March 27, 2025
Insecurity is less of an either/or issue in the lives of most ministry leaders, but more of a reality on a spectrum.
While not all leaders are debilitatingly insecure, most battle this malady at some level.
I have met only one leader in my lifetime who I feel reasonably sure is not stricken with this condition. While at a gathering with my wife, Connie, I heard him speak and share his “life plan” before being called into ministry. When he finished sharing his intended life trajectory before the Lord called him to preach, I turned to Connie and said, “This man has never suffered from insecurity. He had big dreams and was confident he would achieve them.”
The rest of us, however, battle feelings of inadequacy. Insecurity shows up in the way we lead, our need for approval, the need to be recognized, and a desire to be seen and heard.
But insecurity can be overcome. Here are five actions that pastors, elders and ministry leaders can take to diminish the impact of insecurity.
1. Hire people better than yourself: One of the easiest ways to win against insecurity is in hiring. If you can add staff, then find the very best person available for the position you have open. Hire people who are better than you at what they do and watch how this singular act will help you outgrow your own insecurities while also advancing the ministry.
2. Implement the ideas of others: One problem with insecure leaders is their sense that they need to have all the ideas. While some leaders are gifted with creative problem-solving abilities, no leader is right all the time. All of us are better when we work together with other gifted people to address the issues in front of us.
3. Give credit to others: Everyone loves to be appreciated for their contribution to a project. One of the easiest ways to fight against insecurity is to make it a daily habit of recognizing the good work of others around you. Whether it is a church member, a staff member, or a ministry colleague from another church, make it a point to draw attention to the good work of others and you will see your own insecurities begin to diminish.
4. Take the blame: When the performance of your team is less than stellar, then use “we” language instead of “they.” If there is poor performance by a single team member, then you can address that privately — but as a leader, take the blame for projects that did not go as intended.
5. Help others excel: One of the greatest ways to win over insecurity is to work diligently to help others succeed. If the hallmark of your own life and ministry is that you raised others up so they could go further and do more than you did, then you will have invested your time well.
I heard someone share sage advice from their mother. The mom told her son, “You don’t have to attend every anxiety party you are invited to.” That is good advice when interacting with others, but it is also sound reasoning to apply to your own life. When your emotions are screaming out your insecurities, go ahead and do the opposite thing and watch as that voice gets quieter and quieter in your life.
___
Todd Gray is executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. This commentary first appeared in Kentucky Today.
