Our Experiences Are Not Generic Standards of Success in Ministry

Many years ago, when the Lord led me to begin teaching Dear Timothy for pastors and ministry leaders, I sensed that God wanted to strengthen and encourage His servants in their unique callings. One key part of that assignment was helping people find confidence in what God has specifically called them to do.

Too often in ministry, we are tempted to use our personal area of grace as a universal standard of success for everyone else—regardless of God’s unique purpose for their lives.

For instance, a pastor leading a mega-church might feel compelled to preach why every minister should lead 10,000 members—and imply that anything less is a failure to “tap into grace.” A church planter may insist that God’s will is for every minister to establish 100 churches in 100 cities. An itinerant minister may promote the idea that true fruitfulness requires a global, borderless travel schedule.

There is nothing wrong with these expressions of grace. However, we must be careful not to turn them into benchmarks for all ministers. Could it be that God simply wants some to do different things and to be content in their divine assignment?

Let us resist the urge to label the traveling minister as “distracted” simply because he doesn’t pastor a single flock. Let us not consider the campus shepherd—faithfully serving a student body that rotates every few years—as unambitious because he’s not planting churches in every city.

It is perfectly okay to recognize and celebrate the grace of God upon your life. But it is equally important to strengthen others in their calling, and not impose your path as the only valid one.

As Paul wrote:

“For He who worked effectively for Peter and empowered him in his ministry to the Jews also worked effectively for me and empowered me in my ministry to the Gentiles.” — Galatians 2:8 AMP

God is working uniquely in each of His servants. Let’s honor the diversity of callings and be committed to building each other up—not measuring one another by our own experience.