Four Lies I Believed About Ministry Exposed!

The Word of God declares Satan is the Father of lies (John 8:44), but as Christians, pastors, and leaders in a local church do we ever spend enough time thinking about the lies that Satan whispers in our ears? Satan doesn’t come to us and say, “OK I’m going to deceive you now, here is the lie!” I think some lies we cling to and desperately hope that they are not true. The Word of God says, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)


1. Any Church has the potential to have explosive growth.

As a pastor I hate to admit it, but most small churches do not have the same potential to be a mega church or even a medium size church. Churches have a growth ceiling that is based on several factors including but not limited to surrounding demographics, the congregations willingness to following leadership, confusion on what healthy church growth, and good solid biblical leadership.

2. God is not in the business of closing churches down.

A bit of clarification is needed here, not all “churches” who claim to be churches are alive and belong to Jesus. Revelation 2:5 speaks of the “removal of the lampstand.” Also in Revelation 3:1, reference is made to the church at Sardis the Lord says, “you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.” Just because a group of people waves a banner in front of their building that says “church” doesn’t make them a church or God’s people. They must be a gospel-centered, kingdom-driven people of the Word of God.

3. I must be sweeter than Jesus to be a good Christian, especially a good pastor.

I give credit to my friend Dr. Nunes for helping me see this one. It is a worldly concept that Christians and especially pastors must be nicer than anyone including Jesus. The Bible reminds us that passion and even anger is not inappropriate for Christians (Ephesians 4:6). While it is inappropriate for us to get angry in the flesh, the things that anger God should anger His people. What if I told you I knew of a faithful pastor who in the middle of a church gathering flipped over the Lord’s table out of anger and began whipping those in the crowd, many “long standing” members of the church! (Mark 11:15–19, 11:27–33, Matthew 21:12–17, 21:23–27 and Luke 19:45–48, 20:1–8) Would we say that he had lost his mind or was disqualified from ministry? Is this not the reaction Jesus has to people who treat the church as any other social gathering, institution, or club? Jesus said hard things and did hard things; we must be like Him in His ways.

4. All fights will be fair in the church.

I once heard someone say that Baptists were just like cats, we just fight and multiply. While we are not as good at multiplication as we use to be, we still like a fight. Just stop and think about this for a second the Bible warns us about the following people being in the church double-minded men (James 1:8), warped men (Titus 3:1), false prophets (Matthew 24:23-27), false brothers (Galatians 2:4), and wolves (Ephesians 4:14). Do you think any of these groups fight fair? No they will seek defection and division through gossip, slander, and creating fear. All of these tactics are warned against in the Word. Keep praying for the Lord’s protection, the enemy has many tactics, but the Lord is greater!