This is an article by J.D. Greear published on Relevant Magazine:

I emerged from seminary with one goal as a pastor: to grow a great big church with big conversion numbers and a big budget, and—to be honest—hopes of even bigger attention for the guy behind it all.

Like most young pastors, I thought I was doing God’s work. Isn’t “big” what He wants?

It took me a while to realize that my self-centered ambition was blinding me to God’s true purpose for my church. I was missing out on something—my church was missing out on something—but we didn’t even realize it.

Read more at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/most-important-thing-your-church-probably-missing#jCMiXl5plGfXxk27.99