Pastors manage churches, if not more than they lead them. Making disciples requires pastors to be involved in the day-to-day operations of a church.
If you are not willing to lead a church, you are not qualified to lead a church Should pastors be involved in every activity? no However, every pastor should have some involvement in the daily activities of church life. The Shepherd—by God’s design—is among the sheep. Why is it tempting and dangerous to neglect the work of management?
It is tempting to neglect the operation. The operation takes time. Very few people see the operation in the church. Anyone who has worked with a church staff knows that a whole other world happens on campus during the work week. Air conditioning units must be serviced. The room must be organized. The offering must be deposited. Does a senior leader need to do these operations? Of course not. But every senior leader should be aware—if not the author—of the operating system that keeps the church moving. Operation makes discipleship possible. Just because most of your church will never see the operations doesn’t make them any less important.
It is tempting to neglect work. Works don’t complain. Advice is not required for work. No doubt, we all have things on our “to do” list that don’t involve people. It’s tempting to neglect tasks because people should be the priority. Some leaders enjoy doing certain things. Other leaders enjoy managing others who do the work. All work is managed, not led. You lead people and manage tasks. And all church leaders have to manage the tasks. Why? Without managing tasks, you end up neglecting people.
It is tempting to neglect supervision. Leadership involves people. You shall not lead inanimate objects. The chair doesn’t listen, but the person in the chair does. Supervision of people is an element of leadership that involves management. How many employees can take vacation during spring break? How does your church handle health insurance for employees? What is the process of accountability to party leaders? These questions involve management and require supervision. It’s tempting to neglect them because the immediate reward for executing supervision correctly is small. However, the potential downside of failing to properly manage this oversight is huge.
It’s tempting to ignore the meaning. Most churches don’t expect pastors to know spreadsheets, cash flow, and budgets. It is tempting and easy to claim ignorance. I believe this is one of the most important management holes in the church today. Even the most senior leader of the most prominent church should know finances well. If you can’t read a basic budget, you shouldn’t be in a senior leadership position in your church. It is dangerous—and I would add negligent—to know nothing of money. If financial questions arise, you will be responsible for answering them. The deer-in-the-headlights look is generally not well received.
Neglect management at your peril. Pastoring a church is more than what happens in the pulpit; It also involves execution. Execution is not effective without management. All church leaders must lead. Pastors are shepherds. And shepherds lead the sheep.
Posted on April 15, 2024
As president of Church North, Sam Renner wears many hats. From podcast co-host to full-time pastor of West Bradenton Baptist Church, Sam’s heart for ministry and revival is evident in all he does.
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