Cheerleaders work hard to help encourage and motivate their teams to do well and win games. Quarterbacks lead their teams to victory. It seems that many pastors work more like cheerleaders than quarterbacks. They stand up each week to encourage, challenge, motivate, and sometimes shame the congregation to do what needs to be done, but few seem interested in providing the leadership their churches need to successfully implement the work that needs to be done. Both cheerleaders and quarterbacks have important roles to play, and there are times when our congregations need pastors to be both, but I've never seen a team win just from the cheers that come from the cheerleaders. They need someone to lead them to victory, and so do our churches.
Ephesians 4 teaches us that the role of the pastor is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. As pastors it is not enough to challenge our church members to become more involved in ministry; we have to equip them for that task. That means we have to understand their spiritual gifts and their passions and help them direct those into real hands-on ministry that have a positive impact on people's lives. We can't stand on the sidelines and cheer them to victory; we have to be on the field with them to implement the work God has given each church to fulfill.
I would encourage you to spend some time looking at your sermon preparation, your involvement with the boards, committees, and teams in your church, and the focus you give your ministry. Are you primarily a cheerleader or a quarterback? If your church is going to enjoy a fruitful ministry it needs its pastor to be a quarterback leading the team to victory.
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