As some of you know, earlier this year I got an auctioneer's license. Last night I was able to put that to good use. One of the churches in the area I serve, Hope FBC, was having a dessert auction to raise money to help build a swimming pool at the youth camp many of our churches use each summer. When the pastor found out I had an auctioneer's license he asked me to do the auction. Although they've done these in the past they had never had an auctioneer call bids and thought it would be fun for everyone if that happened. Of course, I agreed. After a wonderful meal the auction started. An hour later we had raised $1,473.00 for the pool and had a lot of fun doing it.
Ministry takes many different looks. Some have questioned why I wanted to be an auctioneer especially at this stage of my life. I explain that I see it as a way to expand my ministry. People who suddenly find themselves with an estate they don't know how to dispose of can be served by an auctioneer who can help them during a difficult time in their lives. Others who realize that they've accumulated a lot of stuff they really don't need and don't want to have a yard sale every weekend for the next two years to get rid of it can be helped by an auctioneer. There is a lot of talk these days about becoming more missional in ministry, and I see this as one way I can do that. It takes ministry outside the church and into the lives of people who need assistance and gives me an opportunity to engage in conversation with people whose lives may be in turmoil and who may not know Christ.
Anyone's vocation or avocation can be used for ministry. A Christian who enjoys fishing could gather a group of people together once or twice a month to discuss fishing tactics, swap big fish stories, and talk about life in general which would include the importance of Christ in his or her life. A business person could start a leadership group in the community that could meet for lunch and a discussion about the challenges of business. Such a discussion could lead to one sharing how faith in God can help in challenging times. The possibilities are endless.
Bivocational ministers have an automatic advantage here as they are already in secular work in a variety of fields. In fact, one could argue that their presence at that work changes it from secular work to ministry. Please listen to one warning here. Remember, your employer is not paying you to minister on the job. I have known some bivocational ministers who could not understand why their employer didn't want them spending all their time passing out tracts and evangelizing their co-workers. That employer is paying you to produce for him or her. But, you will find numerous opportunities to share your faith in regular conversations you have with those with whom you work and how you conduct yourself on the job also gives your faith credibility.
Our primary mission field is in the communities in which we live. We need to look for the opportunities that exist all around us to minister to the needs of the people we encounter, and in doing that we will make a difference in people's lives and earn the right to tell them about Jesus.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
A church's vision and structure
I recently received an e-mail from a lay leader in a church outside the United States who was concerned about some changes occurring in his church. He explained that the church was trying to seek a vision and was changing the way it's boards and committees were structured. One of the proposed changes was the reason he was contacting me as he wanted my opinion on the change. I responded to the question, but then said that I would also respond to a question he didn't ask. One does not discern God's vision for a church by changing the structure of a church.
A number of churches and denominational groups are making this same mistake. They are changing their boards and committees and other aspects of their structure thinking that these changes will enhance their ministries. Let me say up front that most smaller churches need to make major changes in the way they are structured. Most are highly over-structured for their size and to simplify their structure makes a lot of sense. But, this is not done until after they have spent some time discerning a fresh vision from God for their future ministry. Once such a vision is determined the church can then create a structure that will enable the church to achieve that vision.
Changing the structure first is like re-arranging the deck furniture on the Titanic. Doing so creates a sense of involvement and keeps people occupied, but the ship is still sinking. I see churches that have painted everything that can be painted, they've remodeled everything in sight, they've bought new hymnals, installed computers, video projectors, and screens. They started calling their committees teams and formed a church council and introduced some praise music into their worship services, and once they have done everything they can think of to do they step back and realize nothing important has actually changed. I see judicatories and denominations making the same mistake. Does structure need to be changed? Often, the answer is yes, but not until the organization has clearly identified a fresh vision from God for its future. Why is this so important? Because without a vision the people perish, and we have a lot of churches and denominational groups that are perishing despite all the structural changes they are making.
Vision discernment is messy work and can take time. Many of us in American churches like microwave solutions to our problems. We want the quick fix. Give us three steps to take, an opportunity to vote on the proposal, and we're good to go. Vision normally doesn't come easy, and it's not something a church can vote on. Because the only vision that matters is God's vision, it can only come as God's people pray and do the work that can lead to such discernment.
A church's vision for its future must be congruent with its core values and bedrock beliefs so time must be spent identifying what those are. This can be difficult because churches have a tendency to list the ones they think they should have. (I once led a church through a process to identify its core values, and one they identified was cliques. Someone said that cliques must be a core value of their church since they had so many of them. At least the person was honest!) The vision must also be congruent with the spiritual gifts of the membership and their passions for ministry so a church must spend time identifying those as well. Only when all these things are identified can a church begin the process of discerning God's vision. It's easy to see how this can be time consuming, but when the work is done the church will have a clear sense of purpose and direction for ministry, and in most cases will see their ministry become much more productive.
A number of churches and denominational groups are making this same mistake. They are changing their boards and committees and other aspects of their structure thinking that these changes will enhance their ministries. Let me say up front that most smaller churches need to make major changes in the way they are structured. Most are highly over-structured for their size and to simplify their structure makes a lot of sense. But, this is not done until after they have spent some time discerning a fresh vision from God for their future ministry. Once such a vision is determined the church can then create a structure that will enable the church to achieve that vision.
Changing the structure first is like re-arranging the deck furniture on the Titanic. Doing so creates a sense of involvement and keeps people occupied, but the ship is still sinking. I see churches that have painted everything that can be painted, they've remodeled everything in sight, they've bought new hymnals, installed computers, video projectors, and screens. They started calling their committees teams and formed a church council and introduced some praise music into their worship services, and once they have done everything they can think of to do they step back and realize nothing important has actually changed. I see judicatories and denominations making the same mistake. Does structure need to be changed? Often, the answer is yes, but not until the organization has clearly identified a fresh vision from God for its future. Why is this so important? Because without a vision the people perish, and we have a lot of churches and denominational groups that are perishing despite all the structural changes they are making.
Vision discernment is messy work and can take time. Many of us in American churches like microwave solutions to our problems. We want the quick fix. Give us three steps to take, an opportunity to vote on the proposal, and we're good to go. Vision normally doesn't come easy, and it's not something a church can vote on. Because the only vision that matters is God's vision, it can only come as God's people pray and do the work that can lead to such discernment.
A church's vision for its future must be congruent with its core values and bedrock beliefs so time must be spent identifying what those are. This can be difficult because churches have a tendency to list the ones they think they should have. (I once led a church through a process to identify its core values, and one they identified was cliques. Someone said that cliques must be a core value of their church since they had so many of them. At least the person was honest!) The vision must also be congruent with the spiritual gifts of the membership and their passions for ministry so a church must spend time identifying those as well. Only when all these things are identified can a church begin the process of discerning God's vision. It's easy to see how this can be time consuming, but when the work is done the church will have a clear sense of purpose and direction for ministry, and in most cases will see their ministry become much more productive.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Growing leaders grow growing churches
A lay leader I had known for a few years called me several years ago wanting to talk. A small church that had been struggling had asked him to consider being their pastor. He had served as a leader in his church and in their association, but to my knowledge he had never considered becoming a pastor until receiving that call. Knowing this individual's gifts and abilities I had no doubt that he could do a good job as the pastor of that church so I encouraged him to pray about it, and if he felt led to accept it, I felt certain he would do a good job there. He did become the pastor of that church and has done a fantastic job as their bivocational pastor. The church has grown both numerically and spiritually. Guests talk about how warm and inviting the church is, and many of them come back. The church recently did some much needed remodeling and added to their fellowship area which they had outgrown. New leaders are being identified, and leadership is taking on added ministry responsibilities as the church grows and the pastor remains bivocational. It is exciting to be there on a Sunday, and it's even more exciting to hear the pastor and others talk about what God is doing in their church.
What is responsible for the growth occurring in this church? The pastor will quickly name God as the One who has made all this happen, and no doubt God is at work in this place. However, it must be said that the pastor has had a major impact on what has happened in this church. He accepted this call without any experience as a pastor or any ministerial education. He went into it humbly and a little frightened about what he was getting into, and he has remained humble to this day. What he did bring to this ministry was a servant's heart, a warm personality that genuinely loves people, and a willingness to grow. A few years after becoming the pastor he enrolled in a lay ministry training program that demanded a lot of his time and energy, but he understood that he needed to grow if he wanted to see his church grow.
I see so many pastors who do not share his desire to grow themselves, and they wonder why their church is not growing. As church leaders we cannot take others further than we have travelled, and if we are not growing we will soon be unable to grow others. This weekend I read a blog by a business consultant who had been very successful and had the bank account to prove it. One day he recognized that he had been so busy that he had stopped growing himself. As he thought about that he realized that his former customers had already received everything from him that he had to give them. There was nothing more he could do for them. Any future business he might have would have to come from people who needed what he already had learned, and in a changing world fewer people would need what he had learned a decade or more earlier. He recommitted himself to personal growth so he would be better able to help others. We in the ministry need to realize the same is true for what we do, and if we want our ministries to remain fresh and relevant we must seek ways to experience growth in our own lives.
A book I haven't read but have wanted to for some time now is What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
by Marshall Goldsmith. I anticipate the book will address this issue in much more detail than I can in a blog post. The title is certainly true. Regardless of how successful you have been in whatever field you work in, the future will require much more from you. Many of the skills that have been successful for you in the past will be of little value in as little as five to ten years from now. While we ministers proclaim a Gospel that will forever be true, there are constantly new ways of applying that truth to new challenges that people face that we must learn. Trying to do church in the 21st century with 20th century tools will fail. Ministers will face new challenges in the next five years that are yet unknown, but we had better stay on top of those challenges as they become known or we may find ourselves swept away by a sea of change that we never saw coming.
My friend has grown, and as a result the church he leads has grown. What intentional steps are you taking to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as a leader in the place where He has called you?
What is responsible for the growth occurring in this church? The pastor will quickly name God as the One who has made all this happen, and no doubt God is at work in this place. However, it must be said that the pastor has had a major impact on what has happened in this church. He accepted this call without any experience as a pastor or any ministerial education. He went into it humbly and a little frightened about what he was getting into, and he has remained humble to this day. What he did bring to this ministry was a servant's heart, a warm personality that genuinely loves people, and a willingness to grow. A few years after becoming the pastor he enrolled in a lay ministry training program that demanded a lot of his time and energy, but he understood that he needed to grow if he wanted to see his church grow.
I see so many pastors who do not share his desire to grow themselves, and they wonder why their church is not growing. As church leaders we cannot take others further than we have travelled, and if we are not growing we will soon be unable to grow others. This weekend I read a blog by a business consultant who had been very successful and had the bank account to prove it. One day he recognized that he had been so busy that he had stopped growing himself. As he thought about that he realized that his former customers had already received everything from him that he had to give them. There was nothing more he could do for them. Any future business he might have would have to come from people who needed what he already had learned, and in a changing world fewer people would need what he had learned a decade or more earlier. He recommitted himself to personal growth so he would be better able to help others. We in the ministry need to realize the same is true for what we do, and if we want our ministries to remain fresh and relevant we must seek ways to experience growth in our own lives.
A book I haven't read but have wanted to for some time now is What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful
by Marshall Goldsmith. I anticipate the book will address this issue in much more detail than I can in a blog post. The title is certainly true. Regardless of how successful you have been in whatever field you work in, the future will require much more from you. Many of the skills that have been successful for you in the past will be of little value in as little as five to ten years from now. While we ministers proclaim a Gospel that will forever be true, there are constantly new ways of applying that truth to new challenges that people face that we must learn. Trying to do church in the 21st century with 20th century tools will fail. Ministers will face new challenges in the next five years that are yet unknown, but we had better stay on top of those challenges as they become known or we may find ourselves swept away by a sea of change that we never saw coming.My friend has grown, and as a result the church he leads has grown. What intentional steps are you taking to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as a leader in the place where He has called you?
Monday, April 29, 2013
The legacy of a leader
When a President leaves office one of the questions often asked is how will history view his presidency. Most Presidents are quite aware of this are are concerned with the legacy that they will leave behind. Nixon was widely viewed as a very intelligent individual with a sharp political mind, but his legacy is one of deceit and cover up, and his resignation as President is a legacy no President wants to duplicate. Carter legacy would have to be that he was one of the weakest Presidents in modern history. With hostages in Iraq, a 20+ mortgage interest rate, fuel shortages and gasoline lines across the country, and the inability to address them by any means other than sitting in front of a fireplace wearing a sweater and encouraging Americans to cut-back his Presidency was a disaster. Reagan came into office having to address the many failures of the Carter presidency but was able to get the hostages released within hours of assuming office, returned the nation's economy to health, brought down the Berlin Wall, strengthened the nation's military, and restored hope and confidence to the American public. His legacy was that of a strong leader, and politicians from both parties often refer back to his two terms as an example of what leadership looks like. Bush 41 only served one term in office, and he will likely be best known for driving Hussein out of Kuwait and the military restraint he exercised after doing so, a restraint his son may have wished to follow when he became President. While Clinton had his problems in office, often moral in nature, history is painting a pretty positive picture of his overall accomplishments as President, and his efforts since leaving office has only strengthened his legacy. It is too soon to know how history will treat Bush 43, but some analysts are now saying that historians are already beginning to focus more on his achievements than on those issues for which he was often criticized. His overall legacy is likely to be positive. Of course, there is no way of knowing how President Obama will be viewed by historians since he is still in office with much more time left to serve in his second term.
The point of all this is that as a church leader you will leave behind a legacy. Some of the challenges you will face will not be your fault as they are part of the previous leader's legacy. There is no question that President Obama inherited a financial mess when he first assumed office, but it is not true that all that mess was the former President's fault. Much of that financial mess was the direct result of banks providing mortgages to people who could not afford them, and that was the result of laws proposed primarily by Democrats in Congress and approved by both houses and signed into law by President Bush. A lot of people are responsible for the poor economy Obama inherited when he entered office. President Obama's legacy will be influenced by how he addressed that economy and whether or not his policies corrected the mess.
Some of the issues you will have to address as a church leader are the result of actions and teachings that have occurred long before you arrived. I know a pastor who grieves over a church in which he was raised that has been in a long decline primarily because of the leadership recent pastors have given the church. Whoever goes to that church next will have serious issues to address, none of which are his fault, but he or she will now have the responsibility to correct them if the church is to become healthy again.
When you begin a ministry in a new place one of the things you need to recognize is that one day you will leave there. You may be called elsewhere, be fired, retire, or die, but if the Lord tarries you will one day leave that church, and you will leave a legacy. People will remember certain things about your ministry in that church. The person who follows you will either build upon that legacy or have to tear it down in order to build something positive. The earlier in your ministry in that place you recognize this the more likely it will be that your legacy will be a positive one. You cannot control what you will encounter when you begin a new ministry, but you can control how you respond to that and the legacy you will leave behind when you leave. Don't leave a mess for others to clean up. Make sure your legacy is a positive one upon which the next leader can build.
The point of all this is that as a church leader you will leave behind a legacy. Some of the challenges you will face will not be your fault as they are part of the previous leader's legacy. There is no question that President Obama inherited a financial mess when he first assumed office, but it is not true that all that mess was the former President's fault. Much of that financial mess was the direct result of banks providing mortgages to people who could not afford them, and that was the result of laws proposed primarily by Democrats in Congress and approved by both houses and signed into law by President Bush. A lot of people are responsible for the poor economy Obama inherited when he entered office. President Obama's legacy will be influenced by how he addressed that economy and whether or not his policies corrected the mess.
Some of the issues you will have to address as a church leader are the result of actions and teachings that have occurred long before you arrived. I know a pastor who grieves over a church in which he was raised that has been in a long decline primarily because of the leadership recent pastors have given the church. Whoever goes to that church next will have serious issues to address, none of which are his fault, but he or she will now have the responsibility to correct them if the church is to become healthy again.
When you begin a ministry in a new place one of the things you need to recognize is that one day you will leave there. You may be called elsewhere, be fired, retire, or die, but if the Lord tarries you will one day leave that church, and you will leave a legacy. People will remember certain things about your ministry in that church. The person who follows you will either build upon that legacy or have to tear it down in order to build something positive. The earlier in your ministry in that place you recognize this the more likely it will be that your legacy will be a positive one. You cannot control what you will encounter when you begin a new ministry, but you can control how you respond to that and the legacy you will leave behind when you leave. Don't leave a mess for others to clean up. Make sure your legacy is a positive one upon which the next leader can build.
Friday, April 26, 2013
The transition time between pastors is important in the life of a church
Yesterday I had the opportunity to help lead a workshop for persons interested in serving churches as interim ministers. An interim minister is a term often used for persons who fill the pastoral role of a church when their previous pastor leaves and before a new pastor is called. Another term that is often used today is transitional pastor, and this is a term I am beginning to appreciate more and more. Several of the individuals attending the workshop have been serving as interim pastors for a few years now and wanted to learn how they could be more effective in that role. Others wanted to learn more about this ministry to determine if this is something they might want to do.
In the past many churches that called an interim minister primarily wanted someone to be there on Sunday morning and preach. There might be a few other expectations regarding limited visitation and providing some administrative assistance, but these churches mostly wanted to make sure someone would be there each Sunday with a sermon. That remains the expectation of many churches today, especially smaller churches. For some, it is a time when they can build up their finances since the interim usually costs the church less than having a pastor. Marginal churches actually look forward to this period of time as it gives them a chance to replenish their dwindling bank account, but that is a topic for a later post.
The fact is this interim period is a very important time in the life of a church. It gives the church an opportunity to take a long, honest look at itself and determine if there are some things that need to be addressed before calling another pastor. Is there a history of on-going conflict in the church? Now is the time to address that. Does the church need to transition from having a fully-funded pastor to calling a bivocational pastor? If the church is struggling to provide a decent salary package to their pastor and maintain a ministry presence in the community, the answer is yes, and this is the time to make that transition. Are there systems issues in the church that need to be corrected? A well-trained interim minister can do that and save their next pastor from having to fight that battle. Does the church need to identify a fresh vision from God for its future? Doing that during the interim period will give the church the opportunity to call a pastor with the gifts that will allow the church to fulfill that vision. The church is going through a transition time and using this time wisely will help it come out a much healthier church and better prepared to take advantage of the leadership their new pastor will bring.
I know one church that had struggled for years with a systems problem in their church. Two previous pastors had been unable to correct that problem. An interim pastor led the church to make the needed change in less than a year, and their current pastor rejoices today he did not have to fight that battle. I know another church that had a member who had a history of creating numerous problems in the church. No one in the congregation was willing to challenge this individual, but within a few short months after arriving an interim pastor confronted her about her behavior, and the individual left the church. This church has experienced steady growth ever since, and the pastor who followed that interim has enjoyed one of the longest tenures in that church it has known in years. Countless similar stories could be told of churches that experienced transformation during the interim period leading to these churches being stronger and healthier when their next pastor came on the scene.
Unfortunately, many stories can also be told of churches that did nothing but save some money during the interim period who came through that critical time with the same dysfunctions it had before their previous pastor left. Pastors come and go in these churches, all fight the same losing battles, and the church never changes. Such churches often complain how none of the pastors they call grow their church never realizing that it is their own dysfunctions that prevent such growth from occurring. The interim period is a great time to address those dysfunctions, but these churches are unwilling to do so. They prefer to use someone they know who can preach a little and will work for little pay so they can save some money than to invest in an interim minister who is skilled and trained to lead a church through this interim time so they come through it healthier and stronger. Little can be done to help these churches until they take a different approach to the interim time.
Interim ministry is a vital ministry to help churches grow healthier. It is a great way for a retired pastor to remain in the ministry after retirement, but it's important to recognize that there are some specific tasks interim ministers need to perform that may require some training. Just because someone has been a pastor for 30 years does not mean that person will be a great interim minister. There are some new skills that a pastor may need to learn before becoming an interim minister. Many denominations offer training for persons interested in serving as an interim pastor, and other organizations such as the Center for Congregational Health also offer such training. This can also be a new role a bivocational minister can consider. Interim ministry is an important ministry for the church and the Kingdom of God, and it is one you may want to consider.
In the past many churches that called an interim minister primarily wanted someone to be there on Sunday morning and preach. There might be a few other expectations regarding limited visitation and providing some administrative assistance, but these churches mostly wanted to make sure someone would be there each Sunday with a sermon. That remains the expectation of many churches today, especially smaller churches. For some, it is a time when they can build up their finances since the interim usually costs the church less than having a pastor. Marginal churches actually look forward to this period of time as it gives them a chance to replenish their dwindling bank account, but that is a topic for a later post.
The fact is this interim period is a very important time in the life of a church. It gives the church an opportunity to take a long, honest look at itself and determine if there are some things that need to be addressed before calling another pastor. Is there a history of on-going conflict in the church? Now is the time to address that. Does the church need to transition from having a fully-funded pastor to calling a bivocational pastor? If the church is struggling to provide a decent salary package to their pastor and maintain a ministry presence in the community, the answer is yes, and this is the time to make that transition. Are there systems issues in the church that need to be corrected? A well-trained interim minister can do that and save their next pastor from having to fight that battle. Does the church need to identify a fresh vision from God for its future? Doing that during the interim period will give the church the opportunity to call a pastor with the gifts that will allow the church to fulfill that vision. The church is going through a transition time and using this time wisely will help it come out a much healthier church and better prepared to take advantage of the leadership their new pastor will bring.
I know one church that had struggled for years with a systems problem in their church. Two previous pastors had been unable to correct that problem. An interim pastor led the church to make the needed change in less than a year, and their current pastor rejoices today he did not have to fight that battle. I know another church that had a member who had a history of creating numerous problems in the church. No one in the congregation was willing to challenge this individual, but within a few short months after arriving an interim pastor confronted her about her behavior, and the individual left the church. This church has experienced steady growth ever since, and the pastor who followed that interim has enjoyed one of the longest tenures in that church it has known in years. Countless similar stories could be told of churches that experienced transformation during the interim period leading to these churches being stronger and healthier when their next pastor came on the scene.
Unfortunately, many stories can also be told of churches that did nothing but save some money during the interim period who came through that critical time with the same dysfunctions it had before their previous pastor left. Pastors come and go in these churches, all fight the same losing battles, and the church never changes. Such churches often complain how none of the pastors they call grow their church never realizing that it is their own dysfunctions that prevent such growth from occurring. The interim period is a great time to address those dysfunctions, but these churches are unwilling to do so. They prefer to use someone they know who can preach a little and will work for little pay so they can save some money than to invest in an interim minister who is skilled and trained to lead a church through this interim time so they come through it healthier and stronger. Little can be done to help these churches until they take a different approach to the interim time.
Interim ministry is a vital ministry to help churches grow healthier. It is a great way for a retired pastor to remain in the ministry after retirement, but it's important to recognize that there are some specific tasks interim ministers need to perform that may require some training. Just because someone has been a pastor for 30 years does not mean that person will be a great interim minister. There are some new skills that a pastor may need to learn before becoming an interim minister. Many denominations offer training for persons interested in serving as an interim pastor, and other organizations such as the Center for Congregational Health also offer such training. This can also be a new role a bivocational minister can consider. Interim ministry is an important ministry for the church and the Kingdom of God, and it is one you may want to consider.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
What do people want in their leaders?
In 1993 James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner wrote Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. In 2011 the book was revised based upon new research they had done in the intervening years. The book examines the reasons people follow the leaders they choose to follow and looks at the traits people identify as the most important qualities they look for in their leaders. One interesting finding in the book is that the top three qualities had not changed in the nearly two decades since the first book was released. These top three qualities are
As I work with church leaders I see some who exhibit some of these three qualities but not all of them. Some are totally honest people but they lack competence. It's not that they don't try to accomplish good things; they just don't know how. Some lack leadership abilities. The way they relate to the people they serve fails to inspire those people. They have no vision for the future of the church so they are unable to provide direction. Like the Israelites in the Wilderness, the church spends its time wandering in the wilderness under their leadership. The saddest group however are those leaders who lack integrity. Because of their track record people no longer trust them to tell the truth. Of the three, integrity is the most important because if the people do not trust you no one will follow you regardless of how talented you might be. The most successful church leaders are those who show evidence of all three qualities.
Now that you know what people are looking for in their leaders, and if the statement in the second paragraph is true, now is a good time to examine yourself and see how you rate on these three qualities. As part of that evaluation you should try to see yourself through the eyes of those you are leading. How would they evaluate you in these three categories?
Competence and leadership can be learned, and as a person called to a leadership position you should be committed to growing in each of these areas. Integrity is an inside job and has to do with your character. Once integrity is violated and people view their leader as a person that cannot be trusted it is very difficult to earn back that trust. Congregations will often offer grace to a pastor who leads them in a ministry that doesn't produce the desired results; much less grace is often afforded the pastor who violates their trust in his or her integrity. I once heard a long-tenured pastor of a church say that even when people did not necessarily agree with the direction he sought to take them as a congregation they were willing to follow him because they knew his heart. They trusted his intentions because they trusted him as a man of integrity.
As I read the section of the book that addressed these issues I was reminded again of how important a long tenure is in a church, especially a smaller church that has experienced frequent pastoral turnover. It takes time to prove you are a person of integrity. It takes time to prove one's competence and ability to lead, and until these qualities are proven to the congregation they are unlikely to accept the pastor as a leader in the church.
If you are a leader of a church, or any organization for that matter, keep these three qualities in mind at all times. Be a person of your word. Don't promise something if you do not intend to keep it. Remember that people are watching you at all times so be a person of character. Work as much as possible in the areas of your strengths because that is where you will be most competent. Prayerfully seek God's vision for your church and lead the people in the fulfillment of that vision. Demonstrate courage and lead. As you consistently focus on demonstrating these three qualities in your life and ministry you will find greater acceptance as a leader, and one day you'll suddenly notice just how far you have led the people God has given you.
- Integrity (honest, trustworthy, a person of character and conviction)
- Competence (capable, productive, and efficient)
- Leadership (inspiring, decisive, and provides direction)
As I work with church leaders I see some who exhibit some of these three qualities but not all of them. Some are totally honest people but they lack competence. It's not that they don't try to accomplish good things; they just don't know how. Some lack leadership abilities. The way they relate to the people they serve fails to inspire those people. They have no vision for the future of the church so they are unable to provide direction. Like the Israelites in the Wilderness, the church spends its time wandering in the wilderness under their leadership. The saddest group however are those leaders who lack integrity. Because of their track record people no longer trust them to tell the truth. Of the three, integrity is the most important because if the people do not trust you no one will follow you regardless of how talented you might be. The most successful church leaders are those who show evidence of all three qualities.
Now that you know what people are looking for in their leaders, and if the statement in the second paragraph is true, now is a good time to examine yourself and see how you rate on these three qualities. As part of that evaluation you should try to see yourself through the eyes of those you are leading. How would they evaluate you in these three categories?
Competence and leadership can be learned, and as a person called to a leadership position you should be committed to growing in each of these areas. Integrity is an inside job and has to do with your character. Once integrity is violated and people view their leader as a person that cannot be trusted it is very difficult to earn back that trust. Congregations will often offer grace to a pastor who leads them in a ministry that doesn't produce the desired results; much less grace is often afforded the pastor who violates their trust in his or her integrity. I once heard a long-tenured pastor of a church say that even when people did not necessarily agree with the direction he sought to take them as a congregation they were willing to follow him because they knew his heart. They trusted his intentions because they trusted him as a man of integrity.
As I read the section of the book that addressed these issues I was reminded again of how important a long tenure is in a church, especially a smaller church that has experienced frequent pastoral turnover. It takes time to prove you are a person of integrity. It takes time to prove one's competence and ability to lead, and until these qualities are proven to the congregation they are unlikely to accept the pastor as a leader in the church.
If you are a leader of a church, or any organization for that matter, keep these three qualities in mind at all times. Be a person of your word. Don't promise something if you do not intend to keep it. Remember that people are watching you at all times so be a person of character. Work as much as possible in the areas of your strengths because that is where you will be most competent. Prayerfully seek God's vision for your church and lead the people in the fulfillment of that vision. Demonstrate courage and lead. As you consistently focus on demonstrating these three qualities in your life and ministry you will find greater acceptance as a leader, and one day you'll suddenly notice just how far you have led the people God has given you.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Accomplish more by doing less
A common problem among many smaller churches is that they are over-structured. Often, their structure reflects a time when they were a larger church, but as they have declined over the years nothing ever changed about their structure. They have the same number of committees, many of which are really no longer needed. They have the same number of leadership and teaching positions, many of which are no longer needed. They are over-programmed for the number of people who participate. As a result, many of the people are exhausted from all the activities going on in the church, most of which are really not very productive.
Church leaders should spend some time at the end of the year looking at all the activity that has occurred during the previous year and then see how those activities changed the church and impacted the community. Many churches will find that their church looks much the same on December 31 as it did on January 1 despite all the activities that occurred in the church in the months in between. Activity for the sake of activity is not a productive use of the resources of a small church. Trying to compete with the larger churches in the community is also not wise. I know every church believes it must have a youth ministry, but it is really foolish to try to build a youth ministry with the three young people in your church when two other churches in the community have youth groups that exceed 100 kids each week. You are not likely to grow your church through your youth group. So what should a smaller church do?
Find one or two things that your church can do with excellence and pour your resources (people, time, and money) into those one or two things. If these are ministries that other churches in your community are not doing that is even better. Eliminate as many of the maintenance tasks you've asked your members to do as possible, eliminate the activities that are not productive, and streamline your approach to ministry. Identify the vision God has for your church and stop trying to copy what other churches are doing. Focus your attention on that vision and allow everything else to fall away. Challenge your people to work in the areas of their spiritual giftedness and passion, and if there are tasks that do not match those things in your church membership accept that as a sign that those tasks no longer need to be done in your church.
This will not be easy for many smaller churches because it will mean the loss of some sacred cows that have almost risen to the status of idols, but we've got to stop doing things that no longer matter in the 21st century. Ministry is a stewardship item for which we will one day give an account to the One who called us to the task. We must be wise in how we use the resources He has provided us for the ministries to which He has called us. Our congregations need to hear this message and be challenged to put aside those tasks that no longer help us achieve our purpose as a church and recognize that for most of our smaller churches our greatest effectiveness will be found in doing fewer things but doing them well. When a church can find a niche ministry it can do with excellence it will find greater enjoyment in ministry and will see real results at the end of the year.
Church leaders should spend some time at the end of the year looking at all the activity that has occurred during the previous year and then see how those activities changed the church and impacted the community. Many churches will find that their church looks much the same on December 31 as it did on January 1 despite all the activities that occurred in the church in the months in between. Activity for the sake of activity is not a productive use of the resources of a small church. Trying to compete with the larger churches in the community is also not wise. I know every church believes it must have a youth ministry, but it is really foolish to try to build a youth ministry with the three young people in your church when two other churches in the community have youth groups that exceed 100 kids each week. You are not likely to grow your church through your youth group. So what should a smaller church do?
Find one or two things that your church can do with excellence and pour your resources (people, time, and money) into those one or two things. If these are ministries that other churches in your community are not doing that is even better. Eliminate as many of the maintenance tasks you've asked your members to do as possible, eliminate the activities that are not productive, and streamline your approach to ministry. Identify the vision God has for your church and stop trying to copy what other churches are doing. Focus your attention on that vision and allow everything else to fall away. Challenge your people to work in the areas of their spiritual giftedness and passion, and if there are tasks that do not match those things in your church membership accept that as a sign that those tasks no longer need to be done in your church.
This will not be easy for many smaller churches because it will mean the loss of some sacred cows that have almost risen to the status of idols, but we've got to stop doing things that no longer matter in the 21st century. Ministry is a stewardship item for which we will one day give an account to the One who called us to the task. We must be wise in how we use the resources He has provided us for the ministries to which He has called us. Our congregations need to hear this message and be challenged to put aside those tasks that no longer help us achieve our purpose as a church and recognize that for most of our smaller churches our greatest effectiveness will be found in doing fewer things but doing them well. When a church can find a niche ministry it can do with excellence it will find greater enjoyment in ministry and will see real results at the end of the year.
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