Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 67

11 Characteristics of Church Leaders I’d Like to Imitate

No matter how old I get, I have much room to grow as a leader. In fact, I watch other

leaders who inspire and challenge me to lead better. Here are some leadership

characteristics I’ve seen in these folks (who are, most often, local church pastors): 

1. They strive to imitate Jesus. That’s the bottom line for them: they want to please the Lord. 

2. They make decisions and don’t second-guess their direction. That’s usually because they’ve prayerfully done their homework.

3. They view failure as an opportunity to improve. They don’t get frustrated and give up; they strategize to do better.

4. They pray first and then plan—not the other way around. This characteristic might be the toughest one to emulate, for most leaders are “do-ers” first.

5. They genuinely model what they expect from others. Because they live obediently and openly speak of their faith, no one questions their walk with the Lord.

6. They clearly connect with their congregation—even if primarily only through the preaching event. Some of these leaders lead megachurches, but they’re uniquely able to connect through preaching as if they were in the individual homes of each church member.

7. They still have mentors who pour into them. One of these leaders is in his 70s, and his mentors are in their 90s. All these folks continue to be iron sharpening iron.

8. Their speech is peppered with memorized scripture. Their knowledge of the Bible shows their love for God’s Word and challenges church members to listen to them prayerfully and expectantly.

9. They have a clear vision for where they want their church to go. They can, in fact, usually state that vision concisely, and they’re continually seeking God’s direction for the next steps.

10. They operate with “humble confidence.” They know they don’t deserve to lead God’s church, but they also know He has called them.

11. They are fully where they are today – not looking for the next place to serve tomorrow. They live in the present tense of God’s will.

What are some characteristics of other leaders you’d like to imitate?

The post 11 Characteristics of Church Leaders I’d Like to Imitate appeared first on Church Answers.

Five Common Themes in Churches with High Pastor Turnover

This reality is becoming increasingly common. More churches are losing pastors after only a brief tenure. Even more troubling, many of these same churches are seeing these patterns repeat themselves with each consecutive pastor.

I recently worked with one church that had six pastors in nine years. Not one of the pastors made it to the third year. They wanted my help to determine what was wrong with all these pastors. My suggestion that they might be the problem was not received well.

Though no two churches are alike, we are seeing common patterns and themes in these high pastor turnover churches. Here are five of the most common themes:

1. They think it’s the pastors’ fault. It is difficult to help these churches. There is none so blind as he or she who will not see. The church I noted had not even considered that losing six pastors in nine years might point to the problems with the church. They were offended that I even suggested that possibility.

2. They see the pastor as a hired hand for the church members. Many of these church members tell the pastor what to do. They expect the pastor to respond quickly and obediently. I get nauseated when I hear a church member say, “We pay the salaries and the bills around here.” That attitude of selfishness and entitlement is deadly to a church.

3. They have a power group that desires to retain power. Woe to the pastor who challenges the power group, even if that challenge is based upon sound biblical principles. It won’t be long before that pastor leaves. Some will leave quietly. Some will challenge the group. Most will lose and still leave.

4. They see those in the community as outsiders. This mindset is congruent with the view that the church is like a country club, where the members get their preferences and desires met. The church rarely tries to reach those in the community lest the outsiders mess up their church. By the way, pastors are outsiders too. They come and go. And if they try to stay too long, they will soon have major challenges on their hands.

5. They have established traditions and methodologies they refuse to give up. One such church had run out of space for their community groups. There was a class, however, in the biggest room in the church other than the worship center. That class had been in that room prior to the Apostle Paul. They occupied less than ten percent of the room. If they were willing to leave, the one room could have become five rooms. They refused. It was, after all, their room.

Many churches are struggling to find pastors. Many of those churches have experienced high pastor turnover. Word travels fast among pastors. At some point, the pool of those pastors willing to come to your church will dry up.

Any change will have to come from the hearts of the church members. They must understand it is not their church. Until that point comes, pastors will leave quickly.

If they are even willing to come at all. 

The post Five Common Themes in Churches with High Pastor Turnover appeared first on Church Answers.

Becoming A House Of Prayer

“…For My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”. Isaiah 56:7

Our world is under attack and it is past time for the church to get in battle mode. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul reminds us “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Our fight is not on the earthly plain where political, social, and economic problems exist, but in the heavenly realm where principalities and powers seek to distract us, disarm us, and divide us.  Prayer is the weapon of mass destruction that will demolish Satan’s reign of terror and empower the church to display the fullness of Christ’s glory in a world that desperately needs to see it.  

Churches must become intentional about making prayer a priority.  It won’t happen by accident.  It will take focused, persistent, and deliberate action to encourage every segment of a congregation to adopt a personal lifestyle of prayer.  It can’t be just a church program, it must become incorporated into the daily spiritual discipline of every believer if a congregation will experience the corporate bonfire that transforms lives and communities. God wants to turn a church’s prayer ministry into a house of prayer.

For some in a church, prayer is as natural as eating or breathing.  For others it is a foreign and unfamiliar practice that is reserved for the super-saints.  Therefore, church leadership must seek to provide ongoing prayer education, teach prayer strategies to new members, create prayer guides, send out prayer prompts to members via email, preach an annual series on prayer, and demonstrate it in creative ways in the worship service by using all generations. 

At Peace Baptist Church, prayer did not become important to the church until it was important to me as the pastor.  In Acts 6, the apostles understood that they needed to protect their time for preaching and prayer.  Likewise, a corporate eruption of prayer will not burst forth in the church until it emits from the lives of the members in their homes and hearts. Therefore, start encouraging personal prayer just as aggressively as you put energy into launching a corporate prayer initiative. A spark in church member’s homes will set the church ablaze!

Prayer must be evident in the pastor’s study, the member’s home, the board room, and in the corporate worship setting. Isaiah 56:7 declares, “God’s house will be called a house of prayer.”  Prayer can’t be an add-on in worship, used as a transition tool to move from one segment to the next, or viewed as a habitual duty.  Corporate prayer must be the primary reason the church actually gathers.  There is a difference between a church with a prayer ministry and one that functions as a house of prayer.  The former is based on programs, schedules, formats, and processes.  A house of prayer has these same elements but does not delegate the prayer emphasis to a special group in the church.  Prayer is the responsibility and expectation for the entire congregation and should be visible, powerful, and effectual in the worship setting. Prayer requests are publicly offered and the miraculous answers to those prayers are celebrated constantly. 

Once the worship service ends, the real work of prayer begins as the congregants enter the mission field.  The church is responsible to the community to cover it and its residents in prayer. Conduct frequent prayer walks to intercede for the community. Pray over each school in your area and the staff and families that attend.  You may want to assign a small group to adopt the school as a prayer focus. Prayer prepares the soil for the Spirit of God to reap a harvest each time we preach, go in our community, or attempt to reach the world with the Gospel. 

The prayer ministry at Peace has been the ministry that has undergirded every ministry and member of our church. Peace Baptist, like all churches, has faced difficult seasons that require tremendous faith to fulfill the church’s mission and calling.  For over 28 years, the prayers of the saints have given hope in times of sickness, lifted sorrow in times of death, provided encouragement when vision was clouded, and is the indispensable component that has kept our church together through the years as we trust Christ.  Thank God for the committed prayer leaders over the years that have helped guide us into becoming a house of prayer.  As pastor, I owe my ministry to these faithful men and women who built our church on their knees. I pray you will unleash this power to advance your mission.

The post Becoming A House Of Prayer appeared first on Church Answers.

How the COVID Shutdown Changed our Church

Sundays during the pandemic shutdown were dramatically different. Children’s ministry leaders were trying to figure out how to minister to kids without being in the room. Parents truly realized their role as spiritual leaders when they couldn’t drop kids off in a classroom. We all quickly began to see what had worked in our discipleship of families and what had not been working. 

I’ve served in family ministry for over twenty years. Returning from the pandemic shutdown caused me to ask some challenging questions. What if the industry of family ministry has gotten so good at providing kid and youth experiences that we have hurt the church as a whole? That thought hit me when I heard friends saying their churches would not reopen if kids ministry would not reopen. Churches were stuck because the model we had always depended on had to change, even if it was temporary. 

Most churches, whether megachurches, church plants, established churches, or revitalizing churches, do the same model of ministry. We have experiences for kids. We have experiences for students. We have service and classes for adults. Functionally, that model has served us pretty well in the church for a long time. For the past few generations we have siloed ministry, we have entertained, and we have spent millions of dollars trying to out-do the world and serve kids’ preferences. Yet research tells us that 70% of students eventually walk away from the church. 

What if this post-pandemic season was an opportunity to try something different? 

When our church returned to meeting in person, God brought about some changes that none of us saw coming. We didn’t start kids ministry right away. We, like all of you, were navigating what our congregation was ready for and we needed time to re-staff our volunteer teams. 

As we planned, we realized we had a decision to make. Kids were going to be in our worship services. We needed to decide what that experience looked like for them. I challenged our staff to create a worship experience that kids and teens didn’t just survive, but rather one in which they could engage in worship. 

Our staff jumped on board. We completely recreated our worship service. We moved most of the worship to the end to accommodate when kids start to get wiggly. We included a “Family Minute” in the middle of the sermon.  This portion involved a game or an object lesson that illustrated the sermon, but gave kids (and adults) a brain break. We sang songs that kids and teens knew and also became intentional about teaching kids songs the adults knew. We created sermon notes that went right along with the sermon for kids to draw on and fill in blanks. 

We made these changes anticipating them to be short term. Our church responded so well. Our kids engaged. Our teenagers were actively involved. Our adults welcomed them and enjoyed having all generations together. 

We loved it so much that even when we restarted groups for kids ministry we changed our structure so that they could still be in the worship service. We kept the changes we made. 

Our worship pastor built more on this idea. He restarted choir,  but he started it with students and young adults. Once every few weeks our worship services are led with thirty young people leading in worship. Their energy has been contagious and has had an incredibly positive impact on our church. 

These changes may sound like dramatic changes for you. They may not fit your church. I’m not suggesting this is the right solution for every church. But it has been for us. We are genuinely experiencing multi-generational worship week in and week out. It is a beautiful thing. 

The big picture question for you to consider is: how is your church going to function because of what you learned during this pandemic? This season has been extremely challenging, but it has also opened up new opportunities to minister to families. We have the chance to reset our philosophies and our methods. Take time to pause, evaluate, and pray about what God wants to do in this season in your families and through your church.

The post How the COVID Shutdown Changed our Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Why Pastors Should Use More Historical Illustrations in Sermons

I once attempted to use an example from accounting in my sermon. No one understood me, and the accountants in the church said I mixed up my terms. Apparently, debits and credits are not as straightforward as I thought, which is why—I guess—accountants have jobs. 

Sermon illustrations are tricky. You try to be funny, but it falls flat. You try to be inspirational, but you’re cheesy. You try to be serious, and you have a booger in your nose. Sermon illustrations are the flavoring to the meat of the text. Without them, you’re bland. But too much, and you’re overbearing.

Most of us preachers tend to use real-life examples, current news, pop culture, or biblical examples more than historical illustrations. Likely, you need more historical illustrations in your sermons, not less. Here’s why: 

People are not as familiar with the past. Frankly, we don’t know our history like we once did—biblical history, family history, and our nation’s history. Preaching always has elements of teaching. Good teaching should include regular doses of history. 

History connects generations. When Millennials understand the attack on Pearl Harbor, they can better relate to the remaining members of the Builder generation. When Builders get to know Millennials, they can help put the 9/11 attack into perspective. When used properly, history is a bridge, not a wall.

History repeats. The adage is true. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it. The entire Old Testament is a case in point. Over and over again, the people in the Old Testament repeated the same offenses because they would not learn from historical sins. By the end of the Old Testament, you’re exhausted from reading it and ready for a solution. Thankfully, He is introduced in Matthew’s gospel. 

The Bible is historical. Why care about history? The Bible is history!

History has roots. Personal examples in sermons are great ways to connect with people. However, they can be fleeting, if not shallow. Everyone laughed at the story of my son and the half-eaten cupcake, but—like the cupcake—it wasn’t sustaining. With historical examples, you tell an enduring story, one that has stood the test of generations and has been validated by time. 

People need to know historical theology. Historical illustrations shine light on the reasons why we believe certain doctrines. 

People need to know church history. What’s with the white cloth at the Lord’s Supper? Why does the preacher stand down front at the end of every service? Why do people wear crucifixes? How come we always need motions and seconds at business meetings? Why do the ushers pass a plate for the offering? History gives meaning to traditions. History gives purpose to church practices. Otherwise, you’re just going through the motions mindlessly.

If you’re a preacher, then you’re a teacher. One lesson the church needs often is history.

The post Why Pastors Should Use More Historical Illustrations in Sermons appeared first on Church Answers.

What Is the Difference between a Church Vision Statement and Mission Statement?

Someone asks this question to our team at Church Answers about once a week. I get it. It is confusing and, often, contradictory. We have been looking at church vision statements and mission statements for years. These brief explanations may bring some clarity to the confusion.

There is no consistent definition to either statement. Okay, that should make you feel better. If you lack clarity, it is because there is no clarity.Some older definitions are still being used. I still hear these two definitions or those with similar wording: A mission statement is God’s purpose for all churches. A vision statement is God’s specific purpose for a specific church in a specific context. By these two definitions, every church would have similar mission statements, but vastly different vision statements.Some church leaders don’t like either statement. The common complaint is that mission and vision statements come from the corporate world and not the Bible. There is truth to that criticism. But I prefer to think of either statement as a way to plan for the future of the church as a good steward of time and funding.Very few churches try to have two statements over any extended period of time. A number of churches have tried to have a mission statement and a vision statement. The former states the biblical purpose of all congregations. The latter provides specificity for their local church. Most leaders have trouble getting their members to remember one statement, much less two. Such attempts usually get abandoned after a short while.The memorable statements, whether they are called vision statements or mission statements, are succinct. I suggested to some church leaders at a retreat that it is often a futile effort to expect members to remember a long statement. The executive pastor of the church pushed back. He told me that their vision statement is long because every word is critical. I asked him to look me in the eye and repeat the statement in its entirety. He couldn’t do it.Mission statements or vision statements should reflect an awareness of the community. Such is the reason I encourage church leaders first to start with the Bible, and then do a thorough study of your community (We have a tool at Church Answers called “Know Your Community” for this purpose: https://churchanswers.com/solutions/tools/kyc/know-your-community/)The most commonly used statements today move members toward desired actions. Such was the thesis of the book I wrote with Eric Geiger, Simple Church. We suggested that a very basic vision statement could demonstrate a process of discipleship with just a few words. For example, a vision statement of “Gather. Grow. Go. Give.” could set expectations that members are to gather for worship, grow spiritually in small groups, go and do ministry in the church and the community, and give faithfully. That simplicity is the reason Simple Church vision statements are fast becoming ubiquitous.If a vision or mission statement is not based on biblical foundations, it should be tossed. It then becomes a corporate or secular statement for sure. I still like these statements, but I insist they begin with the word of God.

Does your church have a vision or mission statement? How effective do you believe it is? I would love to hear from you to add this conversation.

The post What Is the Difference between a Church Vision Statement and Mission Statement? appeared first on Church Answers.

Three Ways Pastors Win Over Influential Critics

Three Ways Pastors Win Over Influential Critics 

Every pastor has critics. It’s an inevitable part of leadership.

Some criticism is constructive. Even when it’s not constructive, you can almost always learn something. Other criticism is just a visceral reaction. A personal attack was not intended; someone just said something in the heat of the moment. Some criticism is malicious and sinful. Other times, people are using criticism in a self-serving way.

If you don’t want to expend the energy to filter criticism appropriately, then you shouldn’t lead a church. But the point still stands. Criticism hurts.

First, consider if the critic is influential. All barbs sting regardless of the source. However, there is a difference between the random, uninformed critic—especially those from outside the church—and the critic with considerable influence in the church. It’s important to be aware of the number of critics. Having fifty ongoing critics in a church of seventy-five people is a disaster. But it’s often not the number of critics that is paramount. Rather, it’s the influence they hold. In some churches, one person holds the trump card. In others, gaining five influencers means you’ve got all the support you need.

Second, take into account whether or not the critic is ongoing. Even your best supporters will become critics for a season—depending on the type of decision that needs to be made. Just because someone is criticizing you about a specific leadership move does not mean he or she is a critic in general. Use a level of discernment. The only way you’ll always have the support of everyone is to fill your church with robots or clones of yourself. A church full of yes-men robots is creepy. And I’m not even sure my clones would always agree with me.

Winning over your ongoing influential critics is vital to successful church leadership. While it can’t always be done, I believe you can win over the vast majority of them. If you lack the support of key influencers, here are a few items to consider.

1. Get to know your critic. Have you sat down together over a meal? Be a friend. Minister selflessly. Win them with your sacrifice rather than berating them with your vision. Pastors lead, which means you must take the initiative.

2. Win over the critic’s friends. If getting to know your critic doesn’t work, then reach out to friends in his or her circles. Try to gain perspective by hearing from them. If you win over the critic’s friends, then they will have influence over the critic. At a minimum, the criticism will be softened if the critic’s friends are talking positively.

3. Serve the critic’s family. Your service in the church should not depend on the support someone gives you. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples while knowing of their coming betrayal. You shouldn’t favor big givers. You shouldn’t favor big supporters. If you can’t serve the critic directly, serve the family. This kind of sacrifice is one of the most difficult parts of being a pastor. It’s human nature to gravitate towards those who give you the most accolades. However, it’s just as important to serve those who give you the most trouble. 

Obviously, you are not called to be a doormat. Nor should a church condone sin. There are times when critics need to be disciplined. Unfortunately, critics can also be gossips, which is quite dangerous in the church. But not all critics are whispering untruths behind your back. In some cases, they simply love their church and don’t like the direction of your leadership. In these cases, the critic is simply one who doesn’t offer support. You should make it your goal to win them over, not run them over. Your church will be better for it. And you’ll be a better example of Christ.

 

Are you looking for a safe place to discuss topics like this one? At Church Answers, our subscription service gives you access to Central, our community of 2,000 church leaders. Every day, people ask questions in Central. The community and team of experts respond immediately. Starting at $9.97 a month, you can get your church questions answered in a safe place. Click here to get started .

 

 

The post Three Ways Pastors Win Over Influential Critics appeared first on Church Answers.

Why Consumer Church Members Leave Your Church

“I’m not getting fed.”

It’s one of the most common complaints of church members looking for excuses to leave a church. The gripe is that the pastor’s sermons are not providing the person adequate spiritual growth. And most of the time it’s baloney.

Sure, there are a few pastors who preach borderline heretical sermons. And there are some who provide a spiritual pep talk each week instead of a biblical sermon. But, among the 450,000 pastors in North America, most of them are Bible-believing and Bible-preaching. 

Most of the time “I’m not getting fed” is a lame excuse to say the church is not catering to my desires and preferences. It’s a clear indicator of We have seen the growing trend of church member consumerism, and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

 Self-centered, consumer-driven church members are leaving. Here are some reasons why:

1. Because they never get satisfied. That is the nature of consumerism. Desires are met only for a season. Then the church member wonders what you have done for them lately. And if the church members feel like he or she has gotten all they can get from the church, they will move on to another church or drop out altogether.

2. Because they have no greater purpose. We all know church members who are the pillars of the church in the best sense of the word. They are giving, serving, and sacrificial. They have a greater purpose than themselves. They seek to serve the Lord by serving others. They never ask, “What have you done for me lately?” because they are too busy doing for others. The consumer Christian has no purpose beyond his or her own preferences. And that’s really no purpose at all.

3. Because they are often divisive. Consumer Christians seek for themselves. And if they don’t get what they want, they can be critical and divisive. They may leave when they sense the support for their negativity is waning. They will complain that other church members did not support them. And they are, thankfully, correct.

4. Because they know better than everyone else. You can usually count on consumer church members to send the pastor an article or podcast link to demonstrate how other churches are doing things so much better. For the consumer church member, the grass is always greener – until they move to the greener grass of the next church. And then they see problems there.

5. Because they don’t understand the meaning of biblical church membership. Check out the characteristic of a church member in 1 Corinthians 12. It’s all about how the members of the body are functioning for the greater good of that body. And look at 1 Corinthians 13. We call it the “love chapter,” but it’s really how church members are to relate to one another and to the world. The consumer church members can’t relate to biblical church membership because it’s sacrificial and driven to serve others.

So, pastor, know that you are not alone when you hear those dreaded words, “I’m not getting fed.” It has been said countless times by countless self-centered church members. Rejoice in your church members who serve, encourage, love, and sacrifice. They are God’s instruments in your church.

The consumer church members are nothing but noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. When they leave, there is a lot more peace and God-given quiet in the church.

The post Why Consumer Church Members Leave Your Church appeared first on Church Answers.

Choose Inconvenience

Imagine two scenarios.

In the first, a couple arrives at your church. They’re on time…early, even. They’ve been a part of the church for years. They serve in various roles. They’re leaders, they’re givers, they’re faithful. And they’re on time…early, even…because they structured their morning to get to church, drop their kids in their classrooms, grab a cup of coffee, and spend time talking to their friends.

And then they hit the auditorium, where they see stanchions set up in the back sections, creating a funnel to push them towards the front. They don’t really want to sit in the front. The auditorium is mostly empty – after all, they’re arriving early – and they want to sit where they want to sit. Not on the back row, necessarily, but not on the front one, either. And so, begrudgingly, they grumble past the barriers and sit where they don’t really want to, because the system said they had to.

In the second scenario, another couple arrives at your church. They’re running behind…late, even. They’re brand new to the church and to your city. They’re trying to figure out if your church is right for them. They’re fragile, they’re nervous, they’re scared. And they’re running behind…late, even…because this church thing is new. They didn’t realize how long it would take to get there, didn’t understand the kids check-in process, didn’t know how to navigate the facility when they arrived, and didn’t realize how awkward it would feel to be in an unfamiliar place with no familiar friends.

And then they hit the auditorium, where they see a worship service already well underway. And while they can spot a single open seat here or there, a seating team member tells them if they want to sit together, they’ll have to find a seat up front. The auditorium is mostly full – after all, they’re arriving late – but they really don’t want to be paraded down front. They don’t want to pick and choose their seats, necessarily, but they don’t want to get escorted past 500 pairs of eyes, all of which feel like they’re on them. But because they’ve gone through this much trouble already, they nervously follow the seater down the long center aisle as the blood travels up the back of their necks, because the system didn’t give them the option not to.

As leaders in church guest services, we are faced with a weekly litany of decisions. We have to decide whom we’re going to offend. We have to determine if we’re going to be friendly or intentional. We have to choose to absorb the awkwardness on behalf of our guests.

But there’s one choice that those who lead guest services (i.e., staff members and volunteers) and those who live guest services (i.e., church members and seasoned attendees) should agree on, every week: we should choose inconvenience. We should park farther away from the building. We should yield our preferred seat so a latecomer doesn’t have to get paraded down front. We should arrive early or stay late so that we can serve other people who are new to the church and could potentially be new to the faith.

Choosing inconvenience isn’t always easy. But it’s easy to see how our inconvenience makes things easier for others.

The post Choose Inconvenience appeared first on Church Answers.

Pastors, Stop Competing and Start Hanging Out

I enjoy a little friendly competition. The reality is many churches don’t compete on friendly terms. In fact, in a given city or zip code, the likelihood is many pastors do not even know each other. Reasons exist for this lack of connection, and not all of them are malicious. Pastors can get swept into the busyness of their own churches. I’m guilty. It takes effort to manage relationships with other pastors.

With your friends and acquaintances, you tend to hope for the best. With those you don’t know, you tend to default to apathy or distrust. Whether the distance is intentional or not, it can create an unnecessary cloud of suspicion. Then you will either stop caring or start competing. What are some of the warning signs? 

Automatically assuming malicious motives. When you don’t know someone, the tendency can be to assign ill motives, even when none are present. Wait . . .  they had how many in worship last week? Those numbers can’t be correct. 

Bitterness at their success. You tend to celebrate the successes of your friends and lament the achievements of your competition. They rely on gimmicks, not real ministry.

A desire to beat them at their own game. Competing pastors engage in a battle of one-upmanship. We can run that program better than they can. We can perform that worship song with more energy than they can. 

Having a sense of territorialism. When pastors compete, the mission field becomes a battlefield. Don’t cross certain lines or you risk raising the ire of another pastor. Why are they planting a campus here? It’s so close to us!

The problem of competing churches begins with the pastors, not the people. The solution also starts with the pastors. And it’s simple: Hang out and get to know each other. Become friends.

Friends assume the best. Cooperating pastors do not assign malicious motives. They hold each other accountable. When pastors hang out, they ask edifying questions of each other rather than viewing each other with suspicion from a distance.

Friends celebrate successes. Cooperating pastors enjoy hearing about their friends making strides for the kingdom of God. 

Friends help each other. Cooperating pastors pray for each other. They look out for each other. They champion the work at each other’s churches. 

Friends don’t have territories. Cooperating pastors don’t slice up the community into market territories. There is no need to fence off a territory when you desire to be around someone.

 I realize the tone of this post is idealistic. You can’t get to know every pastor in your area. And not every pastor will want to be your friend. However, you have to try. The solution begins with you. Your approach with other churches should not be one of competition, but cooperation. Your enemy is not the church down the road. Stop competing and start hanging out.

The post Pastors, Stop Competing and Start Hanging Out appeared first on Church Answers.