3 Lies Pastors Believe

Dear Pastor, 

You are free. You are called to live and work in the world of truth, and yet you believe lies. Lots of lies. 

Lie #1: You must faithfully believe and teach the Scriptures and the script.

The first part is true, but the second part is a lie. The Scriptures were handed down to you. So was a script. The script was that stuff on your job description that isn't actually on your job description. Not everyone is tempted to live by the script, but I was--I am. Am I being careful enough? Am I being too direct? I hope I'm perceived as being _______ enough. The script says you have to have all the answers, even though the Scriptures are full of questions! The script says you have to be self-confident, even though the Scriptures place a higher value on humility. The script says you have to be a charismatic and an effective leader, even though the Scriptures speak more about servanthood. The script says that you have a reputation, a heritage, a legacy to steward. The Scriptures say that you are "stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4.1). The script says, "be constantly aware of the critic." The Scripture says, "It is the Lord who judges me" (1 Corinthians 4.4). The script is always playing to the audience. The Scriptures teach that you have an audience of one, and that One is already pleased (1 Corinthians 1.26-31). Dear Pastor, you are not free from the Scriptures, but you are free from the script!

Lie #2: Every season is harvest.

Nothing is true about this lie. I saw an advertisement from one of those church growth organizations that always makes me feel inadequate. "Summer is a busy time for pastors and churches as they gear up for the Fall." Crap. I thought the Fall was busy, and Christmas was busy, and the New Year was busy, and Lent was busy, and Easter was busy. And that there were three times to really maximize invitation. Spend a week with a farmer. Harvest is so special, because it is unique! Winter looks different than Spring looks different than Summer. Every season can't be harvest. There is a time to plant and a time to pick. There is a time to wait and a time to activate. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. You are not permitted a sabbath, but commanded one! Rest is not an option, it is a requirement. Dear Pastor, you are free from the relentless restlessness.

Lie #3: You have to be the composite best of all the best examples of individual ministers. 

This is a lie I hear internally, and is confirmed by so many external voices. We (you) should commit to intercession like __________. We (you) should be as politically courageous as __________. We (you) should be as prophetic as __________. We (you) should be as contemplative as ___________. We (you) should be a liturgical as ___________. We (you) should make catechesis or public witness or expository preaching or justice or evangelism or visitation or retreat ministry or men's ministry or... a priority. You should make 15 things a priority. It is a lie. I spent too many years trying to be as practical as Joyce Meyer, politically active as James Dobson, effective in exposition and communication as Alistair Begg, leading like Andy Stanley, brave like Mark Driscoll, a healer like Francis MacNutt, charismatic as one of my wonderful predecessors, and the list goes on. Then I realized NONE of them were as good at what the others were so good at. Freedom came as the lie was exposed. I had and have areas that need growth. But, I have to be me. As Oscar Wilde says, "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." The congregation needs Jesus, not you, in the first place. Let the ministry of Jesus be the center, the message of Jesus be the content, the ways of Jesus be the method, the sufficiency of Jesus be the comfort and rest. Dear Pastor, you are free from comparison.

There are more lies too, but exposing and rejecting these three would go a long way to ministering in greater freedom. Freedom from the script. Freedom from relentlessness. Freedom from comparison. The gospel you preach is "for you" too.