I guess criticism is just par for the course when you are leading a growing church. My goal is to simply outlast my critics.
Well, one of my favorite bloggers, Steven Furtick, posted the following word last week. Steven, who pastors the second fastest growing church in America, says...
In Mark 9:28, the disciples tried to cast out a demon. They were unsuccessful, and thoroughly humiliated.
In Mark 9:38, the disciples came to Jesus tattle-tale-ing about a man who was apparently successfully driving out demons.
He was doing good things. But he wasn’t doing it their way.
This guy wasn’t one of them.
Jesus was quick to correct: Whoever is not against us is for us.
Were the disciples really concerned about correct orthodoxy?
Or were they just jealous because this guy was producing results they were unable to achieve?
Usually, when someone is successfully doing what we’ve unsuccessfully attempted to do, we medicate our failure by complaining to God and others about how they’re not doing it right.
And we sincerely believe our motives are pure. Usually they aren’t.
“Yeah, that church is growing, but what are they doing about discipleship?”
Often a pastor who makes this subversive snide remark about another church isn’t motivated by a pure desire for discipleship. There’s a good chance he’s envious of the numerical gains that seem to elude him year after year.
When a mom critiques another mom, it’s often a reflection of her own frustration with her parenting abilities.
When you find yourself spending more time critiquing the methods and motivations of someone who’s doing a good work for God, check yourself.
You might be masquerading your own insecurity.
(Special thanks to Henry Blackaby for the thought behind this post. His little devotional, Experiencing God Day-by-Day , is still my #2 all-time favorite, right behind My Utmost for His Highest).
