Some of you know my wife, Chantel Adams. She’s fantastic, and that’s unbiased!
She’s a gifted writer, thinker, and leader. She recently posted this on her Substack. As I read it, I kept coming back to how this works for pastors and ministry leaders.
Here’s her post, and I’ll follow up with some thoughts for us…
After more than 25 years as a stay-at-home mom, I’m getting ready to embark on a brand new adventure.
And a full-time one at that.
I wasn’t looking for a new career.
It found me. (**Cheesy, I know**)
Right now, my “new job” doesn’t feel like a job at all.
More like an answer to a prayer.
When I tell people who know me well about the new position, their jaw drops, and they say, “How did this happen?” Like I said, I wasn’t exactly looking for a new job.
For months now, I’ve been writing about the importance of asking the right questions.
And that’s how it happened.
I asked for it.
Perhaps that sounds a little too easy. I get it.
Let me walk you through these past few years. I may not have been working in the traditional sense of the word, but all this time I was learning and I was listening. Books like A Pattern Language, The Rise and Fall of the Great American City, Unreasonable Hospitality, The Art of Gathering, and others filled my bookshelves. In 2014, my friend Ginny and I started a nonprofit that connected kids who care with kids with cancer. For five years, we poured into young girls.
In my heart, I longed to create a permanent place of belonging and connection in my community. Gavin and I purchased a coffee shop. After the shop closed in 2022, I reevaluated my priorities and slowly began adding new roles to my resume. I said yes to a couple of board positions, started a book club, doubled down on my Bible study, joined the school council at my daughter’s high school. I established a consistent schedule for writing this newsletter. We intentionally surrounded ourselves with the voices of successful Christian entrepreneurs.
And I say this often: God doesn’t waste anything.
And then a few weeks ago, Gavin and I received an invitation for the grand opening of a place called New Ground Foundation not far from our home. It is the vision of Kevin Williams, a local Chick-fil-A operator, visionary, and adoptive parent in our community. I reached out with an email that simply said,
“As the kids have gotten older, I’ve found myself with more free time on my hands, and I’d love to get involved with something that has meaning and purpose right here in my own community. If you’ve got a short or long term project that demands organization, creativity, and vision, please reach out to discuss how we might work together.”
We scheduled a meeting for two days later, and the rest is history. For now, this contract is short-term, but full-time. I’ll be working as the program director for this incredible foundation that promotes growth, renewal, and meaningful connections—all things that are important to me, as well. I’m thrilled to be a tiny part of this brand new venture.
All this to say, sometimes all it takes is a question.
When opportunity knocks, will you be ready to answer?
NOTE: You can read the original post and subscribe to Chantel’s content here.
Let’s consider this in our church and ministry context.
Pastoral Reflection: Asking the Right Questions
What struck me most about my wife’s post isn’t just that she found a new opportunity. It’s how it happened. It wasn’t by chasing every possibility, networking endlessly, or manufacturing the “perfect plan.” It came through curiosity, prayer, and asking the right question at the right time.
Pastors can learn from this. Too often, we believe every breakthrough in ministry depends on more effort—more services, more programs, more hustle. But what if the breakthrough God has for your church (or for you personally) begins with a better question?
Three Questions Pastors Can Begin Asking
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Shift from “What should/could I do?” to “What is God already doing?”
My wife wasn’t forcing a new role—she was discerning. She watched, listened, and asked where her gifts could serve. Pastors, instead of asking “What can we add?” try asking, “Where is God already at work, and how can we join Him?” -
Ask: “Who can I learn from?” not “What can I copy?”
She spent years reading, listening, and surrounding herself with wise voices. Pastors don’t need to duplicate someone else’s model. You need to ask: “Who is God using to expand my perspective?” -
Ask for opportunity rather than waiting for clarity.
My wife didn’t have a master plan. She sent an honest email and followed up with a conversation. Pastors, what if you asked your community leaders, your congregation, or even God Himself: “Where do you need me right now?”
The Kingdom Principle
God doesn’t waste anything. The books you’re reading, the experiences you’ve had, even the struggles you’ve endured—they’re all preparation for the question He’s waiting on you to ask.
So here’s the pastoral challenge:
Don’t just pray for answers. Pray for the right questions. Then, like my wife, be ready to respond when God opens the door.
Dr. Gavin Adams
