Beginning to Uncover the Truth about Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths and weaknesses – aren't you sick of hearing that phrase?! In every interview we have ever had, don’t we all get the same question, “Now, would you please tell me what you think are your strengths and weaknesses?”

A simple variation of that question would be so welcome – just leave out “and weaknesses?” Who in the world wants to share their weaknesses? Honestly, not me, and I imagine, neither do you. My strengths? Oh yes, but not my weaknesses.

Weaknesses
After all, weaknesses are, well, weak! They are negative. They are the side of ourselves we would like to hide. They represent the foot we do not want to put forward. They are left-handed, handicapped, and about as welcome as bounced checks. To put it bluntly, weaknesses are bad, and portray the worst about us.

Your weaknesses might be fear, disorganization, lack of courage, an inability to work with numbers, no relational acumen, bad money handler, indecisive, lack of focus, poor communication skills, or that you talk too much.

Strengths
Strengths, on the other hand, are what we are proud of! We revel in our strengths, and want to promote and publicize them for the entire world to see. We are strong in our strengths, and attractive in our strengths, and powerful in our strengths, and we like ourselves more as we see ourselves through the prism of our strengths.

Maybe you are a great money manager, have good people skills, are an excellent communicator (both written and verbal!), can navigate a large organization well, or are a skilled administrator. Maybe your strength is preaching, counseling, or raising money.

Strengths are good, beneficial, profitable, and productive. We thank God for our strengths and know that we will always do well if we work within our strength zone. To be clear, strengths are good and weaknesses are bad.

Now, wait just a cotton pickin' minute!
But… wait a minute! Are they really? What if, without being disingenuous hucksters, we told you that your weaknesses were just as important as your strengths? What if you didn't have to be embarrassed about your weaknesses, but that you could embrace them, welcome them into your day, and use them to leverage your best ministry?

What if you found out that your weaknesses were just as important as your strengths when it came to your ministry? What if you didn't have to run away from them anymore, and you didn't have to try to improve them?

Podcast Episode 30 - this Wednesday
Well, on Wednesday’s Episode 30 of the 200churches Podcast, that’s exactly what we are going to tell you, and more. We will give you all the reasons why both your strengths, and your weaknesses, equally, make your ministry what it is, as a pastor of a 200church. We are excited to share Episode 30 with you and really believe it will encourage you in your ministry.

Don’t miss Wednesday’s podcast!  In the meantime, make a list of all your strengths and weaknesses, and bring them with you when you listen. You do know them, don’t you??