There’s a verse on seeing the plank in our own eyes. Go back and read it if you need to. Servant leadership, healthy leadership, begins with the humility of us saying that, like Paul, we are the chief of sinners. There is no way to serve without embracing and running towards a leadership that embodies the humility of Christ.
Derwin Gray summed this up well at our summit, “Our God loves broken people because broken people are all he has to love. Being found in the Son means that we don’t have to run.” If you have a team you’d like to see functioning healthier, first ask yourself how you are part of that problem—and that solution.
Pastors at some time or another face the question: How can I help fix others when I have things that need fixing in my life? This lie deceives in two ways.
First, it brings the focus inordinately on us, not the Lord. In many ways, pastors tend to personalize all the wrongs they see around them. We tend to think that if we did evangelism better, our church would be growing. Or if we had a better discipleship path, our people would be going deeper in their faith.
Nothing kills a church quicker than a pastor or church staff member who thinks that he or she is the one around which the whole church revolves. Jesus was clear: he will build his church.
The other part of this lie comes down to what is meant by “better.” “Better” is usually subjective. Better than what? If we focus more on drawing closer to the Lord, on knowing him more, we can be sure whatever “better” is needed will take care of itself.
Derwin Gray said something that is worth repeating here and a hundred times over: “When Jesus is your all in all, you don’t give a rip what other people think. People OVER production.”
Before we look at strategy or plans, let’s first look to Jesus and to what he wants to do in and through us. After all, he led us into ministry, and he can give us the strength and guidance to help us continue, and finish well, no matter how long the journey ahead.
