Dangers to Ministry Leaders
I have been in ministry a number of years, serving in small, midsize, and large churches. There are ministry mine fields all over, and one misstep can ruin your family, ministry and influence that God has allowed you to develop. Here are some DANGERS to ministry leaders that I have observed over the years. Our ministries are in danger when:
1. We love ministry more than we love Jesus and the people to whom we minister.
2. We are busy with busyness than busy enjoying the joy of our salvation.
3. Our spouses and families get our leftover energy instead of our best selves.
4. Our spouses and children see more joy in our faces for ministry than for them.
5. We begin to believe and embrace our own press clippings.
6. Our primary motives for ministry are applause, recognition, and idolization from our peers.
7. We allow our accomplishments to cause us to accept and live with “reasonable” sins in our lives.
8. We allow our abilities and gifting to cause us to become less dependent on God.
9. We allow our addiction to success to cut our appetite for our desire for Jesus.
10 We allow work to replace solitude and activity to replace prayer.
11. We let the addiction to the praises of people to keep us from living the truth and convictions of God.
What other dangers to ministry leaders can you add to this list? With which danger(s) do you most identify? How can you guard yourself against these dangers in ministry?
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Tags: Calling, Leadership, Life, Self Reflection, Success
December 28th, 2009 at 6:02 am
I'd like to know more about #7. What is a "reasonable" sin?
December 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Oh, can I ever identify with #4.
Read this yesterday, and have been thinking about it ever since.
I speak for moms' groups, and these women love me. (Making a point – not inflating my ego. *grin*) They listen to what I'm saying. They tell me how much they appreciate what I've said. They thank me for making the time to come to them. And the ways I have seen God moving in their lives? It is simply wonderful!
I simply cannot NOT have joy for this ministry.
But my children? My pre-adolescent son would rather I "shut up" than talk to him sometimes. They complain about the things I ask them to do. They do NOT thank me profusely for the words I share with them, the meals I fix, the clothes I wash and fold for them. I could go on…
I know they love me. I love them beyond words. But there are certainly times in this ministry when joy is NOT to be found on my face.
Thinking about danger #4 has reminded me, I NEVER want my children to think I have more joy ministering to mothers than I do to them. Yes – it's easier to be always joyful in one than the other, but God has made me a mother FIRST, and I will not have my children taking second place.
Thankful that God's grace is BIG ENOUGH to carry me.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts!