NOTE: This is a revised version of a blog from last year.
People often assume that
Christians in public ministry are immune to sin and temptation. Christians in
the public eye often face the danger of assumed holiness. By that I mean, we
often assume because someone has taught it they have lived it. While there are
scandalous sins we constantly look out for in the lives of those who are in
ministry such as sexual sins, financial misappropriation, and/or failure in
marriage, there are some secret sins that often go unnoticed or unchecked.
These often render a man ineffective and unusable in the Lord’s work. What
makes these dangerous is their subtlety coupled with the lack of sincere
accountability in the ministry.
MINISTERIAL PRIDE
There is the obvious and
disturbing pride that you can smell and sense from a distance in a person, then
there is the deadly and subtle one that rarely comes out publically. It is the
pride that has to do with one’s motives for doing what they are doing.
Consequently someone can do a perfectly good thing and yet their pride is
fueling them. This pride is seen in two forms in ministry;
Glorying in results
In our desire to make a name for
ourselves we are so driven that we want results and we want them at all costs.
And when the results do not come we are discouraged and want to quit. As a
result of this desire for results you find people preoccupied with numbers. How
many people came, how many conversions did we get, how much was given etc. Now
obviously statistics are necessary but numbers do not equal success. One test
for not glorying in results is whether you are satisfied and joyfully serve
regardless of the numbers. Does a great Sunday mean it was packed and bad
Sunday mean attendance is low? The problem with glorying in results is that you
focus on the quantity rather than the quality.
Self-importance
The second sign of ministerial
pride is having a sense of self-importance. You soon began to feel you are indispensable
to the work or you make yourself the center of the work that you become
practically become indispensable to the sustainability of the work. You also
want people to praise you and acknowledge your work and efforts. It’s not
uncommon to hear ministers say things like “they do not recognize the work am
doing” imagine Jeremiah looking for recognition, such kind of whining can be an
indicator you have a higher of self than is biblical. The other way this level
of self-importance is noticed is in our response to criticism or opposing
views. Those of us in ministry should remember we are not all knowing, God is!
Statements like I agree with you but… or I see your point however… now
obviously there times you have to insist and hold on to your point because you
are right, but if you are always right then there is a big problem. Ministers
should not behave like politicians who have issues with those who oppose or
criticize them. Let us have the mind of Christ (Phil 2:1-10).
“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.” James 3:14
Pride will breed envy and
jealousy. Jealousy is hurt and bothered when others succeed. Jealous is seeing
God bless others and question His wisdom in giving others gifts and not you.
Jealousy makes us forget that every good and perfect thing comes from the
Father, who gives to all freely (James 1:17). In our pursuit for
self-importance we turn ministry into a competition, brothers in Christ behave
like supermarkets competing for consumers. And doing everything in their power
to tarnish the other’s name. Jealousy and its sister envy hinder fellowship and
partnership. Guard against this deadly sin, it ruins your soul. Instead let our
hearts thrill with joy and gratitude at the blessings and success of others.
When it comes to brothers and their ministry resolve to be their biggest
supporter and not their biggest critic as a result of envy!
MINISTERIAL LAZINESS
“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to
those who send him.” Proverbs 10:26
There is a danger of laziness in ministry
because there is no supervisor checking your logins and logouts. Furthermore a
lot of ministerial work is done in the closet so no one can really see whether
you are been faithful or not. It is no wonder that ministers are tempted to do
everything but their primary tasks of prayer and the study of the word. We
should remember that laziness does not always mean idleness, it is also means
aimlessness. You might be busy and yet you are busy doing nothing! Is it any
wonder that some ministers are often disorganized, terrible at managing time
and always doing things at the last minute? Laziness invariably leads to half
prepared messages and poor planning and before long the minister and the people
suffer from spiritual malnutrition, which then leads to unnecessary friction in
the church.
MINISTERIAL BRASHNESS
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her
own children. 1Thessalonians 2:7
A brash spirit is rash, impetuous
and mean. It is the opposite of gentleness. Gentleness is defined as “sensitivity
of disposition and kindness of behavior, founded on strength and prompted by
love.”[1]
It is one of the clearest evidences of salvation in a believer. The temptation
to be harsh and mean is ever present for ministers. It is easy to get fed up,
irritated with people and treat them with contempt. While leaders must be thick
skinned they should have a gentle and tender heart. Hotheadedness and rashness
in word, attitude or deed should not characterize a minister of God.
The words of Spurgeon to his
ministerial students are worthy of reflection for any minister.
“When God calls us to ministerial labor we should endeavor to get grace
that we may be strengthened into fitness for our position, and not be mere
novices carried away by the temptations of Satan, to the injury of the church
and our own ruin. We are to stand equipped with the whole armour of God, ready
for feats of valor not expected of others: to us self-denial,
self-forgetfulness, patience, perseverance, longsuffering, must be every day virtues,
and who is sufficient for these things? We had need live very near to God, if
we would approve ourselves in our vocation”[2]
This is very rebuking. Thanks Pastor.
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