If I hadn’t “failed,” I might be pastoring a bigger church today. But I would probably be a very unhealthy pastor.
I had been going down a very bad road. Failure stopped me. It caused me to re-assess, then change my wrong priorities.
I learned some very hard but essential lessons by failing. Including equipping me to help other pastors so they don’t repeat all of my mistakes.
4. I’m not Called to Do What Others Are Called to Do
What looks like failure in one church isn’t failure in another church. The same goes for success.
I live in an area of megachurches. It would be easy to look at my church’s lack of megachurch growth and think we’ve failed. (Been there, done that. Burned the souvenir T-shirt.) But I’m not called to do what they’re called to do.
5. Much of Our Blame-Making Is Contradictory to Reality
I can’t simultaneously blame my culture and the changing demographics of my neighborhood for limiting my church’s growth, while complaining about the big new church in town that overcame those problems.
6. Blame Is Contagious
Those who throw blame around tend to get it tossed right back at them. And they tend to surround themselves with other blamers. Which leads to …
7. Blame Never Built a Great Church
I referenced this idea in a previous post, Want a Great Church? Emphasize What You’re for, Not What You’re Against, so I’ll let you click over to that, if you’d like.
Besides, the title of this point is rather self-explanatory, right?
8. People Stop Listening
If we keep blaming others for our failures and shortcomings, we become The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Soon, no one cares what we have to say because nothing ever changes. And if nothing ever changes …
9. People Stop Caring
Compassion fatigue. When bad things happen, we feel for the people it happened to. But when the same person keeps blaming others for every bad thing that happens, instead of stepping up and taking responsibility, it becomes hard to care any more. And if people stop caring …
