Foundations of a Faithful PastorSýnishorn

Are You Playing the Comparison Game?

It’s hard to be excited about another person’s success when you are struggling personally and that is no different for a pastor. In truth, it’s hard for most pastors to be excited about the success of the church next door, especially if the pastor doesn’t have access to the same resources and can’t offer the same ministry programs as the one with a church that seems to be growing numerically. What is more likely, is that jealousy could take hold of his thoughts if he is not actively guarding against that.

Jealousy can begin to work itself into personal conversations with members of his church about why his church is more faithful to the gospel and the one next door isn’t. It can begin to sound like making assumptions about the motivations of the pastoral staff of other churches in town rather than getting to know them and evaluating them on the faithfulness of their teaching of the scriptures.

Paul even points out that some people preached the gospel out of a rivalry with him (Phil. 1:15-17). He states that some people even wanted to cause him suffering as a result. Jealousy has the potential to drive personal attacks from one pastor to another. Furthermore, it has the ability to motivate a pastor to deviate from his biblical responsibilities to the church as he chases after what he does not have.

Application Questions

·Do you ever look around at churches in your city and find yourself critical about them?

·Have you ever been frustrated that another church in your city has grown more quickly than the church that you serve in?

·Do you ever publicly compare or put down other churches in your city?

·Will you take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 and commit to putting off any attitudes, words, or behaviors that reflect jealousy towards other faithful gospel churches in your city?