Recently in this column, pastor Kent Carlson made a confession. His ambition for success caused his church to grow, but at a high price. We posted Kent's essay at our blog, and invited our readers to comment. We received a lot of comment. Here are some highlights.

Terry commented: My own feelings of ambition sometimes make me wonder: "Why did Pastor X, with fewer years experience than me, get such a large jump on the ladder?" "Why have I been overlooked?" In its rawest form, this is ambition raising its ugly head in my life and Satan's way of messing with me for a few weeks until I get over the "supposed" slight and get back to doing what I have been called to do—minister to the flock to which I am assigned.

Scott commented: The problem isn't just the fact that pastors have bought into the "success = a big church" mentality. The lay leadership and members of most churches have, too. I currently pastor a new church that is doing well and experiencing consistent growth. There is a lot ...