David Richardson

I’ve pastored 3 churches before coming here to First Baptist of Sebring.  One of the major lessons that God has taught me in my former churches has to do with leadership.  Simply put, it is vital.  It has become quite clear to me that leadership is about more than holding a title…it is about making a difference.  Having your name listed as “Pastor” on the sign, bulletin, and church stationary does not in any way guarantee that you are the leader.  If you are the leader, you are uniting and mobilizing the congregation to move forward with God’s work. 

The quality of leadership determines whether a church stays in the past or launches into the future.

The quality of leadership determines whether a church stares inward or focuses outward.

The quality of leadership determines whether a church is playing it safe or taking a risk.

Bill Hybels, in his book “Courageous Leadership,” has this word for pastors:  “Sometimes I feel like pleading with pastors.  ‘Will you please either act decisively or step aside so someone else can?  Do one or the other.  But someone has to lead this church with courage.’”

If you are the pastor of a church anywhere on this earth, remember something very important:  your congregation is looking to you for leadership.  They have no interest whatsoever in wandering around aimlessly without any direction.  They want to know where they are going, how they will get there, and what the results will be.  They want to know that you can make a decision, take a stand, and get things done when it’s time for action.  They want to know that you will not cut and run when the going gets tough.  Can you blame them for wanting that?  I can’t blame them at all.  It’s perfectly reasonable to expect that of a pastor.

God’s church is way too important to sit still.  There is much to do.  Let’s not waste a second, pastors. 

May God lead us…and may we lead His church!

Homes.  Communities.  Businesses.  Churches.  All of these have one thing in common:  the need for leadership.

In any institution, of any size, at any location, there are problems when leaders fail to lead.  Some of these problems are…

[1]  Aimless wandering.  When a leader fails to tell his followers where they are headed and what they will accomplish, the followers are travelling in circles at best.  A lack of guidance from the top produces a lack of focus within the rest of the group.  Followers yearn to hear the leader say, “Let’s go here (a specific direction) and let’s do this (a specific task).”

[2]  Power struggles.  People can not stand to be in a vacuum.  This is true of children and adults.  If the appointed leader does not lead, someone else will step up, seize control, and run with it.  It’s just human nature.  Then the problem becomes greater:  one person has the granted leadership title and another person has the assumed leadership authority.  This greater problem has a name:  a two-headed monster.

[3]  Low productivity.  Very little is accomplished by the group when the leader does not lead.  This is because there are various ideas within the group conerning the purpose, direction, and goals of the group.  When people are not clear and united on what they are to be doing, they will  do nothing of significance.

Let’s do some math, shall we?!  Here goes:  Aimless wondering + Power Struggles + Low Productivity = 1 clueless and divided failure of a group.

Leaders, we must lead!  Why?  When we lead, there will be clear direction, a spirit of cooperation, and recognizable accomplishment.  That’s the kind of group that has an appeal and makes a difference.