It might seem harsh, but sometimes we are just downright stupid! Why do we do things that will hurt us, those around us, and our ministries?
I don’t know, but over and over I’ve seen myself and others do these things:
- Try and do everything myself (= burnout and attitude issues)
. - Beg for volunteers (= not taking the time or energy to clarify a compelling vision that will draw people to my ministry)
. - Don’t equip (train) volunteers properly (= low quality ministry, also known as childcare)
. - Discount the value of developing leaders (= limited ministry potential)
. - Never encourage my team (= high turnover and bad morale)
. - Don’t connect my ministry to families (= what happens at church stays at church)
. - Neglect the equipping of parents (= arrogance of thinking I am the primary, spiritual investor in children’s lives)
. - Speak poorly of church leaders instead of handling issues properly (= being “that” person that causes the most damage in my own ministry)
. - Place my ministry over my family (= very misaligned priorities that will lead to significant regret)
. - Disregard my own spiritual formation (= perfect formula for personal and corporate failure in ministry)