ministry superstar Archives - Christian Faith at Work

Recently, I wrote a post called, “How Do You Become A Ministry Superstar?” that generated a variety of responses. Some of the comments and responses questioned the idea of a “superstar” and the negative characteristics that are commonly associated with that term. In an effort to clarify my picture of a ministry superstar, I thought a follow-up post was in order. I hope the following will shed more light on how I see a ministry superstar.

C12 Group Material

In my earlier post, I borrowed the following three characteristics of a ministry superstar from a talk given by Buck Jacobs, founder of the C12 Group. In this talk, Jacobs was trying to communicate the need for Christian business owners and leaders to step up and use their businesses as platforms for ministry. Here is how he described those who have done this in a huge way:

Ministry Superstars have a God-focused company mission statement.

2. Ministry Superstars lead! These stand-outs are not the type to stand back and wait for direction from someone else. They are intentional and choose to take action on their faith. You will not find mere pew-warmers in this group!

3. Ministry Superstars have an intimate, daily quiet time with God. Someone that fits in this category does not allow dust to accumulate on their Bible. They are so in tune with God because they are intentional about reading and studying the Bible and spending time in prayer every day.

What Other Qualities?

Assuming this is a valid list of characteristics, what type of person do you think you will find in this group? If these qualities are present to a fairly high degree in the members of this group, what other qualities do you think you will find?

Well, this is not an exact science, but I have an idea of what other qualities I think we would find. We are looking at a group of individuals who spend daily time reading and studying the Bible, truly seeking to do God’s will in their lives. As a result, the odds are high that these people recognize the need to follow the example of Jesus (1 John 2:6).

Other Ministry Superstar Traits

Following that logic, let’s take a look at the rest of the traits we could use to describe these ministry superstars.

1. They have an eternal perspective (John 6:27).

2. They submit to the Holy Spirit to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10).

3. They are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

4. They are obedient – fulfilling the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandments.

5. They come to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28).

Though this is not an exhaustive list, I think you can get a good picture of what a ministry superstar looks like. We are not (necessarily) talking about someone in the limelight with media attention focused on their ministry.

No, these people that we are describing could be business owners with just a handful of employees or they could have thousands. The size or fame of their ministry activity is totally irrelevant! It is more about their effort and activity in relation to their God-given potential.

Willing To Trade

A true ministry superstar understands that this life is a small segment of their eternal existence. They are willing to trade immediate reward for eternal treasure. They accept that, while still on earth, the following may or may not result from their Christian ministry:

1. Recognition

2. Prosperity, here and now.

3. Friends / Reputation, here and now.

4. Rest / Comfort, here and now.

While any (or all) of these results may occur for the ministry superstars during their life here on earth, these are not their focuses or goals.

Ministry Superstar’s Ultimate Goal

The ultimate goal of a Ministry Superstar is really only one thing. It is one simple phrase spoken by Jesus when telling one of his many parables.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:21

Do you consider yourself to be on the path to becoming a Ministry Superstar?

If not, what parts are you missing?

Do you know a ministry superstar from whom you can learn?

Average is all around us. If you don’t believe me, just take a look around and see what you find. It is simply uncommon to see a superstar, someone performing at levels that most people think are beyond their own reach. Whether you are looking at sports teams, businesses, schools, or churches, average is just too common. So what does it take to break from average and become a ministry superstar?

ministry superstar

In my last post, I talked about how our desire to be an impact player is often not matched up with our preparation. So many people want to be great, but are not willing to pay the price. Others may be willing, but not sure what to do.

I will not even attempt to tell you everything you could do to prepare for greatness. I will instead share three simple, common traits most often found in those people who have shown greater consistent impact in ministry. Buck Jacobs, founder of the C12 Group, calls these people “ministry superstars.” These three traits come from his observations during his decades of experience working with Christian business leaders.

A God-focused Mission Statement

The first trait of Buck’s ministry superstars is that they have a God-focused mission statement. Regardless of the size of the organization, those with a mission statement that honors God have greater ministry impact. The same is true for businesses or individual leaders. As I described in a previous post, mission statements capture the organization’s purpose or fundamental reason for existing. A God honoring mission statement sets the path toward greater ministry impact.

They Lead!

The second characteristic of ministry superstars is that they lead! Ministry superstars recognize that ministry does not just happen. They know they cannot sit around and wait on ministry opportunities to come to them. They are intentional with their time, talents, and treasure. They know what they are to be doing and they do it. They also enlist others in the effort. These ministry superstars draw others to them because of their focus.

Intimate Daily Quiet Time With God

The final trait of Buck’s ministry superstars is that they have an intimate daily quiet time with God. This is not a quick verse-of-the-day calendar and prayer-headed-out-the-door type of quiet time. This is not a once or twice a week devotional reading when the mood strikes.

No, the ones who consistently make the greatest impact in ministry are those who spend consistent quality time with their Creator. God is personal and wants a personal relationship with each of us. He has given us His Word and told us to hide it in our hearts. Jesus lived as our model in this as he did nothing other than what He heard from the Father. He could only do this if He spent regular time in prayer. We are to do the same.

While this is certainly not the only way to spend quiet time with God every day, Buck offers the following structure as an option.

1. 30 minutes reading the Bible (always include a Gospel chapter)
2. 15 minutes reading marketplace ministry materials
3. 15 minutes in prayer
4. 15 minutes to journal