'You have heard it said that the Christian life is a great adventure. You have heard it said that the world has not seen what God can do through a person totally surrendered to him. But you may not have heard that the ineffective life is the safe life.

Do not take chances with your existence. Do not consider going to places where there is persecution and where people have been known to criticise Christians. You certainly should never consider living where Christians are mocked, scorned and even killed. This could seriously hamper your golf game.

You really need to keep yourself safe financially. If you're thinking about Christian service of some kind, do not jump into things. Take a few years. Make a little money. Get a nest egg saved up and then decide if you want to do something foolish.

Keep yourself safe physically by buying a home in the suburb - or in a rural area. Do not live in the inner city where crime and poverty reign. Build walls between your congregation and your community. Do not try to minister to people who have serious diseases. Leave that to little women from Calcutta who don't have the sense to come in out of the slums.

Keep yourself safe spiritually by avoiding any direct contact with the enemy of your soul. If you sense antagonism or some kind of spiritual warfare, withdraw immediately. You may put yourself in danger. Remember, self-preservation is the most important thing for the ineffective believer.

Introspection Corner: In what ways can I shrink from stepping out in faith and make my life less of an adventure?

Taken from Chris Fabry's '77 habits of Ineffective Christians', Crossway Books 1997.