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?