Unhealthy egos have a way of choking a ministry. They inevitably turn attention toward the minister–and away from the message, away from the Body, and away from God.
But unhealthy egos don’t always recognize they’re unhealthy. So, here’s a handy pocket guide to detect a toxic ego.
You know your ego is out of control if . . .
. . . more people refer to your church by your name rather than your church’s name.
. . . your church’s website features a dramatic picture of you holding a microphone.
. . . you calculate how to inflate your image with self-deflating humor.
. . . you maintain a reserved spot in the parking lot.
. . . you direct your fans to a website named after you–billysmith.com, etc.
. . . you tweet things like, “I was humbled to see I was voted Most Popular Pastor.” (Humble people don’t cite their humility as they brag.)
. . . you convince yourself that you can handle any downsides of an oversized ego.
What ego detectors did I miss?
It’s a bad idea unless it’s your idea…
More indicators:
Every reference to the ministry of your congregation begins with I.
Your interactions with colleagues, especially the inexperienced ones, consist of stories about yourself.
You rarely participate in discussions where colleagues share hopes, dreams, disappointments, failures.
https://web.facebook.com/notes/10152852558940406/
This is so true. I once went to a conference at a church where all they could talk about was the pastor. The church website, rather than being firstchurch.com (made up name) was pastorsname.com. They all thought he was this big shot, but I’d never even heard of him before I went out there. I wondered how the church would survive when Mr. Big Shot went on to something else.
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN INFLATED EGO WHEN:
You think you’re the most humble person around.
You restrict your group memberships to those connected with churches.
You find it difficult to make ordinary friends outside of the clergy or the church with which you’re affiliated.
You believe humility is optional and not difficult to attain.
Ali, I’ve attended a church that was pretty much centered around the pastor’s ego and when he left, the church struggled. Many of the people who were in leadership under him left with him. Of the ones that stayed, it was like they were unable to make decisions since for so long he and his underlings told everyone what to do. Very sad
You know you have an inflated ego when you attend all team/committee/ministry meetings. If you can’t make it, you suggest they don’t meet.
How to Kill a Ministry All by Yourself:
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN EGO PROBLEM WHEN:
You exaggerate your past successes
You hog your pulpit
You accept praise for other people’s work and success.
We were in New Zealand recently and popped into a nearby church that was nearby. The guest speaker went on and on for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I looked around and noticed that he had lost his audience after the first 15 minutes.
He interjected his diatribe with “come on, come on”. As if he wanted the room to fully endorse his meanderings. My god it was pain full.
Inflated ego=a ministry can’t survive without you being a part of it.
When you deem it necessary to use an honorific title that precedes your given name.
https://web.facebook.com/notes/david-hall/titles/10153724663890406/
When you refer to the ministry that God has allowed you to manage as being “My” ministry.
Derek Prince who was a man called by God to perform amazing feats of missionary work especially in China and his ministry lives on after his death, said that 50% of pastors should not be pastors. They are pastors to cover up their rejection and lack of self worth which means that their self worth is their ministry, hence the mess they make of things because inevitably their focus is them not what they do.
Jesus is the only pastor. The rest of us are only his disciples and his students.
Isaiah 2
22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?
John 10
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Isaiah 2
11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
17 The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
Isaiah 26
12 Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
As far as worship:
Romans 12:1
A Living Sacrifice
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS6ex68qPi0
James 1
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.