Change is never easy, especially within an institution like the church, where shifting from long-standing traditions can feel daunting. Many leaders resist necessary transitions because they fear the potential fallout. In a congregational setting, significant shifts can lead to members leaving, withheld tithes, public and private grievances, and even direct conflict between the pastor and lay leadership.
Leaders who have served for any length of time have likely faced the headwinds of negativity that contribute to burnout, stress, and anxiety. However, rather than giving in to the temptation to walk away, pastors can view these adverse circumstances as opportunities to strengthen their spiritual fortitude. While leaders cannot control the reactions of others, they can choose to respond by demonstrating resilience-focused leadership traits and maintaining hope and perseverance in adversity.
1. Pray Your Heart Out.
In an era where the motives of those in authority are constantly questioned, the office of the pastor is often maligned by those who disagree with its direction. While disagreements were once handled internally, the advent of social media allows negative sentiments to spread like wildfire to a global audience. Navigating this digital landscape requires a commitment to integrity and a focus on the long-term health of the ministry.
The battle for the heart and soul of the local church is one against darkness and principalities, and cannot be conquered through personalities but through prayer. Prayer must be the driving force behind everything accomplished inside the local church. Every meeting, conversation and interaction should be bathed in prayer, as the Evil One will use any opening to widen the gap between disagreeing partners. Do not fall prey to a lack of praying, but pray as if your spiritual life depends on it, because it does.
2. Prepare as if the Ministry Depends on It.
People will look to you as a leader for direction and insight how to move forward. If you overact positively or negatively, it will sway how they react. As you analyze a situation, see the problem from all sides, seek counsel and move forward only when you know God is in it.
You can do much in your power, but when you are battling adversity, your giftings will not be enough to overcome the problem. God must be the anchor and the lens that you hold fast to as you view the situation through his eyes. While you do not have to be the most intelligent person in the room, be the most open to hearing arguments from both sides, process what each person is saying, value the words shared even if you disagree with them, find commonality amid the confusion, and lead the conversation to a conclusion.
In moving a church from decline to rebound, many hurdles have to be tackled, and as a leader, you must know what you do not know and be humble enough to allow stronger voices to speak into the process. It is then that, as a leader, you can help guide the process to a conclusion that honors all sides. Do not be afraid of not having all the answers but be frightened if you think you do. Be willing to listen to opposing views and decipher the other person’s feelings and what is meaningful to the discussion to move the situation forward. It will take discernment and removing ego on the leader’s part to hear opposing views in a bid to move forward into the future together.
3. Partner with Others, and Never Serve Alone.
Partnering in ministry can be twofold, as seen through Jesus’ example of discipleship and dependency. Since the beginning of time, God saw that humans need a helper to work alongside each other. So, too, in the local church, the pastoral leader cannot lead alone. The church leadership team (board, elders, deacons, influential members) should be a diverse group of people that support the forward momentum of the church and are permitted to speak into the pastor’s decision-making in a way that respects the pastor and provides clarity through insight that the pastor might not see.
As a leader, do not isolate yourself from the general congregation, but be proactive in inviting people who can speak truth to power to help you delineate if you are on the right or wrong path. Jesus taught his converts through large and small group discipleship models, empowering them to ask questions and allowing them to learn from their mistakes and observe from his example. Even though he could have handled all the problems alone, he constantly sought God’s counsel in prayer.
As a leader, model the Jesus behavior you want others to gain. If a leader is not reading the Word on Sunday mornings, the people will not see the value in the Word during the week. If a leader is not praying like Jesus, do not expect your people to pray regularly. Leading is knowing that others are watching. Discipleship and dependency principles were not just for Jesus’ day, but also today. These foundational principles can help a leader lead through adversity and come out the other side better for it.
4. Participate with God to Be Jesus to Others.
You would think that in the church everyone would get along. Yet, each person who enters the church weekly brings a lifetime of experiences that have shaped their reaction to how things should be handled. Instead of placing your way of handling things on someone, lean into the conversation and listen for cues to help you find a middle ground to build a foundation to move forward. Disagreements happen in all facets of life, but instead of giving in to the temptation of placing blame, find a way forward by being Jesus to the other person.
Jesus’ example in Scripture showed he was a man of compassion, conviction and care. He led with a heart of love, stayed firm to biblical principles, and cared for the person he interacted with. Adversity advertises that the church is moving forward and that the Devil wants to distract the church and its leadership. Do not be caught fighting with church members, be seen fighting the Evil One through prayer and positive conversation.