This presentation was utilized in the 2011 Leadership Summit hosted by Breath of Life International Church. It exposes the many challenges faced by leaders in public ministry while proposing solutions to some of those issues.

1. Breath of Life International Church
“Except the LORD Build the House”
Leadership Summit 2011

2. Exposing Frustration Rooted Outside the Will of God

3. Psalm 127:1
 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in
vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city,
the watchman waketh but in vain.
Ministry MUST be ordained by God
Anything, no matter how “good”, birthed
outside of God’s will, is in vain

4. Faith
 Romans 14:23
▪ …for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Word of God
 Rhema
 Logos
 Romans 10:17
▪ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God.

5. Divine Calling, Ordination
 Romans 10:14-15
▪ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher?
▪ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

6. The Agony of Flesh Dependency

7. The feeling of being upset or annoyed,
especially because of inability to change or
achieve something
The feeling that accompanies an experience
of being thwarted in attaining your goals
 Annoyance
 Disappointment
 Irritation
 Vexation

8. Two Sources
 The Enemy
▪ 1 Peter 5:8
▪ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
 Flesh
▪ James 1:14
▪ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust,
and enticed.

9. Satan is the prince of this world
 Matthew 4:8
 John 12:31
 1 John 4:4-5
▪ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the
world.
▪ They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world,
and the world heareth them.

10. The flesh causes God’s people to lose focus
on spiritual things, even when physically in a
spiritual environment
 Galatians 5:16
▪ This I say then,Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh.
 1 John 2:16
▪ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world.

11. What are some frustrations you have
experienced in ministry?
 MINISTRY
▪ Internal
▪ External
 PERSONAL
▪ Internal
▪ External

12. What things/areas challenge your faith?
 Failing to reach a sense of achievement
 Lack of “growth”
 Difficulties with people
 Irritation with rules, boundaries and/or instruction
 Lack of understanding
 Lack of accountability
 Lack of sufficient finances
 Lack of support
What is the root cause? Satan? Flesh?

13. A comforter… not One that frustrates
 James 1:13
▪ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he
any man:
 1 John 5:3
▪ For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not
grievous.

14. Psalm 34:19
 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the
LORD delivereth him out of them all.
1 Corinthians 10:13
 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.

15. Challenges faced by shepherds in America…Who ever thought?

16. In the US alone, approximately 1500 pastors
leave the ministry each month
80% of American pastors believe ministry
negatively affects their families
70% of pastors in America feel they do not
have a close friend
40% of pastors say they have a serious
conflict with a church member at least once
per month

17. 80% of pastors say they often feel isolated
More than 90% of American churches have
either plateaued or are declining [in
membership]
In American, approximately 4000 churches
close each year
40% of pastors have considered walking
away from the ministry within the last month
50% of pastors marriages end in divorce

18. 80% of seminary and Bible school graduates
who enter ministry will leave within 5 years
70% of pastors admit to struggling with
depression
Almost 40% of pastors admitted to having an
extramarital affair after entering the ministry
70% of pastors say they study the Bible only
when preparing for a sermon

19. Under valued
Under appreciated
Under paid
Undermined
CHALLENGE: Serving and leading the same
people…
Servant leadership = emotional suicide for a
spiritual reward

20. The Bottom Line

21. Ignorance
Disobedience
Lack of Faith
Lust
Envy
Lack of vision
Lack of leadership
Lack of accountability
Lack of prayer
Lack of power
Physical fatigue
Lack of discernment
Failure to hear God
Lack of proper,
Christian fellowship
Failure to admit and
face problems
Wrong connections
Incorrect position
Miscommunications

22. Enjoying the Peace in the Center of God’sWill

23. 1 Corinthians 7:20
 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he
was called.
Sons of Sceva
 Acts 19:13-15
Elymas, Self-Proclaimed and Self-Called
 Acts 13:6-12

24. Jethro’s Plan for Moses
 Exodus 18:17-24
Stephen SetApart
 Acts 6:1-7
Ephesians 4:16
 From whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love.
Don’t hate… DUPLICATE!

25. While a person may be called of God,
oftentimes, at least one part of their ministry
is NOT!
When frustration builds, Check the source!
Works will NEVER redeem what God has not
called and ordained (Psalm 127:1 )

26. David’s Fruit of Sin
 2 Samuel 12:13-24
Ministries, projects and ideas must be birthed
by God in order to survive in God
Abandon that which was birthed out of sin,
disobedience and disorder
Make room for your Solomon!
▪ Gateway for supernatural wealth, wisdom and strength

27. Good Idea vs. GOD Idea
Matthew 11:28-30
 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto
your souls.
 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

28. Romans 8:28-31
 And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren.
 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and
whom he justified, them he also glorified.
 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for
us, who can be against us?

29. Death by Ministry
Leadership Summit 2011
Cho, Eugene. Death by Ministry:Why is Being a Pastor So Unhealthy?
December 12, 2010.
Breath of Life InternationalChurch
www.breathoflifeintl.org