Churches that grow are led by growing pastors. Several years ago I was a member of an organization that included a retired 91-year-old pastor. An event was scheduled for a certain date, and this gentleman said he could not be there that evening. That was the evening his class for learning Spanish met. Imagine...an individual that age deciding to learn a new language. It was no wonder his church grew under his leadership. I'm not sure I want to take on the challenge of learning a new language, but any week I don't learn something new I can apply to my life or my ministry I consider a wasted week. Ministers cannot expect their churches and the people within those churches to grow if they are not personally growing themselves.
In my book The Bivocational Pastor I include several areas in which I believe pastors must continue to grow in order to be effective. The first, and perhaps the most important, is in the area of relational skills. Much of what we do is based on relationships. I believe it was John Maxwell who said that before people will follow us they must know our hearts. They must know that we care for them as persons and not as a means to climb the ministerial ladder. I have served one church for 20 years as their pastor and three churches as their transitional pastor, and I can honestly say that I loved the people in each of those churches. I believe they loved me back (at least most of them!).
It might surprise some people but I am essentially an introvert. I can blend into the wallpaper with the best of them. I've learned to step out of my comfort zone to build relationships with people. I enjoy those relationships, but that is not how I am naturally wired. I have grown in that area. I tell pastors if they cannot build good relationships with the people in their churches they will never enjoy ministry. The good news is anyone can grow in that area.
The second area in which we need to grow is in our leadership. Yes, I know some churches will not let their pastors lead, and if I found myself in such a church I would immediately leave. Most churches do want their pastors to lead them, and many are hungry for such leadership. Recent studies have found that many pastors lack good leadership skills. It has been asked if leaders are born or made, and the answer is yes. I've never met a leader who wasn't born, and anyone can grow in his or her leadership abilities. I have shelves full of leadership books that have helped me grow in this area. I've attended numerous leadership conferences that helped as well. Pastors must continually grow in this area if they want to be effective.
Communication is another skill we need to develop. When I began my ministry I lacked a seminary education and experience. I was as green as I could be. After I was at the church for several months one of our deacons, on his way out of the service, told me I was starting to become a decent preacher. Because I knew he didn't say anything he didn't mean I accepted the compliment gladly! We can always become more effective communicators from the pulpit. Again, reading books on preaching, listening to preaching podcasts from some of the great preachers, and watching them on YouTube can all help any preacher grow in this area.
Of course, communication is also important away from the pulpit. We need to communicate our thoughts and dreams to our leadership, to the congregation, and to those outside the church. We need to communicate clearly so that we are understood. For years, I have had a simple rule: I am 100% responsible for the message heard by the other person. If they misunderstood me, it's my fault, not theirs.
One final skill in which we need to grow is in the area of conflict management and resolution. As pastors, we will experience conflict. At least, we will if we attempt to do anything. How we manage that conflict will determine how successful we will be in that church. If we manage it well we will earn the trust of the congregation. If we fail to handle it well, we run the risk of splitting the church. Back in the 1980s I attended a three-day conference on conflict management and resolution. Quite frankly, I learned that I handled conflict about as poorly as could be done. I had to learn better ways to deal with conflict, and over the years I think I've improved in that area. I doubt I'm the only one who needs to grow in this skill.
Whether or not you grow as a minister will determine what your ministry will look like when you retire. It will determine on the effectiveness of your ministry where you currently serve. I encourage you to take an honest look at your ministry skills and see if any of them need improvement. If so. find ways this year to grow in that area of ministry.
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