1) Your relationship with God. This has to make top billing in your life. If it's not, everything else will suffer, and you won't be living your true purpose. After all, you weren't created just to be a pastor, a husband or wife, or even a really amazing guitarist. You were created to be in relationship with God and glorify and worship him. Great leaders aren't slick, or great speakers, or amazing with people. Great leaders follow the one, true Leader.
2*) Your relationship with your spouse. I promised God that I would love, cherish, protect, and care for my wife. In addition (and this applies to #3 as well), Paul is very clear that a qualification of a pastor is that he takes care of his family.
3*) Your relationship with your children. Yep, kids come after your spouse. If your relationship with your spouse isn't healthy, it's pretty likely that your relationship with your children will suffer, too, because the husband and wife won't be a team when it comes to raising children. It's important to note that too many children grow up resenting the Church because of how much it has taken away of their relationship with their mom or dad. Make sure your kids are an important part of your day.
4) Your ministry. Yep, this makes it in the top four, but it's last. Your job is important, but not as important as your relationship with God. Getting ready for your youth group lesson is important, but not as important as your relationship with your spouse. The teenagers you serve are important, but not as important as your relationship with your own kids. If your ministry comes ahead of the first three in this list, you've got an issue, and you've got to set things right before you experience a huge issue in your family or a huge moral failure.
That's the list! Do you agree, disagree, or have any changes or additions?
*Note: numbers two and three are for those who are married. They're on my list because that's the situation I find myself in, and because I made certain promises to my wife in front of God and a lot of people at our wedding, and because I made certain commitments to my children when I became a father. I don't mean to imply that a pastor needs to be married; this list is simply applicable to me and most pastors. If you're single, feel free to modify the list, and I'll post it on this blog or link to it on yours.
