Zambia Hunt

One great evil a minister must guard against is harboring a spirit of competition toward other gospel ministers and ministries. The spirit of ministerial competition must be addressed because it has a direct impact on the church’s witness to the world. Our unity in the gospel demonstrates the truth of the gospel, while a spirit of competition undermines it (Jn. 17:21).

Ministerial competition diverts attention and energy toward competing with a brother instead of engaging in the battle for the souls of men and the advance of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Ministers find themselves chasing metrics rather than pursuing lasting fruit. This spirit of competition creates isolation where support should exist, fosters discouragement where encouragement is needed, and replaces joy in service with anxiety about performance.

Pastors, missionaries and Christian ministry leaders are susceptible to this vice when we seek validation and identity in the ministry instead of in the Master. There is a temptation to compare ministries, programs, numbers, or other forms of visible “success.” Comparing one with another diverts attention from the Master who assigned us our task and drains focus on the task the Master assigned. A competitive spirit can easily give way to envy, and envy left unchecked draws the minister toward a critical spirit. God deliver us from this vile sin.

In Mark chapter nine, the disciples came to Jesus with the report that they had encountered a man casting out demons. The disciples promptly forbade the man from engaging in that ministry activity because “he was not following us.” Jesus’ reply is instructive, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.”

Jesus’ instruction to the disciples is a foundational principle for ministry. We should guard against setting ourselves up as the judge of another man or his ministry when they do things differently than we do. When we move beyond acknowledging differences to evaluating motives, we have crossed the line and set ourselves in the place of the Master.

Evaluating the motives of others

There is a great temptation to develop a critical spirit toward fellow ministers. Our contemporary ministry culture unintentionally feeds this spirit of competition through conferences, bestseller lists, and church growth strategies and metrics. Elevating “evangelical superstars” may also feed this spirit of competition. I am of “John,” I am of the other “John,” I am of “Mark,” or Voddie, or whomever… you get the point.

A critical spirit toward a brother in Christ causes us to question our brother’s motives. Whenever we assume we know the motivations of another, we cross the divide and set ourselves up as God. We usurp the place of God by sitting in judgment of a brother. All of us, at one time or another, have been guilty of this great sin. (Mt. 7:1-5)

The reality is God chooses to bless and use people I disagree with. I should be very slow to criticize another servant of God. I may choose not to do things the way he does, but I should rejoice when the gospel is preached and pray for God to bless him and his work abundantly.

This is how Paul explained it to the Philippians, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” Those who serve the gospel should be overwhelmed with joy when that gospel is preached, not controlled by a critical spirit motivated by jealousy.

In the debate happening in Rome over the validity of holy days and the refraining from certain food, the apostle wrote this warning to the church in Rome: “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

The brother and his ministry do not answer to me! He serves the same Master that I serve; my hands are full serving the Master with the responsibilities that He has given to me. God can direct, instruct, and, if needed, correct His servant. While God may use me in a brother’s life, my primary responsibility is to do the will of the One who has called me and fulfill my ministry.

Evaluating my own motives

David Livingstone penned the following prayer in his journal, “Purify my motives, sanctify all my desires. Guide my feet and direct my steps so that the great and glorious Jesus may be glorified.”

Our driving motivation in the service of Jesus should be His glory, that in all things, whether by life or death, God is glorified (Phil. 1:20-21)! My everyday decisions and activities should be for God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31).

It is right and good for me to evaluate why I am serving God. Can my motives ever be entirely pure? No. Therefore, I should acknowledge that reality and commit myself to the One who has chosen to carry out His work in the world through imperfect vessels.

We should invite God’s daily evaluation by praying with David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me…,” humbly deal with the things He reveals to us and get on with serving God. Realizing that it is the “Lord who judges me” (1 Cor. 4:3-5) releases me from unhealthy self-judgment.

In the going and doing, we commit our way to the Lord for His protection and guidance. Our prayer must be that in all things, the glorious Lord Jesus Christ receives the glory and honor due to His name and His name alone.

Slaying Ministerial Competition

A spirit of unhealthy competition should be replaced with healthy relationships and a disposition of joy in the gospel successes of a fellow ministry servant. Those who serve the gospel faithfully should recognize that we share the same mission, even when we do not share or agree on every aspect of methodologies. There should be genuine encouragement of one another and a willingness to give and accept honest, constructive feedback.

We should strive for accountability without judgment. Gospel ministers can hold one another accountable while remembering they serve the same Master. These ministry relationships serve to help one another grow in faith and ministry maturity. Where we disagree, we choose to disagree agreeably and get on with the task the Master has assigned us.

Slaying the sin of ministerial competition allows us to objectively evaluate ways to collaborate for the sake of gospel advance. This may involve sharing resources between complementary ministries, partnering in church planting efforts, or mentoring relationships between seasoned and newer gospel ministers.

Closing Encouragement

The battle in our hearts against ministerial competition will not be won in a moment, but as we choose to celebrate the successes of others and focus daily upon our own calling. The path forward is clear: determine to rejoice when the gospel is preached and be grateful when people come to saving faith in Jesus. Pray for those who labor for our Master and embrace humble partnerships that advance the gospel. In this, we will fulfill our calling and bring glory to the Master we serve.