I stumbled upon this photo and it instantly became a blog post in my mind (probably cause I could relate to the panic associated with this kind of situation).

There have been times when I’ve asked myself, “How did I get here?” I’m in way over my head. I’m traveling at speeds I can’t keep up with. I’m doing things I wasn’t cut out to do. I’m trying to please everybody all over the place… these are all symptoms of one.single.mistake: 

I become my own god.

Now, I don’t wake up thinking, “I believe I’ll take over from here God. I don’t need you. I’ll handle today on my own.” No. In fact, with the aid of my Accountability Network (you have an Accountability Network don’t you?) I get up first thing every morning and kneel quietly for a season at God’s feet without any requests – just listening.

So I don’t intend to be my own god. It happens gradually. A little decision to worry about something in the morning. A little decision to try and figure out a challenge on my own in the afternoon. And before I know it, I’m feeling like the motorcyclist in the photo. This is no way to stay strong in ministry leadership. I know it. But I need to keep a watch all.the.time.

Can you relate to this tendency? What do you do to keep from gradually becoming your own god?

They say, “quitters never prosper.” Really? I disagree. You and your leadership will certainly be better off if you quit doing these things:

1. Quit putting yourself down.
2. Quit trying to please everybody.
3. Quit looking down (check out Dan Rockwell’s post regarding this one).
4. Quit swearing (it makes you look and sound unprofessional).
5. Quit trying to be someone/anyone else but yourself.
6. Quit stealing others’ thunder.
7. Quit talking about yourself.
8. Quit spending more than you earn.
9. Quit pretending to have the answer when you don’t.
10. Quit wasting time watching TV.
11. Quit with the martyr complex. It’s ugly.
12. Quit with the savior complex. It’s uglier.
13. Quit eating after you’re full.
14. Quit procrastinating.
15. Quit whining about the lack of volunteers in your ministry.
16. Quit worrying (do you realize Jesus said this, not me?).
17. Quit giving your family all your leftover energy.
18. Quit avoiding the difficult tasks.
19. Quit putting off quiet time with Christ.
20. Quit taking the word of nay-sayers as fact.
21. Quit planning and strategizing alone without the wisdom from others and God Himself.
22. Quit trying to figure it all out (regain the wonder of a child).
23. Quit bullying in the name of Jesus.
24. Quit going to the store when you don’t have money to spend.
25. Quit reading this post and get out there and start quitting!

What else can you think an effective ministry leader needs to quit doing?

I am on the board of a church that is embarking on a journey into deep discipleship. We recognize that it’s a big vision. We firmly believe, however, God is leading us to be a place where people not only reconnect with Christ, but grow in relationship with Him.

As a result, I am reflecting on my own spiritual journey. I think about the times I’ve grown closer to Christ. I think about the times I’ve drifted away from Him. I certainly want the best relationship I can have with Christ. But there are certain barriers (boulders, if you will) that keep standing in my way. Here are the 3 most prevalent to me:

Success. I feel good when I get a win. It lifts my spirit. I celebrate. But, for me, these are times I forget about God. Maybe it’s because I rely on my own strength. I begin thinking I may have what it takes to be successful after all. That’s Boulder #1.

Freedom. I was born into a free country and raised in a Christian home. I am free to choose where I live, what I do for a living, what I watch on TV, what I eat for lunch, etc. But without an accountability network, this “freedom” shackles me. I need boundaries. Without them, I run the risk of going too far in my freedom and stunting my relationship with Christ. Boulder #2.

Distraction. Choices face me everyday. Choices in the pages on the Internet, products on grocery shelves, TV channels, iPod apps, books at Barnes & Noble, items on restaurant menus, etc. Choices mean distraction. Distraction keeps my mind so occupied I reach the end of the day wondering what I really ever did to cultivate my relationship with Christ. Boulder #3.

A dynamic walk with Christ is a dance; an art form. The boulders don’t care that I desire a deep relationship with Christ. They face me when I wake and are there with me all day long. I must daily dash around the boulders that seek to stunt my personal spiritual growth. One could call this a ”Boulder Dash“.

What boulders are unique to your spiritual journey? For example, do you find it difficult to study scripture just for your personal growth without thinking how it will preach to the congregation next Sunday? I’m interested in your thoughts.

Warmth.

It emanates from the wood burner as I think about this post. Heat generated by solid logs. Solid, that is, until they’ve done their duty. Now, as the job is done, they turn to ash. Soft, useless ash. After a season of fires I will clean out the ash pan. I will gather the ashes in a bucket and take them out back where I will dump them, never to be thought of again.

Logs – once solid wood, now worthless ash. A non-renewable energy source. May we never emulate the log in ministry leadership. Starting out solid, fresh out of training, heading to the fire. Then, over the years, getting soft and worthless. There’s a name for this solid-to-soft slide: burnout.

I propose another alternative: renewable energy. How? Frequent conversation with the God who called you to begin with. Frequent conversation with a small group of trusted friends who will hold a mirror to you. Little decisions, made daily, to check up on how your spiritual pulse is. These are all examples of a renewable kind of energy. There’s a word for this: burn.

How do you renew your energy in your ministry life?

What habits can turn us to soft, useless ash?