Gary C Cowden, Program Director

Motivations in ministry may be as varied as the types of folks God calls into service, but at least one motivation seems common to many:  the desire to give oneself in service, to make one’s life count for something greater than merely living a comfortable life. Sometimes, people who have answered the call of God to minister to others are driven to prove their worth in terms of hours worked.   Unfortunately, that giving of oneself in work can become the worship we present to God.

It is certainly a worthy goal to be a servant of others, a virtue embraced by the gospel.  Still, those who minister or lead often gain great self-satisfaction from their busyness, to the point where it can become a source of spiritual pride.  Does it feel good to be so busy that you can’t take time for “small” things?  Do you feel your spouse is unspiritual because she resents the commitments to ministry you have made?  Is your ego inflated when you must turn down some fun activity because the demands of ministry are too great?  When you finally collapse on the sofa after a late night hospital visit, do you mentally collect the hours and activities of your day and lift them as your fellowship offering to the Lord?  Surely He must be impressed by your busyness, even if your wife is not!

Setting priorities is a good thing, and certainly every effective leader must manage his or her time in appropriate ways to accomplish tasks efficiently.  But many of us cannot say “no” to any opportunity, and find our time spent in areas where we are not suitably gifted - just so the work can go forward (as if there was no one on earth who could do it except us).

What suffers in our daily grind is what brought us here in the first place:  a love for God and a desire to sit at his feet as a devoted disciple.  Ministry demands can rob us of time with the Master.  The spirituality we espouse to others is lost in the hectic schedules we keep.  Norman Shawchuck and Roger Heuser say it well:  “Many church leaders fall into the trap of equating ministry with spirituality.  Ministry and spirituality are related, but they are not the same.  Ministry consumes energy.  Spirituality restores energy.  Ministry not supported by an appropriate spirituality is ultimately doomed to boredom, stagnation, disappointment, infirmity.”  One of the greatest lessons a minister can learn is to take time to feed the soul.  Apart from that, work for the Kingdom will be limp and lifeless.

At Strategic Leadership Institute, we recognize the stresses pastors and ministry leaders face.  Of the four modules in the SLI Experience™, two are dedicated to developing the spiritual base for ministry.  We want to call Christian leaders back to their first priority:  that of being, rather than doing; of restoring the soul of the servant to the Shepherd he intends to serve.  Come to a quiet place so you can love the Master more and serve well where He has gifted you.

Rev. Gary Cowden is the Program Director for Strategic Leadership Institute.  For more information on any of the programs we offer, contact GaryC@StrategicLeadership.org or call (877)248-7944.