Jump directly to the Content

Skimming

Stop trying to look good, and do the dirty work beneath the surface.
Skimming

After twenty years as senior pastor, I finally had to admit I'd been "skimming" in my leadership. Skimming is the way many of us cope with multiple demands, constant pressure, and overloaded schedules. We cover a lot of ground superficially without being fully engaged. Like skimming a book, this can produce the impression that everything is covered, but in reality, you aren't completely there. How do you know you're skimming?

  • When you go from meeting to meeting without awareness of God.
  • When you say “yes” to new commitments and expansions without properly following through on what you are already doing.
  • When it is Friday and you realize you have not had enough time to allow the truth of what you are preaching to transform your own walk with Christ.
  • When you avoid difficult decisions and truths because someone will be upset.
  • When you muddle your way through a meeting because you have not clearly determined your goals and agenda.
  • When you make a pastoral phone call or visit – resentfully.
March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
THE RISKY BUSINESS OF LAY MINISTRY
THE RISKY BUSINESS OF LAY MINISTRY
What prudent pastors can do to free the faithful.
From the Magazine
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Controversy over Bibles in Jamaica, the Philippines, and Germany reveal the divide between the sacred and the relatable.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close