As a ministry consultant and Chief Solutions Officer for Nxt Level Solutions, I get the opportunity to work with lots of different ministries and ministry leaders from around the country. It’s awesome to see how God is using each ministry’s unique approach, style and idiosyncrasies to share the gospel, transform communities and change lives. After leaving a visit with a church, the one thing that I always walk away with is this: “God is doing some amazing things everywhere and in ministries of all shapes, styles, sizes, denominations…”
On the other hand, I’ve come to the realization that it’s easy for ministries, groups, emerging movements and denominations to become what I call “ministry arrogance.”
Arrogance is defines as: display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride. Combine that with ministry and you have – ministries and ministry leaders who show a display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride.
Yes your ministry is doing great. Yes God is allowing your church to grow. Yes there are awesome core distinctions of your denomination. Yes people want to learn from you. Yes you are the sexy trendy thing. Yes you hold onto important traditions… No your ministry is not superior than any of the other ministries that God is using to draw people closer to Himself.
11 Signs You May Suffer From Ministry Arrogance
- 1. You spend more time focusing on how others “have it wrong” than you do on the things that you can improve on.
- 2. You laugh and shake your head at the stylistic differences of another ministry.
- 3. You think your worship style is the only way someone could possibly connect with God.
- 4. You can’t understand why so-and-so’s church is growing and their pastor is not even a good preacher.
- 5. You can’t believe that ministries would have the audacity to have that length of a service time (too long or too short).
- 6. You believe the issues that you care about are the only issues that everyone else should care about.
- 7. You discount New Media and Online Ministry as illegitimate ministry.
- 8. You allow your way and your preference to become “The Only Way!”
- 9. You think because the expert at the conference said it… It must be the way, the truth and the life.
- 10. You can’t believe that a ministry would use that version of the Bible seriously NIV is the Non-Inspired-Version.
- 11. You read this list and laugh it off and say, “Who does that?”
- Bonus:
When it comes to ministry you think BigIsTheNewSmall Wait scratch that, uhh that’s the name of my blog, somehow that has to be true. 
The bottom line is there are many more ways and signs that you may suffer from ministry arrogance. We are all susceptible to it and often times the only way that we can get away from it is by having an open heart, getting out and being exposed other ministries and truly trusting God.
I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body,
Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else. Romans 12:3-6 MSG (aka the hip hop slang version of the Bible)
Share your thoughts on Ministry Arrogance, these 11 signs or add signs to the list.
The 5 Championship Ring NBA Veteran Point Guard Derek Fisher was traded to the Houston Rockets and worked a buyout and chose to play with the Oklahoma City Thunder. As a Thunder fan that really excites me for the future and champion aspirations. Then Thunder will now have both Harden & Fisher who can both do some damage off of the bench.
