The most potent organizations in the world are those in which individuals possess a common group identity. There’s a shared sense of “This is us. This is who we are. This is how it’s like us to act.”
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It’s election day in the United States, a day that has loomed large on our national consciousness for months. We have stewed over it, argued over it, fought for it, and dreaded it. Indeed, this has been the most vitriolic election our nation has seen in years.
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My wife and I have both been greatly inspired by the challenges regarding prayer that Mark Batterson offers in his book, Draw the Circle. In one section, the Washington D.C.–based pastor talks about not allowing prayer to be a substitute for action but a stimulus to action.
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The comments I’m hearing from the pastors I’m dealing with are growing in their consistency and intensity. They are all feeling overwhelmed (“The burden of leadership is so heavy!”, disillusioned (“I didn’t sign up for this!”), and perplexed (“I don’t know what steps to take!”).
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One of the surprising things that I’m hearing from pastors these days is that they are sensing the need to hire more staff to meet the new needs that have surfaced in this season. And by shifting around their church budgets, some dollars have been freed up to do so.
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In this season of prolonged stress brought on by the repercussions of a global pandemic, the need for good soul care is essential – especially for pastors and leaders. Without it, we may find ourselves headed toward burnout, depression, addiction, and/or damaged relationships.
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It was Harry S. Truman said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Those men and women at the top of their field often quote Truman’s philosophy as one of their keys to success.
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The thought comes to every pastor sooner or later. Should I stay in my current role in my current church or is it time for me to go?
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Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, scientists constructed a research facility in Arizona called Biosphere 2. Its purpose was to study the interactions between life-systems in a controlled environment, ostensibly to explore the possibility for usage in outer space.
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That leathery old saint, A. W. Tozer, is credited with a quote I’ve shared quite a few times. “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”
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I was recently asked, “What were the most difficult moments you faced in your 40 years of ministry?” I had to ponder the question for a moment as dozens of memories came flooding back.
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I checked in with a pastor friend last week to see how he was doing in these challenging days. He responded that he was “hanging in there,” but as I pressed him a bit more, he said, “I am struggling with decision fatigue.
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As a young leader, I was 100 percent convinced that competency was the key to effectiveness in leadership. I no longer believe that’s true.
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Without a doubt, 2020 been one of the most challenging years our country has faced. A pandemic with over 100,000 dead in just 10 weeks. Economic upheaval leaving millions jobless. And now protests in the streets decrying racism and police brutality against African Americans. These are days when leadership is desperately needed.
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Millions of people have now viewed the horrifying video as George Floyd was murdered on camera by Minneapolis police while bystanders pleaded with officers not to kill him. As he lay helplessly in the street with the policeman’s knee on his neck, Floyd’s haunting last words were, “Please! I can’t breathe.”
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One of the unique challenges that pastors have in these difficult days is that of shouldering responsibility for the well-being of others. The role requires wearing multiple hats: spouse, parent, child (if there are elderly parents involved), and shepherd of the flock.
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Like it or not, all of us are establishing new patterns during this time of crisis. These patterns are reflected in adjusted rhythms of work and rest. They’re seen in the ways we relate to people virtually rather than physically. They’re evidenced in the ways we shop and the places we worship. All of these carry a significant impact. However, one of the most crucial patterns that we need to consider is the way we think.
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If this question hasn’t been posed to you lately, it will be soon…especially when COVID-19 hits close to home through the death of a friend or family member. It’s then that the issue isn’t merely hypothetical but intensely personal. And people will be looking for an answer.
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The great general Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with saying: “The role of the leader is to define reality and give hope.” While true at all times, this is especially true during times of severe crisis – such as the one we’re currently facing. This is when leaders need to balance realism with optimism.
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These are dark days. The threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is growing more and more serious. The infection rate is soaring. Hospitals are being overwhelmed. The death rate is advancing. For those of us in church leadership, this Easter will be unlike any other in our lives.
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