I received some pushback regarding a couple of blog posts I wrote about allowing pastors to lead their churches. I argued that most churches which are actually making devoted followers of Christ out of the raw material of lost people have pastors who are expected to actually lead.
I’m not claiming that the Bible demands this kind of arrangement. I do claim that the Bible illustrates it and experience demonstrates that it’s the most effective model for missional effectiveness.
Let’s face it, most churches are pursuing pasted together, composite, let’s-try-to-please-everybody visions with pasted together, composite, let’s-try-to-please- everybody ministry strategies.
But the objection was a good one: Most of us pastors aren’t ready for this. Most of us pastors don’t deserve it.
So what are the characteristics of the pastors who deserve to be entrusted with this kind of leadership mandate?
They have impeccable character, and everybody knows it. While they may arrive on the scene with their impeccable character developed, it usually takes a few years for the congregation to realize they have it.
They have a deep-down Biblical humility, which is not self-loathing, but an honest understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. When pastors only want to talk about their strengths, you know that they have only the fuzziest vision of God and probably haven’t seen themselves very clearly either.
They have a walk with God that lends credibility to their vision casting. Moses had signs from God to build credibility. (The leprous hand and rod-turning-into-a-snake routines were pretty spectacular.) He also scaled a mountain which smoked and quaked and rocked out to the sound of a heavenly trumpet. He came down from the mountain with his face glowing.
Most of don’t have such wondrous special effects, so we have to convince people in more mundane, time-consuming ways, like reflecting God’s glory while under attack or enduring hardship and loss with heavenly grace.
They have demonstrated love and devotion to their churches with no sense of ownership or entitlement. Pastors who talk about “their people” and “the folks who are in the church because of me” don’t deserve the kind of authority I’m talking about.
Pastors who truly love their churches will stay on if they are convinced it is the best thing for the ministry or move on if they are convinced that that would be the best thing for the ministry. They’re obsessed with Jesus’ kingdom, not their own.
They inspire others with a faith and enthusiasm which is long-term and genuine. Just about anybody can pump up some enthusiasm for a short sprint. Can you keep it going, because you have learned to rejoice in the Lord and enjoy Christ, for the whole marathon?
They have demonstrated skill in the nuts and bolts aspects of leadership. Leadership begins with a discontent with the present and a dream of a better future. That’s the fun part, but it’s just the beginning. As a friend concluded a few years back, “the trouble with this leadership stuff is that eventually it deteriorates into hard work.”
The hard work aspects of leadership involve persuading others to join you in achieving the vision and then actually getting them to the God-given destination. Most of us have to demonstrate some ability to do these things on a small scale before our churches are willing to let us try it on a larger stage.
Are YOU a pastor who deserves to be followed?
