I bet lots of leaders have left Christian conferences and silently wrestled with this thought the entire way home, “I’m just not gifted enough to make this happen.”

Maybe it’s the fact that the only speakers at the conferences are leaders of churches the size of small countries. Maybe it’s all the over-hyped success stories that are shared. There are a combination of reasons why many conferences make the average, normal kind of leader feel so inadequate. I can admit that perhaps the number one reason for the post-conference blues I feel is due to my overactive sin nature.

I know I’m in a much better place these days when it comes to discerning what I should seek to emulate and what needs to be put in the trash bin on my way out of the conference. Here’s why.

The main thing a church should be focusing in on is making disciples. Jesus reminds me that large crowds have little to do with fulfilling the Great Commission.

I recognize that my value and worth comes from who I am in Christ. I always “knew” this, but now I actually feel it and live in it.

I mute or delete those who use social media to always highlight how everything is wonderful where they do ministry. I prefer to deal in reality.

Lately I have been experiencing a much greater sense of peace (thank you God). I’m a pastor. I like being a pastor. It’s who I am. I enjoy spending time with people and getting to know them personally. The pressure to be known and to make a name for myself comes from only one place, the devil.

I still plan on attending conferences. The difference now is I feel as if Toto has pulled aside the curtain and I can see more clearly the humanity behind all the lights, sounds, smoke and false images.