Dr. Howard Hendricks, professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, carried out a study of 246 ministry leaders. Each had been caught committing significant immorality within a two-year period.
What they had in common: all had believed they were immune to their failing.
In C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, the demon Wormwood mentors his nephew, Screwtape, to destroy the cause of Christ.
His tactic: Attack leaders where they least expect it.
When you think you are invincible, you are most vulnerable to self-destruction.
In writing The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good, I became even more aware of my own vulnerability. Good people doing good work are just as susceptible as anyone else to making a mess of things.
Understanding my weakness makes me want to ensure proper guardrails are in place, including:
- Understand your vulnerability. If the Enemy had a strategy to destroy you, how would he do it? What areas in your life are unprotected?
- Don’t let faith grow cold. In the study above, each leader had fallen away from daily time with God. A growing faith is a natural safeguard to sin.
- Be open to critique. In the Old Testament, prophets gave warnings. Often leaders didn’t heed them, and they harmed many. Are you open to criticism, as well as praise? If not, then you may be headed for disaster.
- Have others point out your blind spots. In the study mentioned above, none of the leaders had an accountability partner. We need to actively invite others to be transparent with us.
- Beware of pride. “The greatest idol that I see in the church is ambition,” said author Brennan Manning to a group of megachurch pastors. Pride is easily masked as a good thing because it can motivate us to have a bigger ministry or greater scope. But as a gateway sin, pride is the root cause of brokenness.
Without any question, I don’t have this all-together. But I am passionate about seeing leaders live well today, which starts with a recognition—we are capable of making a mess of things.
May 24, 2013
So true. I hope and pray never to fall from being obedient to God in such ways,
May 24, 2013
For these typical posts for leaders, I always ponder ways in which we can completely solve these kinds of issues from the laity side of things. I wonder if we could…
1. Not follow haughty leaders. Follow in the path of the humble.
2. Don’t follow those who have static faith. Follow those who change, grow, develop.
3. Don’t follow those who dish it out and can’t take. Follow those who engage in reciprocal dialog, willing to share the journey in all the strength-in-weakness that it entails.
4. Don’t follow those who are obviously blind to their own sin, or mask it with diversionary sleight-of-hand that is actually quite obvious. Follow those who will take of the Beatitudes as way of life, those with the actual beliefs that this is what “wins” in the end.
5. Don’t follow those proud of themselves, whether in their accomplishments, their status, their faith, their power, their family, ministry, whatever. Follow those who believe the Kingdom of God really is like a seed and its potency is in its Christlike kenosis.
At this point, individual leaders can choose who to be, who to follow, what matters most in how they lead. For those of you who are not vulnerable, cold-hearted in your faith, defensive toward critique, unawareness of blind spots and blindedness, and proud despite all that, consider looking back over your should with great frequency to make sure there are those still following. Many of us will no longer be behind. We many, instead, be pleading Christ’s mercies for those you “lead” and when and as necessary interview on the behalf of those who innocently follow you out of the fragile human need.
Awake, awake, arm of the LORD, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through? For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
May 28, 2013
All of us need someone in our life who knows us as we are, and who have the freedom to ask difficult questions and point out blind spots. Yes, it can be humiliating to open our thoughts and private actions to someone, especially when we try to maintain such a picturesque public image. But that’s kind of the point–to gain more humility and get rid of pride.
June 14, 2013
Benjer – well said. When we try to pretend we have it all together, I don’t think we fool very many! Better to bring people into our lives who know our Achilles heels and blind spots and love us anyway.
May 28, 2013
EXCELLENT. Thank you Peter!
June 14, 2013
Thanks Keith. I appreciate your encouragement!