How do you think you’re doing as a leader right now? Maybe you’re really proud of yourself and you’re thriving at leading your staff in this season of your ministry. Or, maybe you are struggling to be an effective and impactful leader to your staff. Maybe you have been more focused on preaching than leading. Maybe your congregation has been more demanding of your attention lately. Finally, maybe you have been stressed at home, so your tank is running low when it comes time to address your staff's needs.

Growing up, many of us had this thought, “If I could just land a job I really want, then I’ll be happy with work.” We assumed that if we liked the work we were doing and we were in a job that we enjoyed, excelled at, and were passionate about, that would be enough to give us a good work experience. And while that’s a huge part of it, we all know that there’s more to it.

The mark of a great leader is a willingness to continue learning. I've found something to be true in my life...the more I learn, the more I realize how much MORE I have to learn! If you are a pastor, or in some sort of leadership role within your church, it is imperative that you continue learning so that you can be the very best leader possible for your organization.

As pastors, our goal should be to never stop learning and never stop growing. There is always room for improvement and development as we grow not just in our ministry, but in our personal relationship with Jesus as well. Obviously, the source we should always run to first and foremost when we are seeking to grow and develop ourselves is the Word of God. Scripture has more than enough guidance, wisdom, and encouragement to help us in our personal growth journey.

Jim Ryun once said, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” When it comes to working in ministry, we can have all the motivation in the world, particularly when we’re starting out, or we’re in a new season of our ministry. But what happens when the monotony sets in? What do we do when the day-to-day gets overwhelming? How do we remain effective in our ministry?