You must lead.

Church growth expert Lyle Schaller is adamant that the key reason most churches do not grow or reach the unchurched is a failure of leadership.

Schaller says pastors can be put into one of four categories: Those who fail to pay the rent (i.e. carry out basic pastoral duties), those who pay the rent (lead preaching and worship, teaching and pastoral care, organization and administration), goal-driven pastors who pay the rent and help carry out additional projects and programs, and the vision-driven pastor.

The pastor who does not pay the rent typically leads the church to decline. The pastor who does pay the rent, the task-driven pastor, cannot typically lead a church past 350 in attendance, according to Schaller. The goal-driven pastor, in contrast, can usually lead a church to about 700 in attendance.

Schaller contends that few pastors are reaching the unchurched, because most church leaders fit into one of the first three categories. Only a small number of pastors are in the group Schaller calls "vision driven." They are characterized as follows:

• They see "paying the rent" as important, but they do not believe all the payments must be made by themselves personally. They seek to involve others in tasks.
• Instead of much activity and busywork, these leaders expect others to be involved. They have high expectations of anyone who commits to being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
• The vision-driven leader believes that the vision will be so compelling that key leaders cannot help but be drawn to it. The vision thus engenders alliances rather than the pastor creating them. For the vision-driven leader, a goal is not an end in itself. It is simply a building block to something greater and more exciting.
• The vision-driven leader sees few limitations. He truly believes anything is possible through Christ.

Perhaps Schaller's descriptions explain why only four out of 100 American churches could be described as effective churches. Very few pastors are actually vision driven.

I understand, however, why many pastors do not seek to be vision driven. They have been so abused, so criticized, so nitpicked by people who call themselves Christians that they no longer feel the effort is worth the pain. Sometimes it is just easier to pay the rent than to be verbally crucified.

Nevertheless, leaders must not quit the fight. Too much is at stake. Eternity is in the balance. Yes, too much pressure is placed on pastors. Certainly, unreasonable expectations abound. But this battle is part of a larger war. It is indeed spiritual warfare.

Pastors, be people of prayer. Seek God's face in hours of sermon preparation. Learn to communicate the best you can. Keep a sense of humor. Laugh at yourself at times. Be personally accountable to someone as you share your faith week by week. Seek excellence in all things. And lead your church to something so great that it will be a certain failure unless God is in it. Dream the big dream. Dream God's dream for your church.

Thom S. Rainer, Ph.D., is president of Church Central Associates LLC and a dean at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.