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In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions Podcast Todd Adkins and Barnabas Piper sit down with Eric Geiger to talk about killing sacred cows in ministry. Don’t worry it’s not gruesome and now animals were harmed in the making of this podcast. Some wisdom was shared, some good insights were given and anyone serving in any capacity in ministry should listen.
- What is a sacred cow?
- How do values or traditions become sacred cows in ministry?
- What are the negative effects on a ministry and a minister over time if sacred cows are allowed to live?
- How can leaders know when the right time is to give the coup de gras?
- What are some of the most effective ways to lead people through the loss of something they held dear?
BEST QUOTES
“We have a tendency in church ministry to take something God gave us and make it the object of our affection.”
“We confuse the process or the program with the principle.”
“There aren’t many things we turn into an idol in a church context that didn’t once have value.”
“There’s a tendency for a program, a place, or a person to become an idol. A church begins to find its identity in these things.”
“A church calendar in general is the easiest home for sacred cows.”
“Methodology becomes a sacred cow really easily.”
“Sometimes you are more susceptible to church idolatry when you are effective.”
“Our mission is bigger than a person, a place, or a program.”
“You can create a sacred cow out of actually sacred things. It’s always a question of the heart behind them.”
“If you find a church that is dried up and old and ineffective I guarantee it is a pasture full of sacred cows.”
“Change is not a value. It’s a thing that happens when you make decisions.”
“If you wait for it to be obvious that a thing is not working it likely wasn’t working for a very long time.”
“There’s a really turbulent period of time when you’re making a change, and you have to constantly remind yourself of the ‘why’.”
We’d like to thank our sponsor, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. SEBTS is always asking the question, “Where are you going?” They want to equip pastors, missionaries, theologians, scholars and more to obey the commands of Jesus to make disciples anywhere and everywhere God calls them to go. Wherever students are going, Southeastern can help them get there. Southeastern Seminary has a wide range of degrees at many levels and all M.Div. programs now have a stronger core curriculum to better equip students biblically, theologically and practically for their current and future ministries. In addition to a stronger core, the total number of hours required to complete an M.Div. has been reduced to 81-84. They even offer distance education options for those who cannot relocate to North Carolina to study.
Apply now to begin your theological education at Southeastern. Use the code 5LQ to receive a discount on your application for any degree.
