Equipping Leaders To Multiply

What are You Sacrificing for the Gospel? (Pt1)

Do you ever question the sacrifices you make for the Gospel? Jesus calls us to a life of sacrifice. In Luke 9:23 He said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Over the years I’ve watched dedicated Christ followers do this very thing by giving up prestige, power, lucrative careers, comfort, and even personal dreams to follow Christ. Choosing a life of sacrifice they dedicate 100% of their lives for Kingdom causes.

But sometimes leaders mistakenly confuse busyness, harried activity or workaholism as sacrifice. Like Christ, Paul urges a life of sacrifice. In Romans 12 he challenges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. But look at the result, “then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” I don’t think God’s will is for sacrifice to deteriorate our physical, emotional, or relational health. There are some things that God never asked us to sacrifice.

#1- God doesn’t ask us to sacrifice our physical health. While technology has done wonders to make us more productive, it’s also made us more accessible and busier than ever. Too many pastors run on crazy schedules not taking care of themselves physically, totally ignoring the disciplines of exercise and eating healthy. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 6:19-20 our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet often times we consider the mismanagement of our health to be a lesser sin. Anyone who says, “I’m too busy to exercise” is in danger of reducing the efficiency and effectiveness of future ministry.

Self-Evaluation: Am I sacrificing my health because of the busyness of ministry?