Summary: Leading in ministry is a lot like bull riding. You feel all alone on this wild ride. You feel you are working harder than anyone else around you. If you bail too early, you don’t get any points. You may have a sinking feeling that some people actually enjoy watching you get bucked off.
When I was a kid, we would go to a small town for a rodeo. There were cowboys and cowgirls riding horses around obstacles. There were other riders who lassoed runaway cows. And yet everything at the rodeo seemed like an appetizer for the main dish. Nothing was as exciting as the final event: Bull Riding. You have a rider. You have an angry bull. The rider’s job is to stay on the bull for 8 seconds. Sounds simple, right? But it ain’t that easy.
In many ways, leading in ministry is a lot like bull riding and I can’t help but see some similarities. (1) You feel all alone on this wild ride. (2) You feel you are working harder than anyone else around you. (3) If you bail too early, you don’t get any points. (4) You cannot control this animal. (5) You feel out of balance. (6) You have a sinking feeling that some people actually enjoy watching you get bucked off. (7) And, the only people who seem willing to help are a couple of clowns.
Leading in ministry is like a bull rider in the rodeo. It looks so fun from the stands. But you, my friend, are in the arena. You feel like you are on the ride of your life, holding on for dear life. Ministry can be a wild ride on a bull named fu-man-chew. You want to do your best and stay in the game for those prized 8 seconds. You are not alone. However, I did not want to leave you with Biblical inspiration and hopeful platitudes. I want to provide you with a crystal-clear path to effectively lead. This is why I have created LeadMinistry.com. We offer courses and coaching for this wild ride called ministry.