Leading from Satisfaction

Ministry has a way of making you feel bought.

Not intentionally. Not maliciously. But slowly. A major donor hints at what direction the church should take. A board member reminds you who keeps the lights on. A congregation member withdraws their tithe after a sermon they didn't like.

And somewhere along the way, you start leading with one eye on the crowd instead of both eyes on Jesus.

I've been there. After fifty years of ministry, I can tell you: the most dangerous trap for a pastor isn't moral failure. It's becoming a man-pleaser.

In the first century, patrons held enormous power. They provided money, influence, and protection. In return, clients owed loyalty, honor, and public praise. The relationship wasn't evil: but it was binding.

Ministry today often mirrors that same dynamic. We may not call our supporters "patrons," but we feel the weight of their expectations just the same.

Here's what changes everything:

John 15:16
> "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."

Jesus flipped the script. He chose you. He appointed you. He doesn't need your performance to feel good about His investment. You are not His client. You are His friend.

When Jesus becomes your ultimate Patron: the One whose approval you seek, whose provision you trust, whose presence you rest in: something shifts.

You stop calculating which sermon will keep the biggest givers happy. You stop shrinking your calling to fit someone else's comfort zone. You lead with freedom because you've already received everything that matters.

> "You are not behind. You are not being graded. You are being held."

That's the Christ-centered leadership the church desperately needs. Pastors who aren't for sale. Leaders who can't be manipulated. Shepherds satisfied in Jesus alone.

If you've felt the squeeze: the subtle pressure to perform, to please, to prove your worth: I want you to know: there's a better way to lead.

It starts with believing that God's love for you isn't a paycheck. It's a covenant. Unearned. Unshakable. Yours.

I wrote more about this freedom in The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly as You Are. If today's post stirred something in you, that article goes deeper into what it means to rest in His finished work.

Loved people become loving people. And satisfied pastors become free pastors.

Start by anchoring your identity in Christ's finished work, not in congregational approval. When you know you're already accepted by Jesus, you stop needing validation from everyone else. Lead from that security.

Honor their generosity while guarding your calling. You can express gratitude without handing over the steering wheel. Remember: Jesus chose you and ordained you. Your ultimate accountability is to Him.

Return daily to the gospel. You're not behind. You're not being graded. You're being held. Let His presence refuel you before you try to pour out for others.