Larry Crabb — Leadership Journal Summer 2004
A spiritual community consists of people who have the integrity to come clean. It is comprised of those who own their shortcomings and failures because they hate them more than they hate the shortcomings and failures of others, who therefore discover that a well of pure water flows beneath their most fetid corruption. [25]
On one level, brokenness is simply the release of spiritual power, the Spirit doing his thing and power coming out. It only happens through brokenness, which I think is the most underrated virtue in the Christian community today. But beyond the release of power, there’s this deep understanding of our weakness. [26]
Brokenness is the ongoing, lifelong reality. It isn’t something you get past. [26]
What do we discover when we are being broken?’ Hidden idolatry. For many pastors, their gift is their identity; their strength is their weakness, their idol. [26]
No matter what happens in my life – whether the church falls apart or gives me a million bucks and a year-long sabbatical, if my teenage daughter gets pregnant or my kids become missionaries – everything is usable by God for me to enter into deeper relationship with him. If that is not the first thing, then whatever is first is an idol. [28]
Authenticity is a much better word. Authenticity says, Here’s where I am in my journey to knowing God better, as opposed to vulnerability, which is Here’s where I am hurting most. Vulnerability can be narcissistic. [28]
