Comments on: Spiritual-Esteem 2 (of 4)

By: riddle

riddle — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:17:56 +0000

Craig,

I’d be really interested to see how you as a leader try to re-enforce appropriate views of how God values us while working on a fast-paced progressive, innovative church. I’d guess that ideas, innovation, and hands going up are celebrated as success with your staff. You’ve got several high producers on staff, from a variety of backgrounds, corporate, technology and the like. All (or at least most) want to please you, or their supervisor. And regular positive feedback on “successes” other than “spiritual-esteem” may be sending them mixed messages. What do you do to off-set this from being the means by which people’s jobs are evaluated?

I think this would help a lot of people if you’ve got an answer. If you don’t feel you have a great answer for this yet, if you wrestle with this with us, it would be helpful too.

thanks again.

mark

By: tony

tony — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:10:04 +0000

I agree - numbers are used to fill in spreadsheets, general ledgers, and performance pay plans - they don’t fill too many souls

By: Marcin Mizak

Marcin Mizak — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:27:13 +0000

Thank you Craig. -:)

By: Bradley

Bradley — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:01:22 +0000

I offer that faith pleases God and humility is what allows Him to use us most.

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:43:11 +0000

Since putting these practices in place I’ve noticed a complete change in the amount of peace I have inside. No longer am I swayed by the roller coaster of ministry. Instead I’ve been able to find my place in Christ and stand firm no matter what comes my way. However, some days are easier than others… that’s for sure!

By: brandonrichards

brandonrichards — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:39:22 +0000

I wrote something awhile back related to this post, though I don’t think it was really about esteem but it as much as destiny or calling. Here’s an excerpt:

God has called me to be transformed into the image of Christ, to be who He has called me to be, then I would have no choice to do what I was called to do.

Romans:
28We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Pastor Wendell Smith of the City Church in Seatle puts its this way:

“We tend to think of destiny and achievment, as accomplishments stuff to do. But God thinks of destiny as who you are to be. And if He could just get you to be who you are called to be, then you would do what you are called to do. If He could just get you to be an apple tree, you’d bare apples.”

We have it backwards, we think what we produce is what we are, rather God sees it as what we are is what we produce.

I suppose I’m just trying to find myself in Him.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:49:51 +0000

For me it always starts out as a desire to please, lead to and resemble Christ. The challenge comes when the natural results creep into the focus of my attention. It also seems to depend on the season of ministry. I’d love to say that I’m always connected to Christ in such a way that I never question who I am in Him, but there are times when the results provide validity and confirmation. Deep down I find myself wanting to be significantly used. When I realize these patterns that when I try to decrease so He may increase. The proper focus provides the necessary balance. Its my tightrope within ministry.

By: aaron

aaron — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:49:42 +0000

i’m in “ministry” and passionate about it becase I believe its right…and oh so wrong.
For me to point and complain without offering solutions would be wrong.
It’s in this being real with myself and God that i’m finding my idenity.

By: Kevin Connell

Kevin Connell — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:31:53 +0000

Thanks for the reminder on our success in Christ. There is a fine line between success in Christ and taking personal responsibility for the growth of your ministry. I enjoyed Craig’s message at Catalyst when he said something like - If you take the credit for the loss, you might take the credit for the gain. Great thoughts! I have enjoyed this self-esteem series! - Kevin

By: seeker

seeker — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:19:26 +0000

I had heard those things (I am not what I do, etc.) before in a time when I really needed to hear them. Why is it that I so often get caught up in my performance, my leadership, or my status, that I forget the one thing that God cares about… Who I am in Him, and all those other things are what He uses to shape and mold me into an ECHO of His love, compassion, mercy and grace!

By: Cindy Beall

Cindy Beall — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:07:42 +0000

I’m pretty sure that I’m not doing ministry for my esteem. Why do I know this? Well, because after all of the opportunities I’ve had in my life, you might think I’m absolutely, 100% certain of my ability. I’m not. Before any ministry appointment my prayer goes like this:

“God, I SO don’t know what to say to her or what she needs to hear or how I even got into this in the first place. Please do what you do best because I’ll completely mess it up if my hands are on the steering wheel.”

Then, when our time together is blessed, because He’s faithful like that, I walk away and thank God profusely that he used a broken vessel to help another woman know she is treasured and adored by her Heavenly Daddy.

Pretty cool stuff.

By: Avery

Avery — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:32:28 +0000

You know this post makes something deep inside me leap, and shout, and thank God…

You are extremely influential Craig… and have tons of ears listening to you… I thank God for this post, the perspective, and what may come of it…

I sincerely hope people take to heart, and not just hear what you have said and forget it…

I agree there is no greater measure of success, than living to please the Living God… period.

This reminds me of these scriptures…

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.(2 Corinthians 10:12)

But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.(2 Corinthians 10:17)

Your posts and transparency convicted, and then strengthened me concerning my own personal “spiritual esteem”…

By: Sheri

Sheri — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:26:35 +0000

Faith comes from hearing (to really believe WHO you are) - so let’s post some scripture supporting this.

By: Kyle P.

Kyle P. — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:59:36 +0000

This issue really hits home with me. If my boss seems displeased with my job performance (whether he truly is or not) I am a total wreck.

If only I would care more about pleasing my Father rather than people. (Gal. 1:10)

By: Corey Mann

Corey Mann — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:46:23 +0000

Your timing is amazing. Thanks for continuing to write and share.

By: Larry Mayer

Larry Mayer — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:31:51 +0000

This is such a rollercoaster ride for me. It is easy for me to connect the dots of a successful ministry [numbers, growth, and life change] with who I am and how I feel about myself.

Knowing that’s not healthy is not enough to keep me from doing it. On top of it all I have this weird need for competition. This does not help me get off the rollercoaster.

My best days of having a successful perspective is when I am most open with my wife and my accountability partner.

By: Joe Louthan

Joe Louthan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:13:38 +0000

Call me “Naive Non-staffer” but do churches really get obsessed with hard numbers week in week out? Is that necessary? Is that healthy?

By: Larry Boatright

Larry Boatright — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:52:24 +0000

Craig
I’m so proud of your humility and candidness. Honestly it blessed me to read this. I struggle as most people do with my “ministry self-worth.” I appreciate you sharing your struggles. The post today really spoke to me, I’m printing it out. I have such a tendency to judge worth and success by all of the wrong factors.

What would you say are the factors that really help you and your staff to maintain a balance between realizing your worth in God and checkpointing the “success” of the ministry? (meaning, you’re still keeping a thumb on all of those indicators, how do you find the balance?)

By: mike foster

mike foster — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:52:03 +0000

i think most people i meet in ministry who feel beat up and exhausted is because they fail to find their worth and identity in Christ. i think the kingdom would be well served if we all worked on coming up with new measurements for success. im afraid the current mindset of our success is not aligned with God’s values or how he defines it.

mike.

By: Craig Groeschel

Craig Groeschel — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:02:25 +0000

Andrew asked, “Would you give an example or two when God corrected your perspective on worth?”

From the first day of ministry, I found myself wrongly defining my worth based on performance and production.

I had to fail (almost burying a single adult ministry) to realize that God loved me for me and not for my success.

In my sick and twisted mind, I thought Amy would love me more if I had a growing ministry. I thought God would be more proud of me. When our ministry didn’t grow, but shrank, it forced me to receive their love for who I was instead of what I did.

My battle with this reignited with the growth of Life. I again found meaning in success. Somehow (and I’m not sure how), God has (is) stripping that from me.

In the past, I’d have to tell you how big we are or how fast we’re growing to feel good about myself. When I see others doing that (and I do OFTEN), I hurt for them because I know what a miserable place that is to live.