Have you ever met someone who seemed to have it all? I don’t mean money. But things like charisma. Charm. Winning smile. Talent. Able to hold an audience’s attention. Things like that. Intangibles. Along with those types of intangibles comes the expectation of doing something great or becoming a “go to guy.” People climb the corporate ladder with what is called a “rising star.” Singers climb the charts with “bullets” beside their name. Churches are rated as “The Top 100 Churches in America” or some other nonsense like that. Pastors are “rock stars” i.e. not that they lead a rock band, but they are the ones everyone wants to hear.
I just finished reading Vertical Church by James MacDonald this morning (Wednesday) and began reading one called The Measure of Our Success: An Impassioned Plea to Pastors by Shawn Lovejoy. Three or four pages into the first chapter entitled “What’s Wrong with Pastors?” Shawn got my attention like a freight train running through a small town at full speed. There are three separate thoughts on the same page so I want to include them all:
As ambitious self-starters, we can so easily begin to work for Jesus at the expense of working in and through Jesus. The more talented and driven we are, the easier it becomes for us to rely on our own ambition, talents, power, strength, intellect, and wisdom…I have told our church on many occasions that the greatest temptation I face is not stealing the money from the offering or having an affair; the greatest temptation I face is submitting what I do for God for what I am with God…Our greatest assets, when used outside of Christ’s lordship, become our greatest liabilities. The same talents and personalities that make us great pastors become highly destructive outside the bounds of the Spirit’s control. (p.17)
My head is still wobbly from the jabs. Please hear me out on this. What he says is true!! You know it. I know it. You know pastors who fit this. I know them. For way too long, I was one of them. Well, maybe not so much in the eyes of others, but in I was a “legend in my own eyes.” So add pride to the mix. Talk about volatile. But a pastor any person can only last so long and can only fool people for so long before it catches up to him/her.
That’s right. What Shawn wrote may have been pointed at pastors, but every person faces the same temptation. The greatest battle we all face, not just pastors, is the battle between our flesh and spirit. Doing things in our own strength and power. Thinking charisma will carry the day so no need to study. Stuff like that. Only so long…only so long…then it catches up and the fall crash is u-u-u-u-gly.
I would encourage you to pray for your pastor. I would also encourage you to pray for yourself lest you think you are beyond doing “your own thing.” Any thoughts?
I do pray for my pastor in this area regularly. I do it not because I have seen anything but a humble and giving spirit in him, it is just that I pray that he stays that way. I have known others in your line of work whose ego started to become an issue. It caused me to tune them out and look at them from a different point of view.
If I remember Rob is your pastor. I am sure he appreciates your prayers Daniel. You are wise in praying he will not change in humility and a giving spirit.
Thank you for the reminder to pray for my pastor.
The whole ‘performance’ thing must really weigh on you. The longer you do something, the better you (should) will be.
And I’ve always cursed the gift — you know that I can teach and communicate in front of people. I’ve done so many times and my heart was just as dark as can be.
You are right about the fooling only going on for so long…
It is easy to allow performance to kick in high gear with a reputation to keep. You’re welcome and thanks for coming by David.
Hi Bill,
It’s not quite the same for pastors as it is for other believers. The pastor is claiming leadership, maturity, knowledge of God’s Spirit and is asking others to follow him/her. He/she is asking people to allow them to lead and mentor them as God’s sheep. These leaders are telling others that they know the ‘way’. When in fact they may be struggling to keep their own spiritual heads above the waterline.
Another thought. Pastors and others may be trying to save a sinking ship. If God is going to sink it, there is nothing that can be done to stop him unless God changes his mind. We see this in the temple worship at Jerusalem. The temple was destroyed and torn down. The worship of God at the temple ceased.
Pastors need time to get it right. There may not be enough time left. I don’t know the answers. I just know that the problems are serious and the solutions seem very hard to come by.
Just as we know that the world needs Jesus. Someone can present something, present change, present a turn around. But to see it actually take place….this takes the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of God shaking something until it crumbles and falls so that a rebuilding can take place.
As the saying goes. What a tangled web we start to weave, when at first we practice to deceive!
You are right Linda in that it is not quite the same. we are under an injunction from God to “be faithful, in season and out of season.” Sometimes against a pastor’s best efforts the ship sinks. Although he may not be responsible, he feels that anyway.
Powerful paragraph Bill. This is a daily challenge for me, to lay my flesh/self down and focus on God. I think it’s also a challenge for most Christians.
I am enjoying the book so far Dan. That paragraph packs tons. My flesh/spirit “argue” all the time.
I think he is right.
It’s east to start to think that we have something that God really wants.
I think the only thing he wants from us is our sin and our recognition that we surely aren’t up to the task (of living up to His perfect standard.
Thanks, Bill.
No disagreement from this end Steve. Thanks.
I definitely think that we can all come to the point where we are just doing for Him instead of letting Him do through and for us. We even justify it and assume He is blessing us since we are working for Him.
Well said Larry. Justification is easy as well.
I have 3 pastors in my family. The one that is the “Rock Star” in my opinion is probably the least like a rock star if you just met him or didn’t really know him well. He would be embarassed to think of himself that way.
He doesn’t really do anything spectacular he just operates within his abilities, is a humble person, and is quite comfortable in his own skin. I think if he makes a small difference to someone he gets as big of a thrill as a “Rock Star” in front of a crowd of 1,000′s.
Everyone needs to know the limits of their abilities, operate within those limits and not try to sell the idea that you don’t have limits. You can’t fool all of the people all of the time. And the worst person to try and fool is yourself.
It is probably harder for a pastor because the expectations are so unreasonably high.
WOW what a great and insightful comment Jeff! First, I would love to meet your brother some day. But your words about knowing our limits, etc are so true. Thanks.
This reminds me of the passage regarding Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”. He begged (errr prayed) for it to be removed, but God did not.
May Christ’s power rest on us. May His power be perfect in our weakness.
Great passage Dusty! No place for self-effort or arrogance with that in mind.
Yeah, that’s tough stuff. I agree, our strengths can become our weaknesses when we turn them into idols. If anything points to us before God… We should be hearing the alarm in our heads.
Is my nose bleeding?
If your is then mine is as well. I fight this whole flesh/spirit thing daily.
Hi Bill,
I think what may need to happen is ‘rest’. Pastors need to give church members permission to rest and members need to give pastors permission to rest.
To rest until we hear from God.
We’re waiting for God to make it clear what is happening and what he intends.
We’re on our knees totally subject to God’s purposes. I think this is the position we are in. This was Paul’s position on the Damascus road. He was in bed after this event for 3 days until God sent Ananias to lay his hands on Paul.
I think the church has to acknowledge that it is defeated in it’s own efforts to keep itself alive. I think that this has been the problem. Refusal to believe this by church leadership. People are still coming aren’t they?
We see King David’s response. He put on sackcloth and went into his prayer closet and prayed and fasted before God. David was there for several days before it was evident that the child would die. King David accepted this.
I think the church is having real problems in accepting God’s timing and will.
No doubt rest is needed. many pastors are overworked but so are many of the people in churches.
I understand what you’re saying, but would just add, don’t let your confidence in your ability to help others be mistaken for arrogance. I think a health confidence is a good thing, and I think God does as well. It is only when we start thinking our abilities are due to our own greatness and not God generosity that we have a problem.
I am sorry if I gave the impression we/I ought to take confidence in my ability. I was trying to say the exact opposite. We are nothing without Him. Sorry if I gave that wrong impression.
You might have misunderstood me, I was saying that having confidence is ok in my opinion. I do understand what you’re saying. I think sometimes we people think having confidence is wrong. Arrogance is wrong, but not confidence.
Gotcha! I have no problem with your thinking. God gave us the ability to think and solve problems.
Yes, I have met lots of people whom I thought had it all. God has been showing me that I have it all when I have Him in my heart & let Him guide me in my abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever had confidence in my abilities, so it’s never gone to my head, but God is showing me that the abilities I have, are from Him & He wants me to use them for Him. I am learning to have confidence in my abilities, I know they come from God, I am where He wants me to be and that is not arrogance. I am the opposite, do not like to accept compliments or admit I can do something well…..again, God is changing my thought process. I always pray for you and our pastors.
There is nothing wrong with having confidence in our abilities but not let it get to arrogance. Thanks for your prayers for me.
Methinks everybody who claims to be His might suffer from this ailment from time to time…not just pastors.
Thanks for being honest my brother!
Honesty would help a lot if we would be Jay. I too think we all do to some extent. Thanks.
I guess it’s more high stakes with a pastor or church leader because you are influencing how people perceive and respond to eternity. You’re right though, we all face these dilemmas and tests. Do we follow our gut and abilities or do we wait on the Holy Spirit? Each decision carries its own momentum. Sobering reminder, Bill. Thank you.
I think you are right Jason with the phrase “more high stakes.” Eternity is in the balance. Thanks for your thoughts.
I read somewhere something similar – about how our greatest strengths can turn into our greatest weaknesses when we let them lead us away from dependence on God. It was a pretty revolutionary thought for me.
Bingo!