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#61 Breakneck Pace, Part 2 | Too Fast to Hear

Season #2

Lasting ministry isn’t built by going faster—it’s built by abiding deeper. 

 

Mark and Erica get practical about the dangers of leading at a breakneck pace—hero-complex, thin defenses against sin, and drifting into “man’s wisdom” over God’s. They unpack how prayer, Scripture, and Sabbath keep leaders grounded, how to disciple a team into healthy rhythms, and why slowing down actually increases trust in God. Expect honest stories, biblical guardrails, and simple, repeatable practices for a rest-first leadership culture. 

 

📋 Key Takeaways 

  •   Impress vs. Impact: You can impress from a distance, but you impact up close—healthy leaders model rest and dependence, not nonstop hustle (cf. John 15:5). 
  •   Hero-Mode is Hazardous: When pace rises, defenses thin and temptation spikes; accountability and humility are non-negotiables (1 Cor. 10:12; 1 Cor. 1:19). 
  •  Man’s Wisdom Autopilot: Competence and knowledge are good, but dependence is better; without abiding, our “wins” don’t last (2 Pet. 1:4–7; 1 Cor. 13:1). 
  •  Rested = Smart & Strong: Sabbath, time off after big pushes, and “camp time” seasons form a culture where creativity, discernment, and holiness thrive (Gen. 2:2–3; Mark 2:27). 
  •  Only Do What Only You Can Do: Early leaders should explore broadly, then narrow to the two or three God-assignments—and build a home team that frees you to do them (Acts 6:2–4; 1 Cor. 12). 

 

💬 Quotes & Soundbites 

"You can impress people from a distance, but you can only impact them up close." (01:11) - Dr. Carter quoted Rick Warren while explaining that if leaders truly wanted to impact people, they needed to model a healthy, sustainable pace rather than just appearing tireless. 

"The moment that I think that I am sufficient with my wisdom, I've already jacked it up." (04:59) - This was his direct response when asked about the difference between man's wisdom and God's wisdom, emphasizing that self-sufficiency was an immediate failure. 

"You can't bear more fruit than you have roots." [11:35] 

"Relying on God to do it teaches you that he does it." [31:24] 

 

🕐 Timestamps 

  • 0:00 – Intro + why Part 2 matters 
  • 1:11 – The hero temptation & why pace thins your defenses 
  • 3:10 – Humble leadership: play the long game 
  • 5:00 – “Man’s wisdom” vs. God’s wisdom; posture of dependence 
  • 9:30 – What hurry does to prayer & Scripture (lean, perfunctory) 
  • 11:25 – Abide in Christ for fruit that lasts (John 15) 
  • 13:20 – Long-term fallout: sin, lack of accountability, church hurt 
  • 16:20 – Early warning signs: stress, mis-ordered loves (politics/hobbies) 
  • 18:05 – Leadership wins when you name busyness and slow down 
  • 19:30 – Discipling your team into rest rhythms; staff “camp time” 
  • 22:10 – “The rested are smart and strong” culture 
  • 23:10 – “Only do what only you can do” (young leaders → narrowing focus) 
  • 24:58 – Build your home team & align family around God’s call 
  • 31:05 – Slowing down increases trust: God really does the work 
  • 31:55 – Close: God gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6–7) 

 

📖 Scripture Tie-Ins 

  • John 15:5 – “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” 
  • 2 Peter 1:4–7 – Add to your faith… knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness. 
  • 1 Corinthians 1:19 – God frustrates the wisdom of the wise. 
  • 1 Corinthians 13:1 – Without love, noise not impact. 
  • 1 Kings 19:11–13 – God’s voice in the gentle whisper, not the frenzy. 
  • Matthew 6:33; Philippians 1:6 – Seek first; He completes the work. 
  • 1 Corinthians 3:6–7 – We plant and water; God gives the growth. 

 

🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners 

Do / Reflect / Pray 

  1.  Sabbath this week. Pick a 24-hour window to stop, delight, and worship. Guard it like a meeting with Jesus. 
  2.  Audit your pace. Circle the top two things only you can do; delegate or delay the rest for 30 days. 
  3.  Dependence rhythm. Pray daily: “Jesus, I renounce self-sufficiency. I choose to abide and receive Your wisdom today.” 
  4.  Early warning check - 
  • Where am I stressed and not offloading to Jesus? 
  • What “good things” (politics, hobbies, projects) are crowding first love? 
  • Who are my five smooth stones (people God’s given me for the long game)? 
  1.  Team practice. If you lead others, schedule a post-push slow week (“camp time”) and publicly celebrate Sabbath stories. 

 

Suggested follow-ups & resources