Joyful Effective Leadership

Leadership - research has revealed as the #1 cause of decline in the American Church – Leadership.

The Francis Schaeffer Leadership Institute surveyed over 1,000 pastors. This research disclosed that 75% of pastors responding stated they were not prepared to lead well by their colleges and seminaries. 81% stated they had no strategic and intentional disciple making process. These statistics lend credence to the major cause of decline is a leadership issue. Seminaries teach a man to study the Bible. They do not teach a man to pastor with effectiveness.

Further validation of this principle is this. Men who lead well serve churches that are for the most part thriving.

Metric – This brings us to the final factor we will consider. The vast majority of churches measure ministry effectiveness by mere activity. They look at numbers; how many, how much, and how often. The NT criteria for ministry effectiveness are Transformation. This principle is a clear NT objective for all believers:

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Future – Joshua issued a compelling challenge to the people he lead. Choose you this day whom you will serve. This is where the American church is positioned. The old aphorism is true - - ‘When you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got’. Poor grammar – sound logic.

The church cannot continue to engage in dysfunctional ministry practices and expect to have the blessing of the LORD. He honors his word. The text states clearly when we seek him he will be found. However, he will only be found on his terms, not some substitute that is an eclectic conglomeration of practices borrowed from the culture around us.

If the dysfunctions we have noted are present in the church you lead, address them. Do so with courtesy and dignity but with a real measure of tenacity. Failure to change leads to continued persistent decline. The rate of decline is accelerating. The time for action is NOW.

Delay is deadly. Act NOW!!