“My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)” #6
Steve Childers July 27 2010 - No Comment
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)
This is the sixth in a series of blog posts called, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly.)” After many years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor, I think I’ve finally learned that one of the best kept secrets to surviving well in the ministry is to stop making the same old mistakes that others (like me) have been making for decades. Instead, let’s all start making some brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
We began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife, Shari Thomas, addressed the tough topic, What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting from the perspective of the church planter’s/pastor’s spouse. We then took a look at:
- Mistake #1 (these are in no intentional order), “Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success.”
- Mistake #2 Managing My Time and Not Managing My Life
- Mistake #3: Not Understanding the Difference Between my Goals and Desires.
- Mistake #4: Not Understanding the Difference Between Pursuing the Grace of God and the God of Grace.
- Mistake #5: Not Understanding the Way Up is the Way Down
Mistake #6: Not Understanding the Priority of People Over Programs
It’s been thought by all of us in Christian ministry (both clergy and laity) at one time or another: “I love God, and I love the ministry, but it’s just people that I really don’t like!” (more…)
“My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)” #5
Steve Childers April 15 2010 - No Comment
Mistake #5: Not Understanding that the Way Up is the Way Down
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts called, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly.)” After many years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor, I think I’ve finally learned that one of the best kept secrets to surviving well in the ministry is to stop making the same old mistakes that others (like me) have been making for decades. Instead, let’s all start making some brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
We began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife, Shari Thomas, addressed the tough topic, What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting from the perspective of the church planter’s/pastor’s spouse. We then took a look at:
- Mistake #1 (these are in no intentional order) called, “Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success.”
- Mistake #2 called, Managing My Time and Not Managing My Life
- Mistake #3: Not Understanding the Difference Between my Goals and Desires.
- Mistake #4: Not Understanding the Difference Between Pursuing the Grace of God and the God of Grace.
This time we’ll take a brief look at another common mistake church leaders make that I wish someone had told me about before I went into the ministry.
Mistake #5: Not Understanding that the Way Up is the Way Down (more…)
“My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)” #4
Steve Childers February 08 2010 - 2 Comments
Mistake #4: Not Understanding the Difference Between Pursuing the Grace of God or the God of Grace
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)
This is the fifth in a series of blog posts called, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly.)” After many years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor, I think I’ve finally learned that one of the best kept secrets to surviving well in the ministry is to stop making the same old mistakes that others (like me) have been making for decades. Instead, let’s all start making some brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
We began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife, Shari Thomas, addressed the tough topic, What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting from the perspective of the church planter’s/pastor’s spouse. We then took a look at:
• Mistake #1 (these are in no intentional order) called, “Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success.”
• Mistake #2 called, Managing My Time and Not Managing My Life
• Mistake #3: Not Understanding the Difference Between my Goals and Desires.
This time we’ll take a brief look at another common mistake church leaders make that I wish someone had told me about before I went into the ministry.
Mistake #4: Not Understanding the Difference Between Pursuing the Grace of God and the God of Grace. (more…)
My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly) #3
Steve Childers December 31 2009 - 4 Comments
Mistake #3: Not Understanding the Difference Between My Goals and Desires
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)
This is the fourth in a series of blog posts called, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)” After many years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor I think I’ve finally learned that one of the best kept secrets to surviving well in the ministry is to stop making the same old mistakes that others (like me) have been making for decades. Instead, let’s all start making some brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
We began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife, Shari Thomas, addressed the tough topic, What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting” from the perspective of the church planter’s/pastor’s spouse. We then took a look at
- Mistake #1 (these are in no intentional order) called, “Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success.” Last time we covered
- Mistake #2 called, “Managing My Time and Not Managing My Life”. This time we’ll take a brief look at another painfully common mistake church leaders make that I wish someone had told me about before I went into the ministry. That’s (more…)
“My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly) #2”
Steve Childers November 17 2009 - 5 Comments
“If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)
This is the third in a series of blog posts called, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)” After many years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor I think I’ve finally learned that one of the best kept secrets to surviving well in the ministry is to stop making the same old mistakes that others (like me) have been making for decades. Instead, let’s all start making some brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
We began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife, Shari Thomas, addressed the tough topic, “What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting” from the perspective of the church planter’s/pastor’s spouse. Last time we looked at Mistake #1 called, “Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success.” This time we’ll take a brief look at Mistake #2 (these are in no intentional order) I wish someone had the wisdom and guts to tell me before I began church planting/pastoral ministry more than 30 years ago. (more…)
My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly) – #1
Steve Childers October 12 2009 - 6 Comments
This is the second in a series of blog posts I’m calling, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly!). After decades of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor I’ve learned the hard way that most church leaders seem to keep making the same mistakes in ministry. I hope that this series will help some church leaders (including me) stop making the same old mistakes and at least start making some brand new, innovative and creative mistakes!
Last time we began this series with an introduction called, “Ladies First” in which veteran church planter wife Shari Thomas answered the tough question, “What I Wish I Had Known About Church Planting” from the perspective of the church pastor’s spouse. This time we’ll take a brief look at the first of my top ten ministry mistakes.
Mistake #1: Failing to Understand the Importance of How I Define Ministry Success (more…)
My Top Ten Mistakes In Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)
Steve Childers August 25 2009 - 10 Comments
An Introduction by Steve Childers
Introduction: Ladies First!
After more than 30 years of ministry experience as a church planter, pastor and seminary professor I think I’ve finally learned the secret to survival in the ministry: stop making the same old mistakes the rest of us have been making in the ministry for decades and start making brand new, bold, innovative and creative mistakes!
This is the first in a series of posts I’m calling, “My Top Ten Mistakes in Ministry (That I Can Share Publicly)“. But instead of starting with “My Greatest Mistakes–Part One” I thought it might be better to begin this series by allowing you the privilege of looking back at 25 years of real-life, in-the-trench church planting ministry through the lens of a good friend of mine, Shari Thomas*—a veteran church planter’s wife. (more…)
