categories: I'm curious, accountability, communication, community, personal, relationships, working together
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Ten Questions: Ministry Relationships
- Are the people closest to me in ministry lifting me higher or dragging me down?
- How have I intentionally developed the leaders around me in the past week?
- Am I speaking transparently with at least two other close trusted friends on a weekly basis?
- Am I submitting myself to the correction and coaching of at least two mentors?
- Am I holding a grudge against someone?
- Am I speaking well of other ministers?
- Am I falling for the temptation of comparing, complaining, criticizing or gossiping?
- Are my words and relationships characterized by words of faith or negativity?
- Do people enjoy being around me or am I often “down”?
- Have a made at least three new ministry friends in the last year?
Are any of these timely for you? What questions would you add on the subject?
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Craig, Great questions…and good timing for me. As a staff pastor sensing the call into a lead pastor role, it is easy to start measuring my current lead pastor with the “that’s not how I would do it.” I am determined to stay focused on developing the leader in me while praying through this transition. Thanks for these great self-leadership questions.
Great reminders, great questions… Do they teach this stuff in seminary? If not, they should! :-)
Shane, Don’t worry, when you are senior pastor and have a staff, many will look at you and think the same thing! :)
Scott, Didn’t pick this up in seminary!
Craig,
I like #3 since it’s easy to become insensitive to sin if we’re not being held accountable for it. This happens to me all the time.
Regarding #6 - how should we respond if another minister has teachings that are questionable, or unbiblical? How should we warn our churches of such people and their teachings while speaking well of them? Is it even feasible?
#2 I manage too much - rather than developing and empowering leaders.
#6 I have been hurt by another pastor and I have tried everything to build bridges. I am frustrated and although I keep my words to myself about him, I do get pretty upset. I think it might be time for me to just move on and let it go. Not sure what else I could do.
These are all great and I find myself practicing a lot of these principals… the one I could work on most is developing other leaders around me!
Great questions Craig! As far as number 9 goes.. People react differently towards me. I’m often told, “You can’t be that up. Look at all that’s happened in your life.” Of course I then just use that as the jumping off point.. You were just prayed for. I’m off to teach on the Sermon on the Mount.
C,
Being fairly new in town I am sort of the “New Kid in Town” so my ministry relationships here are shallow at best. I tend to be a very “up” person so I can usually pick someone up or stay above the fray when others are down But one I know I struggled with in the past (and probably still do to some extent) is the comparison game. I had the most trouble when pastors got together and started comparing notes. I first, wanted to compete with them and second, I had to fight against being down when I did compare my ministry. It hits me more as I get older because of the “what if I was younger” syndrome that runs over me at times, especially when I read their blogs. So I just had to stop comparing! :)
One suggested question: an area church just recently let their pastor go. I had lunch with him and my wife and I went out to eat one evening with them. Question: what am I doing to encourage a discouraged pastor?
Bill, Love your question:
Question: what am I doing to encourage a discouraged pastor?
Questions 1 and 2 just punched me in the face.
it may be incorporated into many of these you list but i have two…
1…do i “appear” available to others…i tend to marginalize people with the efficiency of my conversation and schedule. people are more than a to-do list.
2…has my faith made me love people more or less…it shouldn’t narrow my grid for people but it often does.
#9 can be tough as i often grind on the unresolved.
#11 Do you constantly get your toes stepped on, when reading swerve? Lol, Yes, in a good way….
Oooh, number 3. I need more people in my life I can be real with. I’ve got some but I don’t get together with them nearly enough.
Brad Ruggles
http://www.bradruggles.com
Craig,
I’ve recently started a weekly breakfast meeting with all the guys in my LG solely for the purpose of #3. The Warrior series has touched a nerve with several of them.
BTW, I’d like to invite any and all to check out my blog this week…I’m posting about “What God Doesn’t Know.”
See you soon, Craig!
Craig,
These are all great questions, thank you very much for posting them today.
I would like to second Mikes question:
“Regarding #6 - how should we respond if another minister has teachings that are questionable, or unbiblical? How should we warn our churches of such people and their teachings while speaking well of them? Is it even feasible?”
Mike and Brandon, You’ve asked a very fair and good question.
Maybe some others might want to jump in.
From my perspective, there are way too many people attacking other ministries for stupid things: very minor theological differences, stylistic differences, jealousy, etc.
If I err (and I might) I prefer to do it on the side of uniting rather than dividing.
Some are very passionate about correcting wrong theology. My passion is not to correct others as much as it is to try to be faithful in my presentation of God’s word.
For example, I’m not into the prosperity gospel, but I don’t have to criticize those who are. Instead I try to preach what I consider to be true.
Craig,
You said:
There are way too many people attacking other ministries for stupid things: very minor theological differences, stylistic differences, jealousy, etc
If I err (and I might) I prefer to do it on the side of uniting rather than dividing.
I couldn’t agree more, I want to unite a people who can say like Paul, “whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”
I think as a pastor or shepherd we have to protect the flock, we have to warn them against false teaching. I agree with you that we shouldn’t criticize the leaders of the prosperity gospel, but I believe we should warn our people of the dangers of falling into that type of teaching, if you don’t warn your people they will listen and follow leaders who are preaching another gospel and then they will begin to spread that message through the halls of your church. If you notice, almost every book of the new testament if not all the books warn about false teaching and false teachers. It was a big deal when the books of the bible were written and it is a big deal now.
Craig, I want to encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on the only one who can save, make much of the name of Jesus and always stay on your knees at the foot of the cross. I pray that the Lord will reveal more of himself and that Jesus would be more beautiful to you now more than ever. Keep seeking hard after Him. Delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.
2 timothy 1:1-5
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
1 corinthians 15:1-5
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
I have a question about having mentoring relationships. As a woman in senior ministry leadership I find it very difficult to find really many other women in ministry right around here, especially that would be willing to be a mentor. I have some people that I go to in order to discuss ministry challenges and most of them are men - and I have learned so much from them. Obviously I would not talk to them about the more personal areas of my life. I find it difficult to find a ministry mentor. Any ideas on how to pursue that relationship? I do have one lady that mentors me once a quarter but she lives in Illinois and I live in Sweet Home Alabama! I would love someone closer to home.
Brandon, Thank you for your prayer for Jesus to reveal more of Himself to me.
I hope I am warning our flock against false teaching… But not in an “I’m always right and everyone else is always wrong” type of way.
Jan asked about finding a mentor… Maybe someone can give her some good advice. I received a manuscript today by Nancy Beach to review. It might be helpful to you. Not sure when it comes out. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Lead-Leading-Woman-Church/dp/0310285968/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207103588&sr=8-2
i agree, we never want to be proud and think that we have all the answers, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Craig, continue to teach and show that Jesus is the greatest treasure, greater than his gifts, greater than any created thing.
romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. to him be glory forever. Amen
Craig I feel like the Lord wants me to encourage you with this…please keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
[...] Posted on April 2, 2008 by brentonbalvin Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch, poses 10 questions for pastors to consider about there [...]
Craig, Thanks. Nancy has actually been kind enough to do several phone appointments with me. I’ve sat in a couple of her classes and eagerly await her book. (out in June at Willow and online by August I believe) She has been hugely encouraging to me, but of course she’s so far away and well, so busy! I do plan on attending a one day “Women in Leadership” seminar at Willow in August that I’m thrilled about. I’m just stuck for someone a bit closer to home that is female and can understand something of the challenges of ministry. I appreciate the help!