Much discussion and many resources are available on the topic of leadership in the church, it is difficult to say anything new. I just finished teaching a modular course on pastoral leadership. Here are some insights I gained as the teacher of this workshop and from my experiences as a pastor.
At the top of my list of pastoral leadership qualities is confidence in God and in people. We must have faith in the God we profess. Leadership often is lonely. As a pastor, I sometimes felt like there was no one who really understood the particular challenges I was facing in helping a church grow, transition, or attempt new things. The temptation is to become discouraged, especially when things do not move or change quickly. We may even begin to feel like God is distant or that we cannot discern God’s will. We may also begin to feel fences and walls being build up between us and the people of the church. We must believe in the best in the people we lead. Although we must have a realistic view of their short comings, we must also believe that God can save and transform anyone. We must view the people in our church with the same love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy that God shows them.
A pastor as leader will have vision and forward movement, even in difficult times. This vision comes not from his or her own ideas alone, but as God plants these ideas in our thinking through prayer, reading the Bible, conversations with others, and many other ways. I call this a “kingdom perspective” because we realize that we are servants of the King of kings and carry out His will in His kingdom. We must be careful not to build our own kingdoms but to join in God’s kingdom. God will have a plan for our church. This plan may have steps to it and we may not know the whole plan at once if ever. It begins with the daily decisions of the people to honor and serve God with their whole hearts. As pastors, we must set the example of this. From this starting point, the options are as big as the universe. The dangerous thing is for us as leaders to get stuck in a rut of comfort and complacency.
Relationships matter. Relationships are like plants that begin with seeds that must be watered and nurtured into growth. These plants must be protected from the forces that seek to destroy them. Pastoral ministry is all about relationships. Even though some of us are quiet and reserved (I am a strong introvert), we must do all we can to nurture relationships. Why? Because that is how our life will touch another person’s life. It is how we influence those around us. It is how positive change happens. Isolation and little visitation will put the focus of our ministry on an event on Sunday morning and not on the daily living of people. I am afraid that this is the danger of big churches today. It is all about an event and not a lifestyle.
Servanthood is our model. So much has been written on this topic, both from a secular and Christian perspective. I cannot think of anything new to add. But the difficult part is how to actually implement these ideas. Humility is at the heart of servanthood. Humility is very difficult to live out because it requires sanctifying to God our personal agendas, which often include our goals and ambitions. I am an idea person and like to think of new things and new ways of doing things. I don’t think this is necessarily bad but is actually a gift of creativity from God. My problem, however, is that I do not wait upon the Lord for confirmation and direction. When I don’t wait, I usually end up stuck in the trivialities of a project that take my focus off of the heart of the issues: the mission and kingdom of God. Humility in relationships and humility before God helps us be in the business of redemption, restoration, reconciliation, and renewal. Those who write the books on servant leadership can help us with possible strategies, but in my thinking, it comes down to the sanctified heart. If we commit ourselves to God, then God will use us no matter our education or personal abilities. Being a servant can be a lonely road that few will understand or appreciate, even within the church.
For more pastoral reflections, click here.
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