During the past year, I enjoyed the privilege of serving the Church of the Brethren as our Moderator, our highest national office. It is truly a humbling experience to have one’s name recorded in the same list as those I have read about in our history books. It makes me wonder what God saw in me to call me to this particular role!
A large part of this calling involved visiting Church of the Brethren congregations and districts, sharing my hopes and dreams for the church, and learning what is happening in our local congregations. It also provided many opportunities to think about healthy leadership. Along the way, I observed some things.
First, there are many congregations that enjoy strong leadership, both from the pastoral staff and the membership. By looking around at bulletin boards and church bulletins and talking with members and pastors, I could tell that certain congregations love Jesus, love one another, and clearly understand their mission in the Kingdom of God. These congregations are served by strong and compassionate pastors, who have a clear sense that their job takes them outside the walls of the church. Typically, these congregations enjoy long, healthy pastorates.
Second, there are some congregations that will not exist in 10 years. While they get along well with one another and love their Lord, it seems their main purpose is to get together again next Sunday for worship—in the same manner they have for years—all the while wondering why more people (especially young people) don’t join them. Somewhere in the past, these congregations have traded the challenge of leadership for the comfort of management, and they have been managed nearly out of existence.
As I consider what I observed in visiting congregations, along with what I’ve learned and read about leadership, I offer these four observations, and how they might apply to our congregations. As you read the word “leader” in what follows, don’t only substitute the word “pastor.” All levels of church leadership are in view here.
1. Ineffective leaders focus on weakness; strong leaders focus on strength. A medical example helps us understand this point. In the long run, we are more likely to experience good health if we practice healthy habits: good diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep. Congregational life is similar; over the long term, we are more likely to create strong churches by strengthening what is already strong, rather than focusing on our problems. In your congregation, what is your focus: strengthening areas that are already strong? Maintenance of the status quo without really thinking about it? Struggling with conflict and decline?
2. Ineffective leaders focus on symptoms; strong leaders seek enduring change. Many congregations gather each week, wondering where all the young people are. “If we just had more young people” is a refrain sung in churches about as often as Amazing Grace. This is “symptom thinking.” Rather than trying to hire a rock band to lead worship in an aging, declining congregation, strong leaders insist that their congregations take a hard look at themselves, the Gospel, and their ministry context, identifying the reasons and roadblocks for why people (of any age) aren’t in attendance, and seek to improve or change those areas.
3. Ineffective leaders are stuck trying harder; strong leaders are fed up with the treadmill. No matter how hard or fast you nail shingles to a roof, you will not be able to stay ahead of a hurricane’s wind! It’s a losing effort, so don’t even try. Working harder is not effective when we are working against the natural forces of the system, or when the congregation (or individual) doesn’t really want to change.
4. Ineffective leaders try to minimize conflict; strong leaders recognize that conflict and sabotage are often signs of effectiveness. My friend Keith McCurdy has written numerous articles in this newspaper illustrating how this point applies to families: When you assign more chores or expect better behavior, you will get resistance. The parent’s role is to not give in to the complaining! The same is true in churches. If we want to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God here in Roanoke (as Jesus said, “on earth as it is in Heaven!”), we will need to change. We should value and encourage leaders who have thick skin, tender hearts, and backbones of steel. Many churches are already changing in some uncomfortable ways anyway—they are declining to the point of non-existence. So it really boils down to “what kind of change do we want to see?”
As you consider this brief look at four leadership principles for congregations, where does your congregation fit in?
Tim Harvey is the senior pastor at Central Church of the Brethren in Roanoke. Visit them on the web atat www.centralbrethren.org
