I'm pretty sure people don't understand pastor/planter-types. They have no idea that the most miniscule of complaints levied toward us, even though no ill-will was intended, contains a pesky barb of hurt. Granted, their issues carry the weight of their own sentiments but they assume they can simply release them your way in a kind of fire-and-forget mode. They forget that what they verbally assail is inextricably linked to the whole of your: calling, vocation, locale, economic and social status, home, relational availability and future aspirations that are fundamentally for the betterment of them and others outside of yourself.

I don't know if it's a challenge for you, but I find how I receive critiques (baseless or worthy) has the potential to reveal a blind side to my character, so I'm willing to lissin nonetheless to them and to what my defensiveness says about me. And I go from there.

I've thought about it for as long as I been a pastor so I'm just regurgitating......it still ain't easy, no matter what ecclesial structure you're in.