Like many of you, I have been listening to Christianity Today’s podcast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It is a sobering listen, and hopefully a powerful reminder that as ministry leaders, we need accountability both with God and with other leaders we can trust.
Chuck DeGroat, who is featured on the podcast, has laid out in great detail how narcissism can become so powerful in the context of the local church. If you are at all interested, you can read my review here or check out some significant quotes here.
In my opinion, it’s a must-read for anyone involved in ordination or the calling of a pastor, and can also help those of us in ministry to become aware of any narcissistic tendencies we might have, tendencies that if untreated, will become destructive over time.
Stu
This reflection first appeared in our weekly newsletter. To get content like this, along with our weekly selections from our library, click here.
Sermon Illustration Pages
Sermon Quote Pages
Liturgy Pages
total pages of content
Illustrations
Quotes
Liturgy
Blog
Thoughtful and practical articles on a wide variety of subjects all ministry leaders face
Don’t Miss
The Latest From Our Blog
Check out articles, featured illustrations, and book reviews on all different topics related to ministry.
What Is Missing in Our Leadership?
I don't know about you, but I've always had a hard time spending extended periods of time in prayer. Our lectionary author this week, Cody Sandahl shares his own struggles with a deep prayer life. And yet, he argues, this doesn't mean because it's not a strength, that...
A Critical Gap in Our Learning: Thoughts From the Founder’s Desk
Most children have already, or are about to, start heading to school. Education is one of those "givens" where I live, no one really questions whether or not it we should educate our children. Americans (and I imagine others) feel so strongly about this that you can...
What Is Our Calling, Really? Part II: Thoughts From the Founder’s Desk
A few weeks ago I brought up the topic of vocation, or calling. Right around that time, Frederick Buechner, whose work I had included in that email, passed away at the age of 96. His works have been significant for innumerable people, both directly and indirectly,...