Average. Mediocre. Run-of-the-mill. Those aren’t terms you would want applied to your life or your work, are they? In fact, I bet they diametrically oppose the fire you had in your heart when you were called into ministry.
Though you wouldn’t want to admit any association with average thinking or mediocrity, you may have felt their subtle pull. They tiptoe in and whisper to you through your frustration, your uncertainty, your lack of time. Before you know it, they have you shifting away from your pursuit of excellence for God’s glory, focusing you instead on doing what it takes to get by from day to day.
When you understand the state of the average church and the personal wellbeing of the average pastor, it’s not hard to see why the devil wants you to be average. Attendance at the average church is declining by 9 percent every year. Nine percent is a dangerous number—small enough that you don’t notice the decline at first. By the time you do notice, you’re in deep trouble. That 9 percent drop in attendance generally equates to a 15 to 20 percent dip in the budget, on which the average church constantly is behind anyway.
Because it’s always under financial strain, the average church isn’t free to say yes to the ministry opportunities God brings its way. There’s a culture of constant need and begging—for money and volunteers.
The average church begins a search for a new pastor every 18 months. Sometimes finding a new pastor is easier than dealing with the underlying problems that keep the church caught in the cycle of mediocrity, but a new pastor never solves the problem for long.
Given these realities, do you think God has any desire for you to be average? You carry the awesome responsibility of introducing people to the Savior and discipling them to be more like Him. When it comes to that task, average doesn’t cut it. Average doesn’t lead to life change. Average is where the enemy wants you to live, because it is the precursor of ineffectiveness. Average is exactly what God is calling you to abandon.
I want to help you abandon average and have greater effectiveness in your life and ministry. My new book The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry is a relevant, step-by-step resource that offers profound yet practical insights to help you get back to the business of reflecting God’s glory in every aspect of your life! You’ll have the opportunity to explore issues of personal and professional growth, such as:
• Managing your stress level
• Controlling your emotions
• Dealing with criticism
• Setting godly boundaries
• Being proactive with your time
• Becoming a better spouse and parent
• Establishing healthy friendships
• Developing strong church systems
• Personally honoring the Sabbath
• Planning with purpose
• And more!
Join me on a mission to abandon average and reclaim a life of impact and excellence! Are you ready to go Renegade?
Nelson Searcy wants to help you take this next step now. To grab his new book for $1, with free shipping, visit RenegagePastors.com/PreachingNow. Nelson is the founding pastor of The Journey Church with locations across New York City; San Francisco; and Boca Raton, Florida. He personally has trained more than 50,000 church leaders as founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network.