John 3:25-30 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness–look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Ministry in general and church planting in specific can be an incredible exercise in adultery. We must be careful and diligent to protect our hearts so that we don’t try and save ourselves by the ministry we feel called to. We are not justified by our church plants.

Like John the Baptist, we need to continually remember that we are not the Christ! We are not even worthy of untying his sandals. In fact, we are simply men crying out to others as we declare His first coming and call all men to prepare for His second. We are the friend of the bridegroom not the bridegroom. The church, the bride of Christ, is not our bride but we serve her and love her and revere her because she is the bride of our closest and dearest friend.

We are to rejoice over the bridegrooms voice as he instructs His bride. But the truth is, in order for Jesus to be glorified and His church to be built and transformed the way the groom intended, we must decrease more and more so that Jesus might increase. We are not the senior pastor, Jesus is. We are not the savior, Jesus is. It is not our blood shed, it is the blood of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

To the degree that we decrease in our need for approval and power, Jesus will show himself off more and more. He will not compete for His brides attention. As long as you attempt to build yourself up, you will obscure the view of Jesus, the only one that can capture the heart of His bride. And worse yet, you will find yourself and your work being opposed by Jesus every step of the way. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So many of us lose our influence and ability to lead others because we forget who we are and forget what He’s already accomplished on our behalf. We forget our identity and run straight to do rather than be. In all of the work of preaching, counseling, evangelizing and leading others who look up to us, it’s so tempting and natural for our hearts to forget that we are not the Christ.

If we never plant a church, if we never build a successful ministry, if we’re not recognized by our peers, and if we stay an unknown servant out of the spotlight will we be satisfied? Is Jesus enough for us or do we need the applause of men more than the soul gripping, all satisfying approval we have in Him before the only eyes of the universe that matter? Simply put, are you satisfied not being the Christ and getting all His glory?