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Stephen Posey, the pre-youth pastor at Church on the Move (Tulsa, OK), has blogged his notes from Willie George’s Elevate 07 keynote address about six ministry traps to avoid. A paraphrase is:

1. I’m being passed by!
   Focus on being faithful instead of comparing yourself to others. “People who do extraordinary things for God are hidden until their character is solidified.”
2. I don’t have the money.
   God will supply all of your needs.
3. I’ve got more than one baby in the crib.
   Do not pursue more than one big idea at a time. “Finish what you start and you’ll gain credibility.”
4. I’ve got to leap (not step).
   God leads us in steps not leaps.
5. Degrees of impurity won’t hurt me.
   “Before iniquity comes repeated sin. Before the repeated sin comes the first sin. Before the first sin comes the thought. Before the thought comes the unguarded heart. Guard your hearts!”
6. It’s okay for me to minister out of an empty vessel.
   “Ministry should happen out of overflow. Like a bank account, you have to deposit before you withdraw.”

Avoiding these traps will help you to be an effective steward of God’s calling on your life. As Peter Drucker says, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”