I have learned over the years that there are some toxins inherent to modern ministry that can poison my soul.  Our ministry, which we would assume would enhance our relationship with God, can actually become a threat to our relationship with God.  These ministry poisons are subtle, but insidious.  Actually, these toxins can feed your ego and fuel your ministry success while wrecking your soul.

One such ministry toxin is Image Management.  We all know what it is to feel the need to prop up an external image that doesn’t match the internal reality of our soul.  It’s like getting a facelift when you have cancerous tumor living inside you.

The danger is that we can get used to it, comfortable with it, and adept at playing the Image Management game.   Think about this:  you don’t have to have a healthy soul to be seen as a success in ministry.  You are walking in a ministry mine field when your experience and skill and outward success begins to outpace your character and soul.

Many years ago while I was in school in Dallas, there was an old YMCA building right across the street from where I attended class.  They wanted to take down the old dilapidated building in order to erect a skyscraper.  Because of several other large buildings on the same block and some with historic value, they couldn’t just indiscriminately start pounding away with a wrecking ball.  This job required a different strategy.  For weeks everything on the outside looked very normal and remained unchanged.  The only thing we noticed was the regular flow of workers in hard hats.  After several weeks, we heard that the plan was to implode the building.  I will never forget going downtown on the Saturday morning they were going to destroy the building.  They had barricaded the streets cleared all traffic from the immediate area.  With no advance notice, the charges were detonated.  We heard the blast, but for a few seconds it looked like nothing was happening.  But, then, the walls began to crack and give way and the whole structure lazily fell to the ground in a cloud of dust.

That scene reminds me of a lot of people I have observed in ministry (including myself).  On the exterior, you would think everything is going well.   However, internally, imperceptibly, something destructive is happening.  They are being dismantled from the inside and they are headed for an implosion.
So, what’s the antidote?

Certainly there is no magic pill that cleanses my system from the poison of image management.  But, let me give you some ideas that might help you in your ministry journey.

1.  Get brutally honest with yourself.  Stare this issue in the face.  What is the condition of your soul?  Has there been spiritual drift in your life?

2.  Take ownership of your own spiritual life.  Don’t play the victim card.  Don’t play the “this is just a busy season” card.  You can’t blame the condition of your soul on your staff, elders, board of directors, or spouse.  You are responsible to lead yourself.

Filed under: Replenish