for us, prophesy with us and over us, cover us in prayer, and fast alongside us. This was especially evident during the first event, where we truly felt carried by the prayers of others. In contrast, during the second event, we had to cover ourselves more than we would have liked, as fewer people walked with us in prayer, and we both saw and felt the consequences of that lack of prayer support.
Host the events with excellence, faith, integrity and the fruit of the spirit
Hosting events God’s way does not mean that there are no material needs to consider and pray through. For example, there are costs associated with the venue, supporting the worship band and speakers, ensuring we have technical support, and paying for posters and banners, all while striving for excellence. Trusting God financially has become easier as I have grown in the Lord, and I have also learned not to take on more than I am able to manage, although it remains a walk of faith.
We needed to pay for video promotion, posters, and flyer distribution, ensuring that the event represented the Lord well and created a welcoming environment where people felt comfortable expressing their faith in Him. This also involved how we set up the room and how it looked, while being careful not to override the presence of the Holy Spirit with our own atmosphere or ideas.
Another way we sought to live out excellence and integrity was by choosing to honour people that volunteered for the event. These individuals are incredibly valuable, and if we are not careful, we can overlook the faithful while focusing on those who fell short of their commitments. Therefore we made sure that we also wrote thank-you cards and gave small gifts to recognise those who gave up their time to support us. More than that, they served the Lord, and it was a genuine honour for us to acknowledge our volunteers and those who prayed with us and supported us in different ways.
Honour your speakers and worship band well: provide for their travel, food, or accommodation if you are able
As you think about who to invite, ask yourself a few important questions: Does the Lord want you to invite them? Do you already have a relationship with the speaker or worship leader, or are you inviting them solely because of their gift? Why are you inviting them—Is it to make your platform or event seem bigger or more important, or because the Lord has genuinely led you to invite them?
This is something I truly value and want to grow in: intentionally inviting those the Lord wants, and building relationships beyond each other's gifting. Sitting at a table together—or at the very least meeting on Zoom—fellowshipping, and getting to know the person beyond their gift is so important. Learning their story, their relationship with God, and who they are before serving together on a platform matters deeply because this is not a career or a business - this is kingdom work and we cannot use each other for our own gain. We need to invite people and do ministry with others where the lord instructs us to.
Josh and I have practised this at both events, and we cannot overemphasise how important it is. We asked the worship band and speakers at each event to meet with us a few hours beforehand so we could share a meal, pray together, and get to know one another beyond our roles as event organisers. Because not everyone lived nearby, we also arranged Zoom calls where we shared our hearts and vision and invited them to pray about the event. This approach has blessed us immensely. By the time we ministered together on stage, our hearts were already bonded to a degree, friendships had begun to form or deepen, and there was a shared understanding that the Holy Spirit was free to work through us for the sake of God’s people and His glory.
Honouring those who serve is also expressed through fellowship, time, and practical care—not using people merely for their gift, but supporting their needs where possible, such as accommodation, food, and petrol. This is why transparency is so important: being open about what is needed to attend, what we can realistically afford, and how we may be able to support them.
We also chose to trust God for their provision. There were times when we truly wanted to honour our speakers and worship leaders with an honorarium—not because they asked for it, in fact none of them did or demanded it; but because we valued them—yet we were unable to raise the funds needed. In those situations, the Lord enabled us to honour them in other ways, such as covering hotel costs, food, and petrol, while leaving the rest to Him. Ultimately, they came because they felt called by the Lord to minister or serve, and we entrusted both their hearts and their provision to God. Where possible, we were always honest and clear with speakers and worship leaders before confirming arrangements, so expectations and hearts were aligned on both sides.
What I have loved about every one of our worship leaders and speakers is that they trusted the Lord to provide and never pressured us financially. They did not place demands on us or present figures to us, and this generosity of heart made us want to support them as best we could. Some even took time off work, drove for hours to be with us and serve the Lord. It reminded me that what we are doing is for God. This is not a business or a career; it is service to the Lord and the preaching of the gospel. Therefore, both parties must trust God to do what He has asked of them. If the Lord asks someone to say yes to come and serve as a worship leader or speaker; then faith is required to trust Him for provision. In the same way, if the Lord asks us to invite someone, we must trust Him to provide so that we do not strive or struggle.
There are also other, more affordable ways to bless those who support you. For example, writing thank-you cards or giving small gifts such as chocolates or even making something. While we would have loved to honour everyone financially, we simply did not have the resources; however, we did not want to take people’s involvement for granted. Honouring them through handwritten cards, small gifts, and sharing meals together helped us grow in our understanding of hospitality, and we trusted the Lord to do the rest.
The final few points I will share in bullet form, allowing space for the Lord to direct you personally. What follows reflects what we were led to do, and what worked for us. However, the Lord may lead you differently. Be led by Him, not by a formula. This blog is intended to encourage you to walk closely with the Lord in ministry, not to replicate our approach exactly.
Leadership, accountability, and covering
Honour your leaders, your church, and those to whom you are accountable.
Share what God is placing on your heart with people you trust and invite them into the vision. For example, we shared our vision and plans with my in-laws, our pastor, and a few trusted friends. We asked for prayer and for discernment to confirm whether what we were sensing aligned with the will of God.
Advertising and sharing the event
Advertise and share the event as the Lord leads you.
We were led to vision-cast first with our senior pastor before sharing with anyone else.
We then shared the vision with local pastors from our church's plants hoping to get them involved.
After that, the vision was shared with church congregations and members.
Do not strive through social media or become anxious about numbers or motivations for attendance. Ask instead: Does the Lord want you to use social media? What tool should we use, Lord?
We created a video, posters, and flyers, but ultimately we were reminded that only God brings the increase. While these tools are helpful, the Lord does not want us to place our faith in them—our trust must remain in Him.
Friends, I hope this has blessed and empowered you to see that there is a way to do ministry without striving or cutting corners, but instead with purity of heart. This way may be longer, it requires obedience, and it often confronts and lays down our own ambition and fear. Yet in the end, it brings a deep peace—knowing that God has been served and glorified through both our hearts and our actions and our relationship with God remains intact.
May you encounter the Lord through this blog, and if it has blessed you, please share it with someone who may need it.
God Bless You
Sarah & Josh
