The high price of ministry under pressure

Mark Beeson of Granger Community Church shared the following with his staff recently when one of his team members had to step down after some bad life decisions. I've seen first hand the pain caused by moral failures in leaders near me. The stakes are high. Accountability in ministry is so very important, leaders need to be transparent.

When a man comes to GCC I want him to be faithful to Christ. A married man’s first priority is his wife; he is to lay his life down for her and love her into a deeper walk with Christ. A family man adds the leadership of his home to the priority of ministry to his wife. I want him to become a man of God; I want him to follow Christ. I want him to reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously and expect God’s reward. I expect him to tithe and never rob God. Those who prove themselves faithful in all the above, distinguishing themselves as Christian men of ability and influence, are expected to leverage their SHAPE to add value to Christ’s Kingdom through GCC. I expect their loyalty. From among these unpaid servants of Christ I ask a few to step up to new levels of devotion and service. I invite them to join my staff and help me. I expect them to lead and serve the local church, doing for me what I cannot do alone. I expect their full devotion and I pay them well as they spend their lives honoring Christ in the pursuit of GCC’s Mission success. Some may bring honor on their lives and ministries through outstanding service. I pray for their success, their satisfaction and their families. I expect them to pray for me. I expect them to help me. I do not pay anyone for less than that or other than that. Those who soar in ministry discover more opportunities, and are entrusted with greater responsibility. I don’t knowingly hand over the people of GCC to anyone who compromises our ministry with personal sin, sloth or weak character. A man confused about his priorities is a dangerous man. Once positioned with influence, he is a threat to our mission. Such a man is not to be trusted with great responsibility. Every staff position at GCC requires great character and commitment. Most will never meet the demand or maintain the pace of GCC’s ministry; I do not expect they would. Many a leader has been benched by sin. Ministry wizards have been sidelined by character flaws and moral failures. Some have been pulled off the field because of bad judgment. Sad moments are the tragic result of moral failure. The stakes are high. This is not a race for those lacking personal discipline or commitment. I want you to have this document. I think it’s…I think it’s good to say all this out loud. I want you to know today, that I love you - all of you - and I am with you. While you are here on this staff this is what is required. To be paid, to be part of this staff, it is the standard. Most people that I love, aren’t on this staff and they don’t have to meet this standard. But to be paid on this staff, this is the standard that is required.

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