It’s that time of year. Time to take an honest look at your health and body. Time to resolve to make some changes.
It may be time to go on a diet. And for people in ministry, it may be time to go on a ministry diet. Time to cut back on some things. Time to eliminate some things from the diet entirely.
If you’re ready to resolve to minister healthier, here are a few diet steps to get you started.
1. Stop idolizing famous ministry celebrities. Listen to other voices. Get some fresh perspectives–from outside the predictable, churchy, look-at-me machine.
2. Reduce your after-hours meetings. They’re dulling your senses and killing your personal life.
3. Drop your tendency to be the designated pray-er at every meeting and meal. Encourage others to pray. When you do all the praying, it sends the subtle message that only eloquent professionals can talk with God.
4. Be careful what you measure. Obsessing over attendance and revenue leads to poor health. Instead, weigh your effectiveness on the stories of individual life change and spiritual growth.
5. Stop comparing. Forget that other church that has bigger attendance, bigger buildings, bigger budgets, and bigger staff. Let God use you right where you are, with what he’s given you.
6. Control your compulsion to control. You don’t have to do everything–or have everything done your way. Let others shine. Even if they don’t do things just as you’d do them.
7. Talk less. Listen more.
So, that’s a start. What’s on your list for this year?
Important steps-and with all those reductions-one can start increasing prayer time -which is on my resolution list for healthy ministries.
Good points and as to point #3, as leaders, if we were more vulnerable and transparent, I think it could go a long way in changing people’s perspectives and ultimately the pressure they put on us to be perfectly holy, with not a care or doubt in the world. I’m taken aback by the people who seem surprised to find out their leader may have questions or doubts or may be hurting in some way, but we are people with hearts and souls.
Thanks for the reminders, Thom
Fresh and interesting perspective for ministry leadership! As we start the new year, so many of us set annual goals and resolutions, many of which include going on a diet. I liked how you tied this post to something we call relate to doing at some point in our life. Number 5. Stop comparing really jumped out at me. Thanks Thom for an interesting post!
7 for 7. You hit me between the eyes on each one, Thom. Gracias! My diet starts today.