Fight the Right Battles

Great story in I Samuel 25 where David almost fights the wrong battle with a guy (Nabal) who refused to feed him and his men.  Well, Nabal's wife, Abigail, intervenes and basically tells David that the reason he is so successful is that he fights the right battles, instead of getting distracted by less worthy battles.  This story is so cool and so right on for church leaders and planters.

There will always be more battles to fight than we have the time, energy, and ability to fight.  The key is to fight the right battles -- the one's God has designed, equipped, and (through the church) organized us to fight and to win.

Here are some battles that are probably not worth the effort:

• Trying to defend or justify the vision of your church to people who just don't get it and don't want to get it (i.e. the people who want to debate music styles, Bible translations, dress codes, use of technology, etc.)


• The people who criticize or question your church yet have never attended it


• The struggling church that wants to blame your church for their problems


• The parent who believes their kid's problems are a direct result of the church's children/student ministry


• The person who keeps contacting you to tell you they are praying for you because you baptize people in the "Name of the Father ... Son ... and Holy Spirit" (true story)

Here are some battles that are probably worth fighting:

• Keeping the vision alive and vibrant in your church.


• The core doctrines of the faith


• For opportunties to share the Gospel to more people


• The person in your church who has their own agenda, who is a gossip, who is living in blatant & unrepentant sin


• For yourself: your walk with God, your family, your time