If you’re the leader in an organization, you have the responsibility of communicating the facts clearly. All the facts. Those that folks want to hear and those that folks don’t want to hear.
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Thirty-eight years ago this month I was installed as senior pastor at Fellowship Missionary Church. The church was a small plant and met in a YMCA. And I was as green as grass!
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In light of my experience of handing off a church I led for 34 years, I’m often approached both by pastors and church boards to share with them what I learned about succession. What worked for us well, where we made some mistakes, and what I would do differently.
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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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One of the primary responsibilities of leadership is solving problems. It simply comes with the territory. The problems may arise from circumstances that are not really anyone’s fault.
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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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For most of my years as a Senior Pastor, I took time off during the month of July to rest, think, pray, and plan. In addition to allowing me to slow down and engage in personal renewal, I also used this time to do long-range sermon planning and study.
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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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In last week’s post, I talked about how the recent shutdown during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic actually presented the 21st-century church with a wonderful opportunity. Almost overnight we went from being the church gathered to being the church scattered.
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Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your relationships with others.
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Jesus was the greatest leader who ever lived. He inspired multitudes with His teaching. He performed miracles before thousands. Yet, for all of His interaction with large numbers of people, His primary investment was with a small group of individuals.
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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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Even though the coronavirus crisis continues to rage, there’s already talk of when we can expect things to get back to normal. When life as we once knew it will return. Please allow me to offer an observation. Things will never get back to normal.
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These are truly unprecedented times. Never in my lifetime have we had to face a global pandemic with all of the physical, relational, financial, and spiritual implications. So, how does one lead when this is such uncharted territory?
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Most of the young leaders that I’m coaching began their ministry as an associate pastor. Many were youth pastors. Others were small group pastors. Then, the opportunity arose for them to move into the left seat of the cockpit and become the lead pilot for the ministry plane.
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You’ve probably encountered plenty of management theories and you might have your own ideas about an effective management style. However, a key part of being a good leader/manager is being in touch with your subordinates.
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Tucked away in the book of Ecclesiastes are these words: “Not only was the Teacher wise, but he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one Shepherd.” Ecclesiastes 12:9-11
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I’m asked quite often, “What is the discipleship method that you have found to be the most effective?” When I hear that, I know what the individual is looking for. They’re hoping to find a neatly packaged program that they can implement in their church to dramatic results.
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