Leadership is an invitation to responsibility, and responsibility means hard work. Leadership also is a trust. Leaders—especially in the church—must tend to two fundamental, legal duties: to act with due care and to not pursue self-enrichment.

I've discovered on my leadership journey that managing this trust presents more challenges than I would ever have imagined. I've learned to regularly ask some key questions to help monitor my own progress. Whether you're just getting started as a ministry leader or are already well on your way, I hope the questions presented here will help you maintain godly balance:

1. Who are you called to serve in your present position? Make sure your servant attitude is in high gear, especially if you're longing to grow in leadership responsibility.

2. Whose personality do you think your church is being built on—yours or God's? Whichever is your answer, you know what to do.

3. What are the three greatest struggles you're facing right now? Ask God to show you specifically what He wants to accomplish in your life through these challenges.

4. Are you allowing any situations that could undermine your moral integrity? If so, what are the consequences if you don't stop?

5. When was the last time you prayed, "Oh, Holy Spirit, move in this town; move in this church"? If it's been awhile (or even if it hasn't), start a new habit by praying it every day for the next 30 days. See what happens. Then keep on praying it.

6. Do you get tired of hearing over and over about what you should be doing for people but aren't? While you shouldn't be an "errand boy" for every whim of everyone in your flock, you may need to ask yourself routinely whether you're ministering the way others really need you or just the way you want to.

7. Is your credibility running on empty, a full tank, or somewhere in between? Consider whether there are places you need to shore up your integrity.

8. Do your board members have confidence enough in your judgment to defer to you at times—and vice versa? Think about what you can do to build the mutual respect that may be missing.

9. How is your church doing on its missions commitments? If you've fallen behind, decide now what you will do to change that.

10. Are there elements of your church's ministry that need to be changed because they've outlived their purpose? Come up with a plan to eliminate these, taking into account the individuals who will be affected by the change and how these people should be included in the process.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

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