The Top 10 Perils of Pastoring

It’s a wonderful privilege to be a pastor. It’s fulfilling to craft and deliver messages. It’s fun to build teams and reach goals. It’s rewarding to share in life’s most meaningful moments with the parishioners that the Lord has placed in our care. But as life-giving as ministry can be… it’s also fraught with peril. Ministry is a risky business.

Here’s my list of the top 10 Perils of Pastoring.

1. Rooting your identity in what you do – rather than who you are (in Christ).
2. Measuring your success by butts and bucks – rather than faithfulness.
3. Focusing all your energy on the Church and forgetting the Kingdom.
4. Performing for an audience of many – rather than an audience of One.
5. Using people to advance your vision – rather than loving them.
6. Reading the Word to preach it – rather than practice it.
7. Putting ministry 1^st – rather than your family.
8. Projecting an image of who you think you ought to be – rather than who you really are.
9. Developing a culture of comparison and deficit – rather than gratitude.
10. Serving out of emptiness – rather than overflow.