Archive for the 'Pastors' Category
When Ministry is Defeating You
Pastors experience seasons when ministry defeats them. I have been there personally. At times, I still get there.
What This Looks Like
When ministry is defeating you, failure seems to be at your door continually. Perhaps ministry seems like it cannot return to what it once was before this season. Simultaneously, the critics are making themselves known loudly. You struggle daily, trying to move things along positively, but setbacks seem to be your daily challenge. You look around and nothing seems positive at all.
You determine to bring things back and set your gaze on the future positively. Yet, questions continue, insecurity abounds, and you are really not confident you have it within you to do what needs to be done. You try, but every decision is like climbing a mountain and every emotion is hyper sensitive.
People notice you are struggling and try to encourage you. While their intentions seem pure, their words seem so futile. You have stopped believing in yourself and even struggle in believing God can change the situation. This makes their words seem meaningless.
Have you ever been anywhere close to this? If so, what did you do? How do you press forward and get through to the other side?
3 Actions to Take When Ministry is Defeating You
To be honest with you, I have been there. And even a list of actions may seem like I am trivializing the situation you may find yourself in. Please know, I speak from some experience. I have done ministry a long time and if anyone has a decade under their feet, they have experienced challenges similar to what I described above.
What actions can you take to press through to a new day, filled with joy, peace, and hope in ministry? Let me suggest these three actions.
Action #1: Take it to the Lord in prayer daily.
No, I am not trying to spiritualize the situation, but in reality, your present status is worthy of continual prayer. We cannot ignore the dynamic of God moving in your life, lifting you up from your present feelings, and placing you on the higher ground of faith. Our God is able to restore your faith, readjust your perspective, and refresh your spirit.
Action #2: Gain perspective about where you really are right now.
When you are under the cloud of defeat, it becomes increasingly difficult to see matters as they really are. Gaining perspective is just not as easy as it was once. So how do you gain perspective?
I remember someone telling me years ago: Just remember, things are never as bad as they appear to be, nor as good as you think they are. This is why you need people in your life that will be honest with you from their perspective. It also helps to have people that are not always in your fan club.
Additionally, consider retreating from the setting for a day or two, attempting to gain perspective by seeing things from a distance rather than trying to gain perspective in the middle of the weeds. I believe at times this is why Moses went to the mountain. Yes, to pray, to talk to God, but also to see things from God’s perspective. This is what every leader needs to do periodically.
Action #3: Determine you are moving toward victory and plan accordingly.
The problem with this defeat syndrome pastors often experience is that there are times we just settle in and begin to accept it as the norm. A defeated leader leads negatively, and negative leadership leads to nothing.
Change your attitude now, and chart a path for yourself that will move you forward to victory. In reality, the only thing you can change is your response to the situation. Sometimes the situation remains the same.
Listen pastor, a little perspective for you: Ministry is full of seasons. Sometimes we have winning seasons and sometimes we feel we are experiencing some losing seasons. Things change. You change. Churches change.
Determine now that you are going to ride this out and move forward with a victorious attitude regardless of the season you are in as a leader. You will have a miserable ministry if you let the circumstances you face determine your level of joy. Refuse to do that.
Rise up, pastor! Go forward! Set your sights on victory! Charge!
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
How Pastors and Leaders Fight Their Battles
Have you ever sensed you were surrounded with insurmountable challenges? As a pastor and leader, times like these definitely occur. They test us greatly and reveal much about us. In times like these, how should we react and what should we do in order to overcome these challenges?
Learning From One Who Walked Before Us
There is a story in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 that illustrates the attitude we must bring to these kinds of moments. The people of Judah were in the thick of trouble. It looked as if it was going to be total devastation for God’s anointed people. Even Jehoshaphat, the warrior king, was afraid.
He became so fearful that he turned all his attention toward seeking the Lord in his life as he began to pursue God more intently than he’d ever done before. In his terror at the prospect of massive defeat, the prophet proclaimed a fast throughout all of Judah. He asked the people to stop eating until God prevailed in their situation. He understood the spiritual practices of fasting and praying.
Admitting Our Helplessness to God
Jehoshaphat knew that to fast before God was the best way to show his complete helplessness and humility before God. In 2 Chronicles 20:12 he makes this powerful declaration, “Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast multitude that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.” He learned something you and I must never forget: he renounced the natural to invoke the supernatural.
He declared, “God, I don’t want food; I want You. You are more important than food.” This was not a popular theme then any more than it is a driving principle in the hearts of large numbers of believers today. Yet, it is right. It is proper. It demonstrates our helplessness before God.
Worldly counsel teaches us that whoever ends up with the most toys wins. We want our cakes, pies, cars, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, toys, recreation, steaks, and mashed potatoes with gobs of gravy more than we are willing to feast on the bountiful riches and promises found in the Word of God. But when we’re desperate, we cannot have it both ways.
Knowing Our Answer is Not Found in Us
Whatever stands in the way or is idolized in our lives has to go and take its rightful place. The truth is this: We are powerless in and of ourselves. The answer is not found in us. And because physical food is not our ultimate source of nourishment, physical food must be seen in its physical perspective.
Like Jehoshaphat, we must be willing to renounce the natural to invoke the supernatural. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast for his people so they could once again see the face of God. They sought God and kept their eyes on Him. When they became desperate, they shifted their focus to God and away from their hopeless, degenerate, discouraging, depraved situation. Their choice was not only bold, but resulted in success.
Looking to God Alone
As pastors and leaders, we need to look to God alone. Our success is not in us nor will it ever be found in us. We need to look to God.
When is the last time that you set aside a day, a week, or a season to pursue God through fasting and prayer? Fasting is the abstinence from food with a spiritual goal in mind. It is when we deny ourselves the most natural thing in order to pursue the God of heaven to do something powerful and supernatural in and through our lives. When pastors and leaders engage this age-old biblical principle, we will wake up and experience success that God alone can give us.
God wants to give us hope for the present and confidence in our future. He wants to do something mighty in our lives, and that’s why He provides us with moments of desperation—to push us toward Him. When you are surrounded and the circumstances seem insurmountable, look to God.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.