My Greatest Ministry Leadership Challenge

Me.

I actually thought of leaving it with just that one word – “me.”  Yeah, a one word blog post. Kind of appealing, actually. If you were honest, I bet you would have the same answer to that question – “What is your biggest leadership challenge?”

This is the last week of the month, and so this week on the podcast we have Part 3 of our conversation with none other than The Pastor’s Coach himself, Dan Reiland. We talk about a number of local church leadership issues in this podcast that will be sure to challenge you in one or more areas of your 200church leadership.

Part 3 is based on chapters 5 & 6 of Dan’s book, Amplified Leadership – 5 Practices To Establish Influence, Build People, and Impact Others For A Lifetime.  If you don’t have this book, we encourage you to pick it up on Amazon, either in paper or on Kindle. The principles in this book fit very well with the leadership challenges of 200church pastors.

Back to my biggest leadership challenge - me. If I could control what I do every day, I could control my destiny. Sounds easy enough, right? Sure thing. All I need is discipline. John Maxwell said “The secret of your success is found in your daily agenda – what you do every day.” Isn’t that the truth! But isn’t that also the problem? Because –

• People interrupt your day with their agenda
  
• Crises hijack your daily agenda
  
• Unrealistic expectation can create an over-scheduled day
  
• Hyperactive curiosity takes you in too many directions
  
• Stressful interactions can drain your energy and blur your focus
  
• Empathy and compassion (which most pastors have in abundance) cause you to spend excessive time with hurting people
  
• Lack of accountability allows you to stray or give in to others’ demands
  

If we were just machines, we would have much less to contend with, yet we are not machines. We are emotional, subjective people who have committed our lives to the care and feeding of others. We are others-focused. And, we are quick to cede our agenda to another’s problems – putting their needs above our own.

So – what is the answer? Well, if I had the answer (other than what the 482 ministry leadership books already written say) I could, as they say, make a lot of money! I know this – part of the answer is to 1) Be truthful about our struggles and challenges, and 2) Stay in the game.

Be honest with one other leader you trust, and who cares about you unconditionally. We need another we can be totally open and vulnerable with! Oh yes we do! Too many pastors are on the solo route, avoiding that personal, fully transparent, face to face encounter with rationalization after rationalization. As Bob Neuhart said, “Stop it! Just stop it!” Make it happen – if you are having problems, get help. Do. It. Now.

And, for the Kingdom’s sake, stay in the game! Don’t quit. Take time off, go on a retreat, sleep in, get counseling… but stay in the game. It’s always too soon to quit. (I know, I know, hyperbole yes, but you get my point…)

So, are you your greatest ministry leadership challenge? Don’t quit, and seek out someone you can talk to. Ministry leaders fail in isolation and loneliness. Don’t be that woman or man. If you’re going to be your greatest ministry leadership challenge – then also be your greatest ministry leadership asset to meet that challenge.

We’re looking forward to meeting you on Wednesday’s podcast, Episode 42 – with Dan “the Man” Reiland.

Dan Reiland Part 1 Episode 33
Dan Reiland Part 2 Episode 37