Strength #7: Change agent
Every leader we interviewed had a story about change. And more than half of them indicated that one of their leadership strengths was the ability to lead change.
One pastor told us: "I used to work in the corporate world before God called me into the ministry. (Participate in Church Central's survey if this is your story, too.) Change is difficult in the business world; it's almost impossible in the church."
Why is change so difficult for churches? For some churches, we were told, the issue is one of a desire for stability in a world of rapid change.
"You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices," a Minnesota pastor told us. "The church is their place of constancy and refuge. When we start changing things in the church, we are messing with their only source of stability. Rather than accuse these people of being stuck-in-the-mud traditionalists, we need to be more sensitive to the pain they are experiencing."
A northern California pastor, however, had another perspective.
"The main issue is that the people who are screaming about change are just lazy and disobedient. It's a lot easier to be comfortable than to be obedient: following Christ is costly. Many people just don't want to pay the cost."
Do the pastors of effective churches lead congregations that were willing to change even before they became pastor? Or do the effective leaders provide leadership that makes the people more receptive to change? Although our research team could not make a definite conclusion, we thought that leadership was a stronger factor than a church body being more open to change.
Our assessment of this issue is based largely on interviews and surveys in which the leaders shared with us their approaches to leading. We asked them to describe briefly the steps they take for leading their churches through change. Though we received no identical responses, we found many similarities. A typical step-by-step process to lead change went something like this:
1. Pray.
2. Present ideas to key leaders and seek input.
3. Present ideas to the entire congregation and seek input.
4. Communicate plan redundantly over a lengthy period if possible.
5. Implement plan.
6. Evaluate.
The leaders of effective churches realize that the success or lack of success in implementing change is critical in reaching the unchurched.
"Your 1950s church won't get it," an Alabama pastor said. "Churches that refuse to change will not reach the unchurched. They will be completely irrelevant."
Strength #8: Love of God's Word
At first glance, to love God's Word may not seem to be an obvious leadership trait. We were surprised to learn that more than half of the leaders we interviewed believed that their love of God's Word would fit in the category of a leadership characteristic, but the leaders explained their points well.
An Assembly of God pastor could be a spokesperson for most of the leaders we interviewed: "Obedience to God's Word is one of my leadership strengths. I can't be a leader unless I have an authority to lead from. I lead from the authority of the Word of God."
Strength #9: Communication skills
The formerly unchurched told us they were attracted to the churches they joined in part because of the communication skills of the pastors: Those same church leaders agreed.
"In today's high-tech, super-communication world, communication skills are needed more than ever," John C., a Baptist pastor, told us. "You can't expect to hold the attention of the unchurched if you're a poor communicator." More than half of the pastors indicated that communication skills were key to the success of their leadership. And they told us that these skills were particularly needed to reach the unchurched.
Strength #10: Faith/Optimism
"What impressed me about the pastor of Valley Community Church," Natalie commented, "was his confidence in God. He made me almost believe that anything was possible through God -- and I wasn't even a believer at the time!"
Slightly more than half of the pastors indicated their faith in God was a leadership strength.
"I have taken what many people would call stupid risks. We recently entered into a building program that is a huge step of faith," a Texas pastor said. "We will have to grow in our budget by 25 percent within two years to be able to carry out this project. But I am convinced that God will provide. And the people of the church have followed my leadership. They are convinced, too."
Some of the leaders were careful as to how they articulated this particular strength.
One New Jersey pastor said, "I know that my faith and optimism are strengths God has given me. But I don't want you to tell people who read your book that my theology is the power of positive thinking or name-it-and-claim-it."
Faith and optimism are contagious. More than one leader told us they challenge their churches to do something so great that it is doomed to failure unless God is in it. And "BHAGs" were mentioned by one-fourth of the leaders. BHAG comes from the classic book on leadership "Built to Last" and means "big, hairy audacious goals." Most churches modify the phrase to "big, holy, audacious goals." The New Jersey pastor said, "I challenge the people to one BHAG a year. We have never failed to meet our goal."
Strength #11: Relational skills/Love of people
In the year 2000 I made a decision as dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that our faculty would add a required course in leadership that would cover such topics as conflict management, financial management, and interpersonal skills. The latter topic in particular was one that I knew to be of urgent import. I have seen, both as a dean and as a church consultant, some of the brightest people blow opportunities for effective leadership because they have poor interpersonal skills.
A majority of the leaders to whom we spoke cited interpersonal skills as one of their strengths. An executive pastor from Ohio told us: "I've got five good friends who graduated with me from seminary. Two have lost their jobs and are not in ministry. Another is in a difficult situation in a church. I believe the common factor in all of my friends' problems is their failure in relating to people. Their problems are a lesson for me. I'm trying to improve my relational skills even though I think I'm pretty good at it."
"If I had not made a major change four years ago," a Southern Baptist pastor told us, "I would have concluded my ministry without doing a major duty of a pastor: mentoring one or more men." We interviewed and surveyed some of the busiest leaders in Christian ministry. Many of them struggle to find the time to mentor others in much the same way that Paul mentored Timothy. Yet because many of these leaders were themselves mentored by others, they see the vital need to train and counsel people in the ministry of the gospel.
Our research has shown a trend of increased interest in mentoring over the past six years. Some Christian leaders mentor those who are specifically called by God to vocational ministry. Others focus their mentoring efforts on laypersons, to better equip them for their work in the local church. We would not be surprised to discover a few years from now that even more leaders view mentoring as one of their leadership strengths.
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Thom S. Rainer, Ph.D., is the president of Church Central Associates LLC and is founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Considered one of the leading experts on the church today, he is the author or co-author of 16 books on the church and has written articles or reviews for more than 30 publications. Dr. Rainer has also served as a pastor and interim pastor in 10 churches and has consulted with more than 300 churches, denominational entities and other religious organizations.
