Spatial Disorientation – Pastor: Do You Know The Condition Of Your Pastorate?

My wife and I have been learning about spatial disorientation by listening to airline disaster podcasts.  The phenomenon occurs when pilots, unable to see the ground because of darkness or bad weather (pilots call it “goo”), become unable to determine their aircraft’s true position relative to the ground. Their senses tell them, for instance, that their airplane is level when it is not, or far from the ground when it’s actually heading right for it.

As we understand it, there are two ways – and only two ways – to escape from the potentially deadly results of spatial disorientation. 

Either way, surviving spatial disorientation involves both humility and faith; the willingness to discount the validity of one’s own senses in favor of (1) your aircraft’s navigational instruments or (2) the protestations of another human being.  We’ve heard highly skilled and experienced pilots confess that they and their passengers were barely saved by way of the intervention of co-pilots who spoke up assertively or even took over the controls in an emergency.

Here’s what this has to do with pastors and churches: Pastors, as well as pilots and other types of leaders who are responsible for the well-being of others, can fall victim to a type of spatial disorientation. It’s possible for a church leader to believe that he knows the true condition of his pastorate, the delicate and all-important leadership relationship between himself and his congregation, while the reality is something altogether different – for better or for worse.  Either way, it’s dangerous.

 EXAMPLES OF PASTORAL SPATIAL DISORIENTATION:

• Pastor Jones, knowing that his personal relationships with his followers were generally very good, believed that he was greatly valued as their pastor and that he should remain in the church until he chose his own successor: someone much younger but remarkably similar to himself.  He was right about the first part – the people loved him – but wrong about the second part – they were ready for him to move on, and they wanted to find his replacement themselves. In this case a lack of Biblical humility, as in Romans 12:3, led to pastoral spatial disorientation.
• On the other hand, Pastor Smith thought that his low salary meant that his church didn’t value him. His parishioners were clueless as to his family’s actual financial difficulties.  When he resigned in frustration and the congregation found out why, they were incredulous and disappointed.  In this case a lack of simple assertiveness led to pastoral spatial disorientation.
• Pastor Peterson didn’t believe in pastoral performance reviews. The last time it was done, 1975 I think, it led to some very uncomfortable discussions in the boardroom. Pastor “Pete” felt that his board members were naïve, unfair and judgmental. He vowed to never let them do another assessment of his work. Within a few years the relationships between the pastor and the board members had deteriorated to the point where “Pete’s” resignation would have been warmly welcomed. In this case, simple pride and the pastor’s failure to create a fair and helpful performance review process (which isn’t easy) led to pastoral spatial disorientation.
• Pastor Johnson, on the other hand, was feeling deeply discouraged over another Monday morning attack from church bully Shirley Goodness. This had been going on for years and had become progressively worse.  Johnson, in his insecurity, didn’t tell his board members about the verbal assaults, fearing they would agree with Shirley. Not only did they not agree with the bully, they would gladly had come to their pastor’s defense with sincere praise and affection if only he had told them. In this case, an unwarranted insecurity led to pastoral spatial disorientation.
• Pastor Fugate told me personally that he was having “a little problem with some of the board members.” I was shocked.  I had already heard from one of the board members and I knew it was a big problem, not a little problem.  A few months later the pastor was forced to resign.  In this case the pastor’s naïve, out-of-touch optimism – for want of a better term – led to his spatial disorientation.

PREVENTING PASTORAL SPATIAL DISORIENTATION:

• Allow a trusted individual or two to tell you the truth about the health of your pastorate, which, again, I’m defining as the delicate and all-important leadership relationship between yourself and your congregation. Make sure you’re not just going to the elderly lady who loves you like a son (and I hope you have one of those). You probably also need to consult that godly old saint who seems to care about you but is not necessarily impressed with you.
• Ask your spouse to tell you the truth about the “vibes” she picks up about your standing with the church. Some clergy wives are overly supportive of their spouses; others are under-supportive of their spouses; still others are properly supportive: they love their husbands but they’re willing to tell them the truth.
• Insist that your board gives you an annual performance review, but take responsibility for coming up with a review format which is realistic, fair and helpful. This will take a little work on your part, but it is well worth the effort.  See this post or even this post for some assistance.
• Do an occasional congregation-wide assessment. The most complete assessments are done by consultants (yes, I’m prejudiced), but short of that, there are several excellent computer-driven assessments you can utilize which cost only a few hundred dollars and are very helpful. Contact me for my big opinions on these. Remember that “the facts are your friends.”

Here’s my plea: Don’t fall victim to pastoral spatial disorientation. Know the condition of your flock and know the condition of your pastorate, your relationship with your flock.  It will only help you to know the truth and it might prevent a major leadership disaster.