I’ve been involved in pastoral ministry for over 30 years, and I have a desire to help everyone. But, I have learned the hard way that I cannot help every person who attends our church or who comes to me for input.
The following are ten kinds of people I have identified that are so entrenched in certain habit patterns that I cannot help them advance to the next level unless they make the necessary shift in their attitude or behavior.
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One of the greatest needs in the Body of Christ is to release the spirit of sonship (Read Romans 8:15). Since both the nation of Israel and the church were modeled after the biblical family structure its leaders were supposed to function more as spiritual parents than corporate executives. The apostle Paul said that we only have few fathers even though we have numerous teachers (1 Corinthians 4) those who have not been properly “fathered” in the natural can tend to walk with an “orphan spirit”. Unfortunately, many leaders in the church and marketplace still function emotionally with an orphan spirit even though they have been adopted as sons into the family of Father/God. Leaders with orphan spirits are limited in their capacity to make disciples and maximize their Kingdom purpose.
The Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 4:15 that we have many teachers but not many fathers in the church. During this Father’s Day season it is important to remember the significant role fathers play in the formation of both their spiritual and biological children. I speak as a person who functions in and understands both roles.
(In most situations when I am speaking outside of my local church I function as a teacher; with pastors and leaders to whom I am assigned I function more as a father with a teaching anointing.)
The Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest motivator and example of living a purposeful life that the world has ever seen! He lived by the scriptures since He is the living Word of God (John 1:1), this is why all the greatest books on leadership and management operate with latent biblical principles whether intentional or not.
As a person who started off in full-time ministry at the ripe old age of 21, I write the following out of personal experience and not only observation.
We desperately need young leaders to emerge! We older leaders need to help them come forth! That being said, there are some common mistakes young leaders make that could hinder their progress.
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There has been many articles of leaders in the media lately who take advantage of other people. This is a common pattern of abuse in which leaders use their positions of authority to take advantage of their subordinates or those looking to them for help.
There are many signs of abusive leadership, which can relate to leadership in the family, church, business, politics and/or any organization or voluntary association. Also, often abusers are themselves the victims of abuse.
Many years ago I was shocked when I realized that not all pastors have a strong gift of leadership. While that is okay, it is important to understand this to avoid confusion or frustration because of pastoral expectations and limitations.
There is a great tendency in human nature to crave the affirmation of other human beings. With some people, their need for affirmation is so great it hinders their ability to discern between the will of God and the will of man. What is more alarming is the fact that those who lead churches and Christian organizations are not exempt from this tendency.
