LEADERSHIP

Leadership has the ability to lead people in the direction that God is leading them. But one characteristics that leaders, pastors, elders, shepherds, should not be so obsessed with, its pleasing people.

What happens in ministry, we know we know should please God. And when we say to the church body, "We are to please God, first, and not man." I find often people don't really understand that. And sometimes pastors/teachers don't understand that either.

When you don't please people, they quit coming to church, they may quit giving their offering to the church and they might just get mad at you.

On the other hand, ministry motives often becomes cloudy and without even knowing it, we can become obsessed with pleasing people rather than God.

WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF PASTOR PLEASERS, AND WE NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR IN MY LIFE AND MINISTRY.

1. People pleasing pastors take most criticism personally. Any suggestion feels like a personal attack. We become overly defensive and resentful of even mild corrections.
2. People pleasing pastors have an extraordinary fear of rejection. If someone questions our motivies, doesn't like a sermon, comment about the sermon outline, or leaves the Church, it can throw a few us into a depressed tailspin, and some will just quit going to church altogether.
3. People pleasing pastors find it hard to express their feelings. Because we have to "please people," we don't feel safe expressing our true feeling and needs.
4. People pleasing pastors have a hard time saying "no." Because we want to make people happy. We often over-commit. Although we are outwardly agreeable, we are often inwardly resentful.

But while we need to watch our motives, and we need to please God first, we also need to watch that we don't on purpose get people to hate us.

How often I have talked to other pastors who are so people pleasers that they will just lie about what they are really thinking. I know strong words to say. They do not want to say something that will disappoint you, and keep you liking them, while at the same time know they are not going to use you in the church.

Most of us pastors fight the "people pleasing" problem.