THE BARE MINIMUM
Warning Signs for Christian Educators Who May be Far from Christ
Have you ever been tempted to do the bare minimum? Be honest. The pull to cut corners or simply mail it in is real for all of us. By the end of a long week, I don’t always want to finish well—I just want to finish. That’s why I post “Friday Is for Finishers.” It’s a reminder I need as much as anyone.
One of the gifts of Scripture is its honesty. The Bible does not sanitize the failures of our faith’s heroes. Jonah may be the clearest example. After his unforgettable stay in the belly of a fish, he finally obeys God—but just barely. He walks into Nineveh, announces, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown,” and walks out. No passion. No compassion. Just compliance.
And somehow, it works.
The text does not say the people believed Jonah. It says, “The people believed God.” God accomplishes His purposes despite Jonah’s half-hearted obedience. It’s both comforting—and sobering.
For Christian educators, Jonah’s story is a warning light on the dashboard. Fatigue sets in. Resources feel scarce. Hope wanes. Relationships strain. In those moments, the “Jonah Special”—doing the bare minimum—can feel dangerously reasonable. That is the fork in the road where we drift from being Christian educators to merely educators who are Christian.
Here are a few warning signs.
Doing the Bare Minimum
“Yet forty days…” is a far cry from “Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might.” Minimal obedience may still be obedience, but it is not faithfulness.
Declaring What Is Righteous Instead of Being Righteous
“It was evil to Jonah, a great evil.”
Jonah forgets his own dependence on God’s mercy. That forgetfulness hardens the head and deadens the heart.
Discerning God’s Goodness by Our Comfort
“Jonah was very happy about the plant.”
Dean Inserra in, Getting Over Yourself, wisely observed, ‘The more comfortable we become, the more tempted we are to believe our desires—not God’s purposes—are driving the story.’
Deciding How the Story Ends
“It would be better for me to die than to live.”
When we forget how the story ends, fear takes over. Scripture gives us the ending so we can live with courage in the middle chapters.
Displacing God’s Love with Our Lament
“I’m so angry I wish I were dead… Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?”
When theologian Karl Barth was asked the greatest truth he ever learned, he replied, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Everything flows from that center.
Christian educator,
You are engaged in five-days-a-week Gospel work, allowing God to use you to save lives and change lives. When the temptation to do the bare minimum creeps in, may the overwhelming love of Christ—for you and for your students—rise quickly to your awareness.
Keep on, keepin’ on.
About Excel Still More
Excel Still More is a publication by Dr. Chris Hobbs offering practical wisdom and inspiration for Christian educators. Each post encourages schools and leaders to pursue excellence that honors Christ, craft culture that inspires Kingdom work, and equips graduates to make a lasting impact for Him.
A Note from Chris:
Thank you for your heart and dedication to Christian education; may the truths we explore in each of these posts strengthen your courage, deepen your service, and spark new hope in your school.
God has given us a critical role to play in our schools as we build environments where hearts are shaped, minds are renewed, and skilled hands serve with love.
Until next time, keep pointing your administrators, teachers, colleagues, students, and yourselves toward Christ, and remember: in all you do, excel still more!
*I Thessalonians 4:1, 10