Last week, I discussed metrics in ministry and how easy it is to fall into a transactional mindset, which can limit our focus on life change. Building on that, I want to share specific observations about leaders who are transformational-minded versus transactional-minded, and how you can shift toward a life change perspective.

As a worship pastor, I was always amazed by which Sundays seemed to connect well and which didn’t. There were Sundays that were perfectly produced and organized, yet people responded very little. In contrast, on Sundays that seemed disorganized or had significant mistakes, someone would often come up afterward and say how blessed they were and how God spoke to them meaningfully.

This perplexed me. How could a well-prepared Sunday seem fruitless, while a seemingly chaotic one led to profound meaning? This highlighted the difference between transactional elements and transformative moments ordained by God.

As a worship pastor, it’s tempting to gauge success by observable reactions—people singing, raising hands, or leaving positive comments. While these indicators aren’t bad, I’ve learned they often reflect emotional responses rather than genuine spiritual growth. Counting such reactions is a transactional way of measuring success. True life change doesn’t necessarily result from perfect planning or flawless presentations. If it did, every ministry would just strive for perfection, expecting consistent results, which isn’t realistic.

Through years of observing various ministries, a few key traits surface in those that truly foster transformation:

1. Humility: Effective ministries are led by humble leaders who see themselves as stewards of God’s work. They give credit to God rather than taking it for themselves.

2. Service: Transformational leaders model servant leadership. Whether it’s helping someone change a tire or carrying supplies, they prioritize serving others. Jesus exemplified this by always putting others first. In ministry, it’s easy to focus on personal accomplishments, but true leadership is about serving others.

3. Gratitude: Many people forget that ministry is a privilege and a calling, not just a job or title. When leaders lose sight of this, they start believing their success is solely due to their efforts. This shift from a transformational mindset to a transactional one erodes humility, service, and gratitude.

I once wrote an article titled “The Thankless Job Disappears When You Say Thank You,” highlighting how behind-the-scenes roles, like sound technicians or bookkeepers, often go unnoticed unless something goes wrong. Gratitude isn’t just about being nice; it’s a reminder of the privilege we have to serve. Every role, no matter how small, deserves recognition and appreciation.

Reflecting on my worship pastor days, I often fell into the trap of attributing success to my efforts, equating the number of people singing with the excellence of our team. This pride diminished my sense of gratitude and hindered my ability to think transformationally.

How can you begin to cultivate these qualities in your own ministry? I’ll encourage you to reflect as I am, on your current practices and consider specific steps you can take to embrace humility, serve others, and express gratitude. Your commitment to these principles can lead to a deeper, more impactful ministry that truly transforms lives.