Self Assessment

Live in harmony with each other.
Don't try to act important,
but enjoy the company of ordinary people.
And don't think you know it all!
—Romans 12:16 (New Living Translation)
A recent survey of 627 Protestant senior pastors in America conducted by the Barna Research Group found that,

Pastors express the greatest degree of confidence in their capability as an “effective Bible teacher” (98% of pastors said this phrase accurately described them).

More than nine out of every 10 pastors also feel that they are an “effective leader” and a similar proportion believe they are “driven by a clear sense of vision.”

More than eight out of 10 claim to be an “effective disciple maker.”

Another favorable perception maintained by pastors is that they are “deeply involved in the community” – a label embraced by seven out of 10 leaders.

This is all wonderful news unless one compares it to other survey results as the researchers did. Lead researcher on the prokect, David Kinnaman, challenged,

the objectivity of pastors’ perceptions by pointing out discrepancies between their self-views and other research conducted by the firm. “Most pastors say they are driven by a clear vision, but very few pastors are able to articulate a firm, compelling vision statement for their church. Many pastors talk about their church’s deep engagement in the community, but most church programs are focused on the congregation, not people outside the walls of the church...

There are other examples of the conflict between pastoral self-perceptions and the condition of their congregations, but the bottom line is that pastors need to find the tools and methods to evaluate themselves and their ministries as candidly and accurately as possible.”

It reminds me of the pastor who had a great sermon on humility and he was waiting for a Sunday with a big turnout in order to preach it.

Then there is the pastor talking to his wife on the way home from church after delivering what he felt was one of his best sermons. "How many truly great preachers do you think there are working today?" he asked. "One fewer than you think!" his wife replied.

Don't be selfish;
don't live to make a good impression on others.
Be humble, thinking of others
as better than yourself.
—Philippians 2:3