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“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” Luke 8:14 (NIV)Pastor, it’s hard to hear God when your mind is already full.Ministry fills our minds quickly. We have sermons to prepare, people to shepherd, decisions to make, and needs that don’t wait their turn. Add the constant noise of screens, messages, and expectations, and it’s easy for your inner life to become crowded before the week even begins.Jesus describes that danger in the parable of the sower. He says, “Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants” (Luke 8:7 CEV). The seed wasn’t bad. The soil wasn’t empty. The problem was competition.The weeds were already there.Jesus later explains what those weeds represent: “They are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14 NIV). Notice the result—no maturity. Not failure. Not quitting. Just a life that never fully develops the fruit God intended.That’s a warning pastors need to hear.You can preach faithfully and still feel spiritually crowded. You can lead well and still be slowly choked by worry—about your church, your family, your future. You can be consumed with finances—budgets, giving, sustainability. And you can stay busy with good and enjoyable things that quietly leave no space for God to speak.Jesus names three weeds in particular:Worry. Pastoral concern can easily become pastoral anxiety. When pressure fills your heart, God’s voice can get drowned out.Riches. Ministry finances, personal provision, and the stress of “making it work” can consume more mental space than you realize.Pleasure. Even rest, entertainment, and good distractions can become noise if they never allow room for stillness.Here’s the thing about weeds: They don’t need encouragement. They grow on their own. And when they appear, they don’t mean the soil is bad—they mean it’s time to tend it.The same is true spiritually.The presence of weeds doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means God is inviting you back into attentiveness.So this Monday, don’t rush to fix everything. Pause instead. Get quiet. Turn down the noise long enough to listen again. Clear space for the voice that first called you.When all the circuits are busy and the weeds of worry, riches, and pleasure are choking your relationship with God, it’s the perfect time to pause and get quiet. Take time to clear away the noise so you can hear God’s voice more clearly—before you try to carry anyone else this week.

A lot of ministries begin with a bang. They launch with energy, excitement, and early growth. But after that initial surge, many of them plateau.I’ve heard this story not hundreds—but thousands—of times from pastors over the years. I’ve seen it happen in women’s ministries, men’s ministries, small groups, children’s ministries, singles’ ministries—almost every kind you can imagine. There’s early momentum, and then things stall.When a ministry plateaus, God may be telling you something important: You’ve reached the limit of what he’s empowered you to do by yourself.God doesn’t want your ministry to stagnate. He wants it to thrive, and he wants you to thrive as a leader. Scripture gives us clear warnings about leadership traps Satan loves to use to slow down, sideline, or sabotage lasting ministry.Here are seven errors to avoid if you want your ministry to endure.1. You stop growingAny time you resist a new way of doing something, defend the status quo, or oppose a change God is prompting you to make, pay attention. That resistance is often a warning sign.The antidote is simple—but not easy: Keep growing.Keep developing your skills, your character, your perspective, your vision, and your dependence on God. Never stop learning. Read widely. Revisit Scripture often. Spend time with other believers. Listen, study, and stay teachable. Growth isn’t optional for leaders—it’s essential.2. You stop caringA leader who loses passion for ministry won’t last long.This is one of the most subtle traps in ministry. You still do the work. You still preach, lead meetings, and show up. But your heart isn’t in it anymore.If you’re there, there’s hope.Just like restoring love in a marriage, you return to the practices that once fueled your joy (Revelation 2:5). Act your way back into passion. Do the things you did when you first felt called. Feelings often follow faith-filled obedience.3. You stop listeningHealthy leaders are good listeners.Create space for people to speak honestly. Invite feedback. Let others share their struggles, fears, hopes, and ideas. Be open to correction and willing to see things from perspectives beyond your own.Listening keeps you grounded—and connected to the people God has entrusted to you.4. You get distractedDistractions come in many forms. Health issues. Family pressures. Financial stress. Even good and enjoyable things can pull your focus away.Satan doesn’t always tempt you with sin. Sometimes he’s content to distract you—because a distracted leader isn’t fully obedient.Jesus warned about this when he said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62 KJV). Stay focused. Don’t lose sight of your mission.5. You get complacentComplacency is the enemy of effective leadership.When God says “go,” take the step. Stop coasting. Take faith-filled risks. Attempt something that requires God to show up. Ask yourself, “What am I trying this year that will fail unless God intervenes?”If God isn’t your safety net, you’re probably not living by faith.6. You become arrogantArrogance always precedes decline.When you begin to believe everything depends on you—or that you no longer need God’s help—you’re standing on dangerous ground. Ministry was never meant to be self-powered. Humility keeps you dependent, and dependence keeps you effective.7. You fail to delegateWhen a ministry plateaus, it’s often because a leader is doing too much alone.God limits our capacity on purpose so we’ll involve others. Ministry was never meant to be a solo act.Move from doing ministry to equipping ministers. Delegation isn’t a loss of control; it’s an expansion of impact. As D. L. Moody said, “I’d rather put ten men to work than do the work of ten men.”If you avoid these seven traps, you’ll be far better positioned to build a ministry that doesn’t just start strong—but lasts.

“Someone may say, ‘I’m allowed to do anything,’ but not everything is helpful. 1 Corinthians 6:12 (GW)Pastor, you already know this: You can’t do everything—and you were never meant to.After a full Sunday of preaching, praying, encouraging, troubleshooting, and carrying the concerns of your people, Monday can feel like a long list of unfinished expectations. Everyone wants something from you—and everything feels urgent.But urgency is not the same as importance.Paul said, “I focus on this one thing. . . . I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God . . . is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14 NLT). Paul didn’t try to juggle every good opportunity. He stayed focused on the mission God had specifically entrusted to him.That same principle is true for you.You’re allowed to do many things in ministry—but not everything is helpful. Some opportunities look great but drain your energy. Some requests sound important but pull you away from what God actually shaped you to do. Not all ministry activity is ministry calling.God hasn’t asked you to do everything. He’s asked you to do what he designed you to do—and there is just enough time for that.You already know the pressure:A counseling request that comes at the worst momentA community invite that sounds good but will overload your weekA leadership meeting that could easily be handled by someone elseA sermon calendar that keeps filling before you’ve caught your breathMany of these things are good. They’re just not always yours to carry.That’s why the Bible says, “Someone may say, ‘I’m allowed to do anything,’ but not everything is helpful” (1 Corinthians 6:12 GW).Pastor, your life is too valuable—and your calling too important—to spend it on what doesn’t matter. You can waste your ministry, spend your ministry, or invest your ministry. The difference is focus.This week, ask God to help you see what truly matters most—and then courageously give yourself to that. Say “yes” to the assignments that align with your calling. Say “no” to the ones that only add weight without adding fruit.The more you prioritize what matters to Jesus, the more effective you will be as a shepherd, spouse, parent, and leader.You don’t have to do everything today.But you can do the right things.And God will give you just enough time for that.

“We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NLT)Pastor, you don’t just preach the Good News—you embody it. Every week, you stand as Christ’s ambassador to your congregation and to your community. And the heart of that calling is simple: Love people deeply.Why? Because God is love. And when his ambassadors show anything less, the message gets distorted.Paul gives us three ways to put that love into practice:1. Share your life with people who need you.Paul wrote, “We loved you so much that we shared with you . . . our own lives, too” (1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT).Pastoring isn’t just sermon prep and Sunday services. It’s hospital rooms, funerals, counseling moments, hallway conversations, and the quiet prayers you whisper over the people God has entrusted to you. Real love shows up. It enters the mess. It sits with the hurting. It steps toward people, not away from them.You’ve probably learned by now that ministry rarely fits neatly inside office hours. But every time you give yourself away in love, you reflect the heart of Jesus.2. Treat every person with dignity.Peter wrote in the Message paraphrase, “Treat everyone you meet with dignity” (1 Peter 2:17). And later in the same book of the Bible, he wrote, “Do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15–16 GNT).Pastor, you meet people from every background—different temperaments, different stories, different expectations, and sometimes very different opinions. Some are encouraging. Some are challenging. Some are critics.But Christ’s ambassadors don’t get to be disrespectful—not even when others are.Respect doesn’t mean you agree with everyone. It means you honor the image of God in everyone. And in a culture of outrage, that kind of dignity shines like a beacon.3. Build bridges wherever you can.Paul said, “I try to find common ground with everyone” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT).You do this every week—whether you’re preaching to people across generations, navigating cultural tensions, or leading a staff with diverse personalities. Bridge-building is pastoral work. It helps people drop their defenses. It creates space for the gospel to take root. And it allows Jesus to meet people where they are.And here’s the promise: Jesus sees your love. He’ll reward it.“Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people”(Colossians 3:23–24 GNT).Pastor, nothing you do in love is wasted—not the hard conversations, not the late-night prayers, not the moments you choose patience over frustration, and not the quiet sacrifices no one else ever sees.You are Christ’s ambassador. And your love is making more of a difference than you know.