How does a minister manage the pressures of ministry, hold to good boundaries, and have deep compassion for people in day-to-day life? Let's see how Jesus did it.
Pastors Must be Dependent on Christ
5 Things to Consider Before Transitioning from Your Church
If you are transitioning out of a ministry role—or considering doing so, it might be helpful to think through a few things. I recently resigned from a church that we planted in 1995 and that I pastored for 25 years. It was a huge decision and while knowing some things going into it, I also learned some things from it. These brief thoughts might be helpful to you.
While We're Waiting
Your Church's Leadership Structure May Not Be the Problem
The New Testament is conspicuously silent with respect to details on church governance and decision-making., but it does provide teachings that speak powerfully to the organizational needs we face. An imperfect system filled with people of integrity, humility, and grace will function far better than a perfect system filled with those who lack these qualities.
Leader, You are First a Child of God
There are two spheres of existence: being and doing. "Being" concerns who we are. "Doing" concerns the roles we play and the things we do in them. While the things we do in life can certainly enhance or detract from our sense of self, they should never define it. In other words, if we receive our identity in what we do (roles, titles, positions, jobs, functions) we set ourselves up for great disappointment.
Caution and Help for the Hyperdriven Leader
Like the hyperdrive on Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon, there are leaders who propel their churches forward at breakneck rates, helping them journey great distances and achieve impressive results. In the leader’s mind, the idea of being a “visionary” excuses their obsession with results and the tunnel-vision that accompanies their success. When this occurs, a hyper-driven leader creates vision-weary people and may be authoritarian, autonomous, and even downright mean.
Why would otherwise great leaders act in such destructive ways?
Resolving Conflict God's Way
In Matthew 18:15–20, Jesus outlines a very clear and specific way for conflict to be addressed. This is based upon that fact that relationships between people are very important to God. Especially as leaders, we should have the maturity to follow Christ's powerful wisdom in this area. So, here are four steps involved in Jesus’s reconciliation process.
Stewardship of Power
Why is this discussion of a leader’s power so important? Recent issues have made this question extremely pressing for us. Power is possibly the greatest asset towards leadership. It provides leaders with the potential to do good or bring harm. Power allows leaders to build trust and thus gain the voluntary and legitimate permission of people to influence them, or power can be used in such a way that it undermines trust and legitimacy. Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “Nothing is more useful than power, nothing more frightful.”
Since this is true, the way a leader uses power is the truest test of his or her character. God gives power and position for the sake of his people, not for the privilege of the leader.