I got the job through the influence of a teammate on my college volleyball team, not because I was experienced in ministry or because I had any idea of what I was doing. It was a big church, around 1500 people in regular attendance. When I was 23 years old, I began my first ministry role as a high school youth pastor. The more influence I gain, the more grounded and accountable I need to be. I’m also realizing that this is a practice that grows humility. This practice has given me reassurance that I’m not going to stand up on the stage and say something inaccurate or heretical. In fact, recently, I’ve been sending them a full script. There are a handful of people that I invite to review my notes in the days leading up to the weekend. Something I’ve implemented over the last few years is what I jokingly call my “heresy police.” It doesn’t mean I get it right every time and it definitely doesn’t mean that every idea I have in the process is from God. Just because I have this gift doesn’t mean I’m infallible as a preacher. God has gifted me to study, interpret, and teach His Word. Is anyone involved in the process with you? Is anyone checking your work? Whatever the case, I believe there is a lesson here for the rest of us.ĭon’t fall into the trap of believing that whatever pops into your head as you study and prepare to preach is good and right. It seems to me no one was holding him accountable before or after his sermons. It strikes me that he must have been accountable to no one but himself in the process of developing his sermons. Part of the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill story involves Driscoll saying incredibly inappropriate things from the pulpit. In this post, I’m sharing three practices I’m currently engaging in to protect myself from…well, the worst version of myself that is capable of narcissism. I’ve made a vow to never become the kind of leader who can destroy a church and hinder the effectiveness of the Gospel in a community. We need to be realistic about the potential within all of us to slide toward narcissism, to revel in the attention and influence and lose touch with character and accountability. What scares me the most is the potential damage a leader can inflict on a congregation. The story is alarming on many levels and I believe there is much we can learn from it as leaders. It’s the story of Mark Driscoll and the church he founded in Seattle, Mars Hill. Many of you may be listening to or at least have heard of the Christianity Today podcast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |