Jump directly to the Content

From Hyper to Holy

Any pastor would forfeit his housing allowance for a handful of people like Brad (not his real name). He attended church faithfully, missing only when sick or out of town. He brought his Bible and listened eagerly to sermons, frequently affirming me when something I said encouraged him. He volunteered for the most mundane tasks. I never heard him complain.

But the longer I knew Brad, the more I wondered. As much as he threw himself into every facet of church life, he somehow seemed spiritually shallow.

One day Brad vented his anger and frustration in my office. "I'm worn out and burned up," he said. "I've given and given, and I don't feel I'm getting anything in return. I hate myself for feeling this way."

Together we found that Brad's service was an attempt to compensate for a deep sense of inadequacy.

Some who seem most committed--even some I would hold up as good examples--prove ultimately to be serving out of their need, not their fullness.

After crossing paths with too many others like ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
THE INGLORIOUS WORK OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
THE INGLORIOUS WORK OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
How practical is it to guide Christians one at a time?
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