As Jesus sat at the table of Zacchaeus, he, too, saw past the sinful nature. Instead, he saw a man in need. Put yourself in Zacchaeus' position, and then Jesus’.
When was the last time you talked to a single person about Jesus? When was the last time you mentioned to your waiter or waitress that you came to the restaurant from church, and see where that conversation went?
One of the primary roles of a pastor is to gather as many sheep as possible. We all know that for people to come and join your church they need to like us. This reality means that as pastors, we perpetually serve in hazardous territory.
So, should a leader give up leading and living like Jesus because others don’t like what is happening around them? The church needs leaders to speak up and step out of the comfortable to serve the uncomfortable.