Comments on: When Ministry Is Killing You http://pastorforlife.org/when-ministry-is-killing-you/ Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:09:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jan Owen http://pastorforlife.org/when-ministry-is-killing-you/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Jan Owen Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:53:45 +0000 http://pastorforlife.org/?p=88#comment-65 what a great article. As a minister who's just watched the numbers plummet due to circumstances I cannot control, this was a healing word for me to read. Two years ago I reached a conclusion: "If it is up to my ability, my gifts, my skill, to grow this church or even to keep it all together, or to enable people to encounter God, then we are in deep trouble." period. I just don't have what it takes. I can say to seek God as I do - most days. :) Or I can say I will walk with you and we'll learn together. I can people with the love of Christ. But I will simply never be the best, the brightest, the most innovative. I just won't. I will be me, and for some inexplicable reason God has called ME. I don't know why. I agree that not only are our expectations completely unreasonable, they measure many times the wrong things. Our church was almost 1/3 larger two years ago. But I feel like I am more deeply aligned with God's purposes today. Two years ago we looked more successful. Right now I believe we are - very humbly - seeking God more. Which fruit do we look for? And yes, I too bought into the pressure........and was laid low when I realized I could never be that good. what a great article. As a minister who’s just watched the numbers plummet due to circumstances I cannot control, this was a healing word for me to read. Two years ago I reached a conclusion: “If it is up to my ability, my gifts, my skill, to grow this church or even to keep it all together, or to enable people to encounter God, then we are in deep trouble.” period. I just don’t have what it takes. I can say to seek God as I do – most days. :) Or I can say I will walk with you and we’ll learn together. I can people with the love of Christ. But I will simply never be the best, the brightest, the most innovative. I just won’t. I will be me, and for some inexplicable reason God has called ME. I don’t know why.

I agree that not only are our expectations completely unreasonable, they measure many times the wrong things. Our church was almost 1/3 larger two years ago. But I feel like I am more deeply aligned with God’s purposes today. Two years ago we looked more successful. Right now I believe we are – very humbly – seeking God more. Which fruit do we look for?

And yes, I too bought into the pressure……..and was laid low when I realized I could never be that good.

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