Looking for a Savior

A common statement that the lay leaders of a church in crisis often make is, “If we can just get the right pastor, we can pull out of this slump.” In How the Mighty Fall, Jim Collins points out that it is not unusual for an organization that has started on the road to decline to “grasp for a leader as savior.” The organization “responds to threats and setbacks by searching for a charismatic leader and/or outside savior.”

Certainly the “right” leader can make a difference, but only if he or she does the “right” things. What can a leader do in a situation where the church or organization is already in decline?

First, we need to remember that the basic definition of a leader is “one who has followers.” Key people need to commit to work with the leader to address the situation. If church leadership expects the new pastor to solve all their problems single-handed, they set the pastor up for failure. Those who have a stake in the situation need to make a commitment to make the sacrifices possible for the pastor (and the church) to turn around the situation.

Second, the new leader must consider the context. In a church, a new pastor needs some time to get settled and really understand what is going on. This is where an intentional interim pastor can help a church. Rather than rushing to find a new pastor to “fix” the problem, a competent intentional interim can help the church assess its situation and pass this information on to the new pastor. This may include clarifying the church’s understanding of its context, mission, demographics, history, or community. In fact, this type of information can assist the pastor search process to make a more informed choice of pastoral candidates.

Third, the new leader has to build a team. A leader can fail on his or her own, but a leader needs the support of others to succeed. Leadership is not a task done in isolation. As Collins comments, getting the “right people on the bus” is always important, but in a church the riders may already be there and are not getting off. The riders include both lay leaders and staff members. The new pastor has to deal with both. He or she must build rapport with lay leaders while molding current staff into a team of which the pastor is an integral part. This can be difficult, intentional work.

Fourth, the new leader must build consensus around a renewed vision for the church or organization. Such a vision must be realistic but challenging. A new pastor must help the church see that there is hope for the future but bringing that hope to fruition will require sacrifice and hard work.

Fifth, the new leader must lead the organization to act. Visioning, strategic planning, and other efforts to refocus the church are inspiring, but the church must ultimately take action on these plans. When it comes time to act, the pastor will find out if the situation has been realistically assessed, if the team (lay and staff) is on board, and if there is consensus that will support action.

Collins points out that the leaders of one turnaround company understood that “rebuilding greatness requires a series of intelligent, well-executed actions that add up one on top of another. . . . Most ‘overnight success’ stories are about twenty years in the making.” Maybe “patience” is the sixth step!

Comments

Check these out

Confessions of a Recovering Southern Baptist

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist. I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age. I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving. This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students. We supported missionaries at home and abroad. We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course). I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition. Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect. There were significant theological differences, often geograp

The Bible Tells Me So

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself. The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church. Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs. What once worked no longer seems to be effective. Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educational dimension of church ministry, as the

Metaphors of the Kingdom of God

In a recent blog , consultant Seth Godin addresses the power of metaphor. He points out, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” In other words, “this” is like “that.” “When you see a story, an example, a wonderment,” says Godin, “take a moment to look for the metaphor inside.” Jesus turned this around. In the use of parables, he told a story or provided a metaphor and challenged his hearers to see the truth within. For example, in his teaching on the Kingdom (or Reign) of God in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom to such things as a mustard seed, yeast, a hidden treasure, a net, a king, and a landowner. His hearers are encouraged to use their imaginations to understand something that they had never experienced. He also attempted to shift their perspective so that they might see signs of the Kingdom breaking into their present reality. These are metaphors for the Kingdom. Where do w

The Tragedy of Willow Creek Community Church

File photo of Steve Carter, Heather Larson, and Bill Hybels As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to pray for Willow Creek Community Church. On the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, a worldwide conference sponsored by the church in cooperation with the Willow Creek Association, church leadership imploded as a result of further allegations against former pastor Bill Hybels. Last year, Hybels introduced the team who would assume church leadership upon his retirement--lead pastor Heather Larson and teaching pastor Steve Carter. Although the founding pastor planned to stay on to assist in a time of transition, reports of sexual impropriety involving Hybels surfaced early this year. He accelerated his departure from the church and left the board of the Willow Creek Association. When other charges emerged last week, teaching pastor Carter resigned. On Wednesday evening, Larson and the entire elder board--lay leaders who provide accountability on behalf of the congreg

A Future for the Global Leadership Summit?

Craig Groeschel, the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church. The Global Leadership Summit which began as a project of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and its founding pastor, Bill Hybels, over 25 years ago was held this week without Hybels. For several years, the GLS has been now produced by the Willow Creek Association, a spin-off organization and a loose network of churches but Hybels has been its driving force. Attended by thousands at the church facility in South Barrington and broadcast to thousands more at satellite locations, the annual meeting brings together not only evangelical leaders but outstanding speakers from business, charitable organizations, politics, and business. For the first time, Hybels did not appear due to allegations of sexual impropriety brought against him over the past year by former employees, staff members, and business associates. He has already left the church and resigned from the board of the association.

Barnabas File

Search This Blog