10 Mistakes Pastors Make That Cause Their Churches Not To Grow Part 1.

Success in ministry rises or falls on leadership, especially on the pastor’s relationship with the church. When a fish is rotting it starts in the head and then to the rest of the body. 

As a pastor I have made most of these mistakes of which some I have corrected and am also still correcting some of them. No one is immune to mistakes, it is what you do to correct them that matters.



1. Using The Pulpit To Settle Scores (Philippians 1:15). The pulpit is an altar where God meets his people through an anointed ministry of the word by the pastor. At times the pulpit is abused when it is used to attack others, manipulate the congregation or to satisfy the pastor’s ego. The pulpit is for God’s word and not man’s word.

10 Mistakes Pastors Make That Cause Their Churches Not To Grow Part 1.

2. Not Leading In Giving. Some pastors love to receive but hate giving. It is an unrealistic expectation to look forward to a harvest where one has not sown. Giving and receiving is like breathing in and out, you need both to remain alive, even a balloon will explode if it keeps on receiving air.

3. Neglecting Their Spouses (1 Corinthians 7:3). The church is Christ’s bride and the pastor’s bride should not be neglected because of Christ’s bride. Dear pastor, at home your wife needs a husband who can use his tongue to express love and not one who is talking in tongues all the time. A strong marriage provides a good foundation for a successful ministry.

4. Neglecting Their Children (Ephesians 6:4). Many pastor’s children are rarely nurtured by their father because the father is too busy with ministry work. There has to be a balance or else the pastor can point his church to heaven whilst his family goes to hell. Biblical pastoral ministry starts in the home.

5. Not Being Available In Needy Times (John 10:11). Some pastors are ‘too anointed’ to visit their congregation in hospital or to attend funerals. In some churches being in hospital is considered a sign of lack of faith. A good pastors knows that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.