Am I Being Effective?

In addition to the evaluatory questions about the church,  I ask a few personally reflective questions:

• Am I personally growing?
• Is the work I'm doing still fun?
• Do I get angry quickly, have a short fuse, feel frustrated and grumpy?
  
• Am I the right person to take PCC to the next place?
  

I don't throw these questions out there with any manipulative intent.  I know that the last one will cause some folks to want to quickly respond and affirm me.  I'm grateful for the love that so many in our community have shown me over the years and for those who have my back and come to my side when I need help.  You mean more to me than you will ever know.

Still, the questions are good.  And if I ever get to the place where I refuse to consider them, I'm in trouble...and our church is in trouble.  For the record, I think I'm supposed to be here.  And my passionate plea with God is that he allows me to stay here for the rest of my ministry.  I want to (and intend to) retire from PCC.  

For me personally, seasons ebb and flow - sometimes I am able to work less...other times more.  Right now, I'm working a lot.  A whole lot.  I've got to figure out how to dial it back a little.  It's not healthy.  Fortunately, I am seeing the signs way ahead of when I normally do.  Normally I wait too long and have to react.  For whatever reason, I'm being really proactive right now.  

The defining question is:  What am I doing today that I should NOT be doing?  Sometimes this leads to unimportant tasks on my list.  But more often than not, it means that there are others who would be more effective at some of the things I'm doing.  Letting those things go would be a double benefit to the church:  1) They'd be done in a more excellent way, and 2) I'd be able to do what I am best at to the best of my ability.

So, hopefully I'll make some smart choices in the coming days.  I hope I've got the courage to do that.