Episode 26 - Four Challenges To Bold Ministry Leadership & Why You Should Create A Stir!

All of us pastor types want to be bold in our leadership, right? But there are tensions that prevent our innate boldness from getting out! We would be bold in a heartbeat, but… those tensions...

What are the tensions preventing us from speaking out and leading boldly?  There are many, but here are just four:

• We do not want to offend certain donors
  
• We have no desire to "create a stir"
• We are uncertain about timing, what needs to be said and when
• We struggle to balance the truth with love

Lets unpack these:

Go ahead, mix it up! Create a stir!

Balancing the truth with love

We’ve all seen (unfortunately) preachers and speakers who blast their opinions or what they claim the Bible is saying in obnoxious and toxic ways. This is not speaking boldly, despite what they probably want you to believe.

We also don’t want to become Pastor People P. Leaser.  You know him, the guy who tells everyone what they want to hear. Scripture calls people to a radically counter cultural lifestyle. We are not doing our job if it always sounds easy.

Discerning what needs to be said and when

In past episodes we have talked about being in ministry for the long haul. If we are truly committed to our 200church then we don’t need to feel like we have to build Rome in a day.

We cannot get so comfortable in our 200church that we lose our edge. As pastors and leaders we’re called to confront uncomfortable issues. Paul does this over and over in his Epistles. He is our example as pastors. He loved his people and was committed to them, but said what needed to be said when it was needed.

Lack of desire to stir the pot

The reality is that some people are nicer than others. We (Jonny and Jeff) are both consensus seekers and that makes being bold hard sometimes. And in a 200church, you likely have personal relationships with most of the people you’re preaching to. That makes boldness hard.

Lack of desire to be bold, however, will slowly erode your church. Our goal at 200churches isn't for you to grow a huge congregation, but we also don’t want you to shrink it away. People want and need to be challenged. Platitudes only will eventually run people off.

 Not wanting to offend the money people

Really, this is just bad, but we understand why the impulse is there. The reality is churches need money to continue to operate and some people give more and more often than others. But the church is God’s church and he is the one who will ultimately support the ministry he calls us to do.  Our hope cannot be placed in big givers, it has to be placed in God.

Picking and choosing topics and policies based on individual taste is a losing proposition. When we add to scripture or scrub down biblical principles we have abandoned our purpose as leaders and pastors. When we’re willing to modify our convictions for higher offerings or regular paychecks, that is a sure indicator that we need to reorient our thinking, our heart, and our trust in Jesus as the Builder of his church.

Wrapping up, here are three thoughts:

• As Andy Stanley has said, these are sometimes tensions that must be managed, not problems that we can just solve once for all, but we must manage these tensions.
• Let’s never abandon our call to preach the Gospel of Jesus, not what makes people give more.
• Stand firm in the knowledge that it is God, and not us or any $giver$ who builds and maintains the church… which is his body.
• Bonus: No matter the size of your church, your BOLD LEADERSHIP is needed and matters HUGE in the Kingdom of God!

Now, go back to Monday and review the 7 Ways To Be Bold In Your Ministry.  Your people are looking for bold faith, bold love, and bold leadership.