If you’ve been in pastoral ministry for very long you’ve heard all the promises to “Grow to Over 250 People in Two Months!” So now you have a bookcase full of programs collecting dust.
There is no magic bullet. So, now what?
This is not a hot new ministry that will make you “Super pastor! Able to leap the tallest steeple in a single bound!” but they will help you become more effective.
1. Let Go Of Ego
It’s easy to forget that “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 ESL)
Can you think of a time when your personal pride got in the way of your judgment? Has there been a time that you took exception to a constructive word of advice or counsel? How about those times when the leadership of your church decided to go in a direction that wasn’t your first choice?
Let’s be honest, every pastor would have to confess guilt in allowing pride and ego to get the best of them. So, what do you need to do? How can you deal with this?
My fellow pastor, get over yourself. As Corrie Ten Boom reminded us, “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work.”
Action Point: Where do you struggle with the attitude of pride and ego?
So, what do you need to do?
2. Stop Pushing
My grandfather was a small church pastor, the son of a small church pastor. He told me, “You can’t push a rope.”
The lesson: You cannot push your congregation into doing ministry. You have to understand that the success of the church is not about you. You are not the one in control.
You may be thinking, “but if I stop pushing, the church may fail. I don’t want this church to fail under my ministry.” But the church is not yours, it is the Lord’s.
Action Point: What are some areas of your ministry and life where you need to transfer ownership to the Lord?
3. Trust God
As the Bible tells us over and over, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)
Action Point: Where do you need to grow in your trust in the Lord?
4. Focus
The apostle Paul reminds us, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it on my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV)
The first thing to forget are your failures.
It’s easy to fixate on the tumultuous experiences of your past. They continue to haunt you, popping their ugly heads up at the most inopportune times.
For a while it feels like you are doing great, then out of the blue that “memory” is resurrected along with all the emotions that come with it. Next thing you know you experience the anger, the frustration, the brokenness of a previous bad experience.
It’s déjà vu all over again. Past failures are difficult and hurtful. Those negative experiences take their toll.
You may feel justified in your hurt and anger. But you must not allow yourself to become enslaved to them. To do so enslaves, paralyzes, and denies you of any hope and joy ministry can bring.
It’s easy to become entangled in Satan’s agenda which is to steal (your joy), kill (your relationship with God), and destroy (your witness). Only by surrendering to and depending on the Holy Spirit can you break free of the control to the very things that have kept you locked in fear, resentment, anger, distraction, and discouragement.
Action Point: What negative experience seeks to enslave you?
The second thing you need to forget are your past successes and blessings.
You cannot allow yourself to rest on your laurels in the camp of past accomplishments. They were great back then. But not sufficient for the moment.
Imagine it’s Thanksgiving. You pull into the drive at Grandma’s house expecting a wonderful meal only to find a clean kitchen and nothing on the table. You look at grandma in wide eyed wonder as she says, “Last year’s Thanksgiving was so wonderful, I decided we’re just going to sit around the table and talk about how great last year’s Thanksgiving was.”
As you focus on trusting God you learn that each day is another opportunity for a fresh anointing and work of God in your life!
Action Point: What is God doing in your life and church today?
5. Be Disciplined
Again, Paul reminds us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 ESV)
Here’s the key, do what you know you should do with consistency. The excuse of, “I’m too busy!” is often another way of saying, “I am undisciplined!”
Yes, discipline requires your investment and commitment. But that investment will result in an improved relationship with God, your spouse and family, your church, and your community.
Don’t miss this point. You may continue in an undisciplined spiritual and scheduled life and feel like you are successful. Don’t be fooled, you are missing a lot of opportunities to impact lives for Christ and blessings for yourself.
Action Point: Where is one area of your life where you need to apply discipline?
Think it over: What are 5 benefits you could experience if you follow through with these five essentials?
(Photo by Grace Lutheran Church | Flickr)
