One Sure Fire Way to Crash and Burn in Ministry

What’s the one habit that will almost always lead a pastor to a toxic place?

This one habit has negatively impacted thousands of pastors.

The results range from something as relatively minor as discouragement, to more devastating consequences such as resentment, joyless living, depression, and even suicide.

What’s the habit? Doing ministry alone.

Mark (not his real name) got caught up in a scandal a few years ago when an online dating service, that was supposedly completely private, was hacked. All the members’ names were made public.

Mark’s name was on that list.

Mark felt isolated and alone. He believed no one would understand and that his ministry was over, so he took his own life. He left behind a grieving widow and several children.

What Mark did was wrong, but so very forgivable—most importantly by God, but also by his family. They said as much.

His wife and family members all said the said thing: “We loved him. We would have forgiven him. Why didn’t he just tell us?”

Good question, but that’s what happens when we isolate ourselves from others. We listen to the wrong voices. The voices may be imaginary or real, but if they aren’t the voices of loved ones, or God Himself, listening to those voices can take us to a dark place.

So, what’s the remedy?

Better yet, what preventive actions can we take as a preemptive strike again our accuser and adversary?

There are many habits and practices that can serve as guardrails to keep pastors from driving their ministry off the road and into a ravine, but I’d like to mention only one:

Every Pastor Needs a Pastor

To insure no pastor serves and leads in isolation, every pastor needs a Paul;

Every pastor needs a Barnabas;

Every pastor needs a Timothy.

Please don’t attempt to do ministry alone. It usually doesn’t end in a good place.

When we have a Paul, we have a spiritual mentor to encourage us to not quit; to point out blind spots; to loving correct faulty thinking; and to help us learn from their mistakes.

Barnabas encouraged and accepted Paul when almost no one else would. A Barnabas is a peer who can come alongside us to spur us on, as we do him. Sometimes sparks fly when iron sharpens iron, but a Barnabas is ok with that.  

A Timothy gives us someone to speak into and invest in, as a Paul for his son in the faith. No matter how far along on the ministry journey you are, you’re at least a few steps in front of someone else that you can help.

Pastor, who is your Paul?

Leader, who’d your Barnabas?

Servant in ministry, who’s your Timothy?

I hope you can quickly name some.

One way to have all three is by joining a Mastermind group.

One of the beautiful things that happens as groups of pastors get together is that friendships are forged by people at different stages of their journey. A Mastermind provides a safe environment in which you can identify a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy.  

I wish Mark had had a Paul, who might have noticed some warning signs of trouble;

Or a Barnabas who would have challenged him to stay above reproach and be completely satisfied with the love he received from the Lord and from his wife;

Or a Timothy, a son in the faith, to be an example of a pastor who finished well.

It’s too late for Mark; but it’s not for you.

 I'd be glad to assist you. 

Please don’t do ministry alone. Contact us so we can help you find a group that’s a good fit for you.

For His Kingdom,

Les