20 Leadership Quotes and Lessons From Greg Surratt

We’re at the ARC (Association of Related Churches) conference this week. Here are 20 Leadership Quotes On Ministry from Greg Surratt – Lead Pastor of SeaCoast Church and President of ARC who spoke on Longevity In Ministry. 

1. Weariness and discouragement are the occupational hazards of church planting.
2. Staffs are wonderful and also cause a lot of discouragement.
3. Fighting ecclesiastical systems wears you out.
4. Biting sheep can wear you out.  Some of them are rabid and have a taste for shepherds.
5. Family problems can wear you out.
6. Health issues can cause weariness.
7. Your own sin can cause you weariness.
8. You can’t solve all the problems that cause weariness.

10. Believe that God REALLY does love you and has a wonderful plan for your life.

11. As a church planter, what you believe about God goes a long way to determining your longevity in ministry.

12. Get your theology right so you’re working FROM God’s favor not FOR God’s favor.

13. If you plant a church you’ll get beat up occasionally.  God will not be one of the ones administering the beatings.

14. God is heavily invested in your success.

15. Set big goals but don’t be afraid to occasionally lower your expectations.

16. Don’t have Tiny Heart Syndrome.  Don’t have THS.  We have a BIG GOD.

17. Don’t let your goals drive the vision.  Don’t become a slave to the vision.

18. If your expectations are too high, just lower them.

19. Only count (church statistics) on big days don’t quit in the dip.

20. Hope is the antidote to weariness and discouragement.

21. Out of desperation came the idea of multi-site.  What if I would have quit?

22. God loves you and the harvest is coming.  News Flash – the harvest is coming and just at the right time.

23. Everybody’s good for something even if it is to be a bad example.

24. Sunday comes every 7 days.

25. The older you get, it still doesn’t make criticism easier.

26. Discouragement is temporary.  You’re going to fall.  Get up.

27. A leaner staff focuses you to develop more and more volunteers.

28. The help you need is in the congregation for the harvest.

29. The burden for me is a blessing for someone else.

30. What am I doing that someone else could be doing?

31. We’ve got to fight for character…Teach it and expect it.

32. I’m going to feel discouraged sometimes because my body wants to rest.

33. We all need to sit at a table with people who love us but are not impressed with us.