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In Your Ministry, Are You an Undertaker, Caretaker, Risk Taker?
In describing the kind of pastoral leaders we find in the church today, Dale Galloway suggests three different categories.
The first is Undertaker. Undertakers preside over churches that never change; everything stays the same. Often they are fatally ill, but do not realize the seriousness of their sickness. “The undertaker spends a lot of time burying folks.”
The second approach is Caretaker. The caretaker helps a church transition in focus, moving from program-centered structures to people-centered ministries and relationships. This kind of leader talks a lot about the future, but is short on accomplishments.
The Risk Taker moves beyond the other two. This person lives at the cutting edge of evangelism, transforming the ministries of the local church to embrace emerging trends and new concepts.
Risk Takers give attention to developing the following attitudes, skills, and perspectives in themselves:
• The Gift of Leadership—Leadership skills can be developed with diligent attention and hard work. Read books. Ask questions of great leaders. Give special attention to the ways Jesus and Paul led.
• The Spirit of Jesus—”What happens in our own spirit determines more than anything else whether we will win or lose in our efforts to introduce planned change.”
• Visionary Leadership—Change agents must keep one foot planted in the present and one in the future, even if it seems unreasonable.
• Appropriate Sense of Inadequacy—Reach beyond the limits of your abilities into the promised power of the Holy Spirit.
• Supportive Family who Loves You—Risk takers don’t neglect their marriage and kids. Health at home keeps the potential of failed ministry programs from crippling a visionary leadership.
• Dissatisfaction with Status Quo—A holy discontent with church as usual is normal for cutting-edge thinkers and doers. A critical eye enables creative thinking. In order for a better future to come, it must be safe to express discontent with what is happening at present.
• Passion for the Lost—A passion for the lost becomes a part of every phase of ministry.
• Depersonalize Negative Reactions—Tough-skinned and tender at the same time, change agents remember that people matter; even the best sometimes lash out at the messenger of change.
Often a leader’s biggest test is loving people who are resistant to the changes the leader is trying to make.
Helping People through Trials and Tragedies
Many hard-to-explain trials came to people on my watch as a pastor. Like you, I have experienced the unexplainable. The thing I have noticed over and over is that those who have a viable faith and realize how much God loves them are able to make it through the tough times and go on to a life of victory. Often their lives are filled with great commitment even in the face of tragedy and pain. But others who blame God and roll up into a ball of self-pity find their lives blighted and scarred forever.
I believe God wills all of us as pastors to be specialists who assist persons in finding faith even in their dark midnights. I am convinced it is our God-enabled assignment to help hurting folks heal. I believe one of our great privileges is to be near struggling human beings so they can lean on our faith and hear us say by our lives and our lips, “God loves you and wants to help you through this difficulty.”
Let’s find a way to help people use every test and trial as a bridge to God. Here are some ways to do that:
• Follow your heart when a tragedy strikes. Drop everything else and go offer the strength of Jesus to persons who have suffered loss or experienced hurt. Even if it is your day off or you are not dressed as a clergy person, go help needy people lean on the strong arm of the Savior. They will never forget your ministry to them.
• Specialize in the ministry of presence. Hurting folks want you with them in tough times because of Whom you represent. Point them to Jesus.
• Depend on the church. A reservoir of compassion resides in the hearts of the family of God. Encourage your congregation to provide Christlike support. Their faithfulness and love will amaze and bless you. And in the process, the lives of those who receive and those who give are blessed by the Lord.
• Pastor your leaders. Everyone needs a pastor sometimes—even you. Building an effective team of staff leaders and volunteers takes time and energy and grit. Keep staff relationships focused on authentic ministry. In the final analysis, you are not their boss but their pastor. They will likely replicate your ministry to them in their ministry to others.
• Get ready for tragedies. To be human is to have problems at some time in our lives. Veteran clergy will tell you that some of their most productive ministries took place when they were going through their own valleys and the congregants saw that their leader’s faith worked.
I love the witness of an old saint who said, “Years ago I saw a pastor go through the valley of the shadow of death. Up until then I always thought of Christianity as a nice idea and a good ideal. But when I saw the strength of that minister's faith, I concluded I needed what he had. When I asked him about it, he said, ‘Let me show you to Jesus.’ And I said, ‘You already have.’”
How to Win and Keep Favor during Change
Having people believe their leader is a decent, good, trustworthy, spiritually mature human being is better than any skill or experience when it comes to implementing change in the church. Consistency, full information, and fairness increase your stature as a leader as you work through change with your congregation. Here are six ways to move forward while increasing your credibility.
• Establish a win record. Establish a climate of success by leading through several smaller changes before going after large-scale change. A solid record of leadership through change will inspire confidence among your people that the next proposed change will also lead to a better day.
• Choose your changes. Be willing to die for a few things, but be flexible on everything else. Your flexibility will be remembered when the time comes for the really important issues.
• Give generous time for discussion. “Good ideas can stand the test of discussion.” Talk with people. Welcome their views. Rumors are usually built on inaccurate information.
• Be open and honest in your communication. Communication is more than just sharing information. Making sure everyone hears the real story and understands what is happening is an expression of caring. Poor or incomplete communication tells folks they don’t matter to the process and their opinion is unimportant.
• Don’t fight opposition. Spend the bulk of your time shaping the thinking of the majority. Love people regardless of their position on any issue. Encourage and motivate the majority.
• Love and pray for people daily. Christlikeness is what people need from you more than anything else. Read 1 Peter 5:2-4 and embody what it calls you to be and do.
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Vol. 2, No. 7
In This Issue
• Are You an Undertaker, Caretaker, Risk Taker?
• Helping People through Trials and Tragedies
• Who is Capable of Doing Ministry?
• How to Win and Keep Favor During Change
"Iron Sharpens Iron" -
a practice-of-ministry component
of the Soul Care ministry of
Clergy Development, Daniel Copp, director. USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Department
of the Church of the Nazarene.
Developed and edited by
Dan Whitney and Neil Wiseman
Visit the Clergy Development website
by clicking here.
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Who is Capable of Doing Ministry?
Among the biggest concerns about developing lay ministry in a local congregation is whether laypersons can actually offer pastoral care and support. Galloway solved that problem by convincing himself, by providing continual training, and by establishing a reporting/accountability system.
All Christians who are serious about their faith are capable of ministry. To develop your own understanding of lay ministry, try asking yourself these defining questions:
1. How much education is needed to do ministry?
2. What spiritual gifts does a person need to do ministry?
3. What do pastors do that laypeople cannot do?
4. What do laypeople do that pastors are not good at doing?
5. Who is the closest to where laypeople live and how they think?
Thoughtful reflection on the previous questions leads to a statement of the requirements for lay ministry. Galloway suggests these:
1. Conversion—A vital relationship with Jesus is a prerequisite for any ministry.
2. Scripture—Lay ministers must believe the Bible is the Word of God.
3. Gifts—They must be willing to discover and use their spiritual gifts.
4. Testimony—Expressing their love for God and His people must be natural to your ministry team.
5. Loyalty—A sense of loyalty to the senior pastor and ministry team is important, even if it is still developing in newer Christians.
Galloway reminds us to keep these pivotal concepts foremost in our minds:
1. Ministry is done in relationships more than in church buildings.
2. Shepherds do not produce sheep; sheep produce sheep.
3. Ministry in its purest form is showing love. |
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Spurgeon Helps Us Understand Our Assignment
Christ's ministers are your souls' physicians. We are not fiddlers to tickle your
ears, nor confectioners to please your palates, but physicians to cure your
diseases; and if you nauseate our most needful medicines we dare not
withhold them, and gratify you with sugared poisons.
— C. H. Spurgeon |
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Grace to you and peace! —Dan and Neil |
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