It's that time of year.
Time to take an honest look at your health and body. Time to
resolve to make some changes.
It may be time to go on a diet. And for people in ministry, it
may be time to go on a ministry diet. Time to cut back on some
things. Time to eliminate some things from the diet entirely.
If you're ready to resolve to minister healthier, here are a few
diet steps to get you started.
- Stop idolizing famous ministry celebrities.
Listen to other voices. Get some fresh perspectives-from outside
the predictable, churchy, look-at-me machine.
- Reduce your after-hours meetings. They're
dulling your senses and killing your personal life.
- Drop your tendency to be the designated pray-er at
every meeting and meal. Encourage others to pray. When you
do all the praying, it sends the subtle message that only eloquent
professionals can talk with God.
- Be careful what you measure. Obsessing over
attendance and revenue leads to poor health. Instead, weigh your
effectiveness on the stories of individual life change and
spiritual growth.
- Stop comparing. Forget that other church that
has bigger attendance, bigger buildings, bigger budgets, and bigger
staff. Let God use you right where you are, with what he's given
you.
- Control your compulsion to control. You don't
have to do everything-or have everything done your way. Let others
shine. Even if they don't do things just as you'd do them.
- Talk less. Listen more.
So, that's a start. What's on your list for this year?
