I once heard the story about an established church that had called a new pastor. The church had been in a slow but steady decline for years, but they hoped their new pastor could lead them to renewed spiritual health and a new season of evangelistic growth.
They were sorely disappointed.
To say the honeymoon ended quickly would be quite the understatement. Before he preached his first sermon, the new pastor (let’s call him Joe) decided to do a little remodeling in the sanctuary during his first week. For reasons unknown to him, the pulpit was located on the right side of the platform, so Joe moved it to the center.
When Sunday arrived, so did the fireworks. Tempers flared, voices rose, accusations were made, and tears were shed. Before he had a chance to unpack the books in his office, the new pastor was the former pastor, and the pulpit was back on the right side of the platform.
Years later, his successor (let’s call him Larry) invited Joe back for a special homecoming service. When Joe walked into the sanctuary, he was shocked to see the pulpit in the center of the platform. After the service, while having lunch with Larry, Joe asked, “How did you move the pulpit to the center of the platform without getting fired?”
Larry replied, “I just moved it three inches closer to the center every week, and no one noticed.”
Two pastors. Two different approaches to implementing change. Two drastically different results.
A Big Mistake
This humorous account illustrates an unfortunate reality I have observed far too often. In fact, I believe it represents one of the most common but disastrous mistakes a new pastor can make when he begins serving in a new church, especially if it is an established church in need of some level of revitalization.
Simply put, many pastors attempt to implement significant changes too quickly without first building relationships and earning the trust of the congregation.
The change itself might be necessary. It could even seem like a positive change with little resistance. However, implementing a needed change at the wrong time or in the wrong way without first building trust will likely lead to negative results.
Many pastors attempt to implement significant changes too quickly without first building relationships and earning the trust of the congregation.
Possible Negative Outcomes
Whenever a pastor makes this mistake, there are several potential negative outcomes:
1. The pastor encounters resistance or opposition.
The resistance may be mild, expressed in questions about a recent decision or change he made, or it can be more significant, expressed in open criticism or slander. Regardless of its severity, those church members who are not happy will ensure that the pastor is aware of their disapproval. Although unpleasant, this is the mildest possible negative response.
2. The church experiences significant conflict and division.
Sometimes, disapproval escalates into a significant conflict between the pastor and those who oppose the change. Secret meetings may occur, and church members are pressured to choose sides. Neither side is willing to back down or compromise. If the opposing parties choose not to resolve their conflict biblically, a church split is not out of the question.
3. The church loses members.
If the conflict continues unresolved for a prolonged period of time, the church may begin to lose members. Some will leave because they oppose the pastor, some because they don’t like how others are treating the pastor, and some because they are tired of the fighting. The result is that the church loses members, many of whom never return.
4. The church could split.
While some church members might leave one at a time, a church split occurs when a significant number of members leave at the same time. They may form a new church or move their membership to another church en masse. When a church split happens, word gets around in the community, and it takes years (if ever) for the church to recover its negative reputation.
5. The pastor resigns under pressure or is fired.
I have served in some type of church consulting role for a dozen years now, and I have lost track of the number of pastors who have resigned under pressure or been fired. While some of these occurrences were due to moral failure or an unhealthy church culture, many others were simply the result of poor leadership decisions that led to unnecessary conflict that escalated to the point of no return.
6. The pastor leaves the ministry altogether.
Sometimes, the conflict negatively impacts the pastor so much that he leaves the ministry altogether. The wounds are too deep for him to consider moving on to another church, so he decides that getting out of the ministry would be better for his personal and spiritual well-being. While some eventually return to some type of ministry role, I also know several who have left pastoral ministry permanently.
A Better Way
While many pastors have made the mistake of making significant changes without first cultivating relationships and earning the congregation’s trust, there is a better way.
There is a way for the pastor to get off to a good start.
There is a way to make necessary changes.
There is a way to minimize unnecessary conflict.
In other words, there is a way to start well.
And that’s what this new site is all about.
Introducing StartingWell.net
StartingWell.net is a new blog designed specifically to assist pastors who are (or soon will be serving) in a new ministry setting. It is designed to help you get off on the right foot and minimize unnecessary conflict as you seek to shepherd the flock of God among you.
In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I look forward to sharing the principles I’ve learned through observation, experience, and empirical research. From time to time, I’ll invite others to share out of their wealth of knowledge and experience as well.
Whether you are a new pastor in your first church or an experienced pastor serving in a new setting, I pray that the resources and tools you find here will help you start well.
Note: This is Part 1 in a 6-part introductory series on the foundational principles of StartingWell.net.
Photo by Mitchell Leach on Unsplash
