Are you willing to pay them?

1. The price of people’s projections. Church leaders can become targets of people’s projections of negative feelings toward authority figures in their past.
2. The price of being a lightning rod. As leaders, we can be lightning rods for people’s pain. One way to prevent this is to teach the difference between godly and selfish ambition. Selfish ambition focuses on a role, whereas godly ambition focuses on a need.
3. The price of displeasing people. If we live to please people, we become slaves of people. Instead of one master (Jesus, whose yoke is easy), we end up with numerous Pharaohs who are never satisfied with our performance, no matter what we do.
4. The price of unrealistic expectations. Unrealistic expectations can come from others, but some are self-imposed. James 5:17 tells us that Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain. He prayed again, and it rained. But I Kings 18:4 offers a different perspective. It says that Elijah sat under a juniper tree and prayed that he might die. I can identify with both moods.
5. The price of fatigue. Leaders often experience post-adrenaline depression after a heavy ministry or relational demand. Leaders must pay the price of fatigue, yet also learn how to prevent it.