Murray on Ministry

Pastors are usually all too aware of their weaknesses and keep their guard up there. But, often the devil comes in through the unguarded door of our strengths to make havoc of our lives and ministries.

* The pastor who is blessed with coolness under pressure, can seem unfeeling and detached.
* The pastor who is blessed with a desire to please and serve others, can become a slave to people-pleasing.
* The pastor who is blessed with a huge theological mind, can choke his poor lambs with indigestible doctrine.
* The pastor who is blessed with love for his work, can become a workaholic.
* The pastor who is blessed with a "burden for souls," can become severely depressed with the unresponsiveness of the lost.
* The pastor who is blessed with a sensitive heart, can exhaust and deplete his emotions in counseling.
* The pastor who is blessed with an administrative ability, can become diverted by committee work, minutes, reports and agendas.
* The pastor who is blessed with a "thick skin," can become immune to valid criticism.
* The pastor who is blessed with leadership skills, can become a manager more than a shepherd.
* The pastor who is blessed with a sense of humor, can become a foolish clown more than an ambassador of the King of kings.
* The pastor who is blessed with an eloquent tongue, can rely on his oratory more than on the Holy Spirit.
* The pastor who is blessed with a logical mind, can end up producing sermons that stimulate the mind but chill the heart.

How much we need to look towards our Almighty Christ, who is able to defeat every devilish strategy by giving us a sense of weakness, vulnerability, and need in the areas we think are our strengths. And, in a further display of grace, He also makes our weaknesses the stage for displaying His strength (2 Cor. 12:9).

Clinton on Conflict and Leadership Development

God will use conflict to point out areas of character needing modification, to point out or confirm areas of strength, or to point out areas of character missing entirely. Personal conflict can deal with inner fears, lack of self image, fear of failure, guilt, etc. The emphasis is not just on the insights learned about conflict, but also on the intended development of character orchestrated by God in those conflict situations.