If you have been to my counseling room at Center for Spiritual Renewal (CSR) East, or will be in the future, chances are you will play a little game with me. I like to ask pastors: “When you think about all the roles you play as a pastor, or the multitude of roles you are expected to play, or the countless tasks you are responsible for, what do you think is esa most important task you have?”
I know it’s hard to choose just one task, but humor me. Go and think about it right now. Do you have any in mind? You might answer: “Disciple people.” That’s a great answer and I want you to keep it near the top of your list, but it’s not the right answer! I won’t take the time to go over the other two common wrong answers, but that’s how it always happens. I don’t remember anyone answering correctly the first time.
If you don’t do the inner work of differentiating God’s plan for you from the plans of everyone else (especially those you lead), ministry will devour you!
Most pastors are very surprised when I reveal that I believe the task further Important for every pastor is “differentiation.” In fact, bewilderment is the most common response to this fundamental belief I have about what you do as a pastor. The two most frequently asked questions pastors have about my belief in the value of differentiation are these:
Question #1: Paul, why do you think differentiation is the most important task? further important for every pastor?
My Response: Well, do you remember Billy Graham’s statement in almost all of his revivals (and, by the way, how many times you have declared this yourself when preaching)? “God loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life!” I believe that differentiation is the most important task of every pastor because I have learned that God loves him (He really, really does!)—and everyone else They have a wonderful plan for your life. If you don’t do the inner work of differentiating God’s plan for you from the plans of everyone else (especially those you lead), ministry will devour you!
Question #2: Paul, I see some lists of “job descriptions” for a pastor throughout the Bible, and never I have seen the word “differentiation” in none of them. Where do you get that idea in the Bible?
My response: I have only one word for you: Jesus. Sit down with your Bible and a notebook (even if it’s digital), and read the Gospels from beginning to end. Write down each passage where Jesus said, “No” or “It’s not My time” or “It won’t happen this way.” Every time He did this, He was differentiating Himself from the plan that everyone else had for His life.
A couple of examples:
- When Jesus’ parents discovered that He was not in the camel caravan that had left the city, they returned to find Him in the temple (Luke 2:41-52). The perfect place (in my opinion) for Jesus to affirm the fifth commandment by saying, “I’m so sorry, Mom and Dad! I should have honored them!” Instead, when asked where He was, He declared that He was exactly where He was supposed to be—“Don’t you know that I have to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49, NLT).
- At the wedding, when His own mother asked Him to solve the problem of the wine running out, Jesus eventually performed that first miracle (John 2:1-11), but His initial response was: “My time has not yet come.” (John 2:4, NIV).
- On the cliff, as the angry crowd planned to throw him against the rocks below, Jesus did the “Teleporter of Life” move. trip to the stars” by “passing through their midst” (Luke 4:30, NASB). In doing so, he was essentially saying, “My day will come, but not this way or now” (Luke 4:28-30).
- Even on the cross, with the crowd saying that if He really was who the sign above His head said He was, Jesus could have lowered Himself and saved Himself from the pain. Because of His lack of response, He was basically silently shouting, “This is not the way this will happen!” (Matthew 27:37-44).
My fellow pastor, no matter your need today, whether it be:
- Know who is with you when you feel like no one is
- that you need a sense of affirmation when ministry is not going in the direction you thought it would go
- that you lack appreciation for everything you do
- that crippling insecurities are taking over your soul, leaving you wondering whether ministry is worth it or not
…know that “because you have participated in the gospel from the first day until now. I am convinced of this: He who began such a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:5-6, NIV).
Part of that work is paying attention to the inner, life-giving, soul work of staying connected to those around you, without allowing their responses or reactions to determine yours—which happens to be one of my favorite definitions of differentiation.
Want to read more about Leadership Health from CSR East Program Leader Paul Kuzma?
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