Pastoral ministry demands more than playing to your strengths.

Most basketball players are right-handed. They find it easier to dribble to the right than to the left. Going to the left requires them to use their other hand, which isn't natural. Only the best players are ambidextrous, able to play well with either hand.

Today's conventional wisdom says pastors should play to their strengths, identify their unique gifts, and major on those. In other words, go to their right. But Kent Hughes believes that in ministry, sometimes you have to go to the left. Here's how he learned to work well even with his weaker side.

Soon after I became a Christian in high school, I was certain God wanted me to preach. But I had a problem: shyness. Even today, when I'm with new acquaintances, I'm not the type to assert myself. I'm perfectly happy to sit at the back and follow other people's lead.

Since I had been called to preach, though, I knew I would have to deal with this weakness. So as a teenager, I intentionally ...