Not an excuse not to lead

Over the past couple of years, many of you will have noticed me struggling with aspects of the institutional church. It’s been a tension I’ve felt a lot, especially since I’m pastor of one. This summer, I’ve realized that these struggles have really affected my leadership at the church. At first, I think it helped. People seemed to appreciate the deeper level of honesty. Some were asking the same questions, and they were glad to know they weren’t alone. But having questions is not an excuse not to lead. Heading into the Fall season, I’m thinking of ways that I can do a better job of leading within an institutional church without selling out. I don’t want to get into program management or the C.E.O. model of pastoring. I can, however, do a better job of articulating why we’re here, challenging some assumptions, encouraging others, and to help change the things we care about as a church. I’m looking forward to the challenge.