Is planning biblical? As New Testament, Holy Spirit indwelt believers in Jesus Christ, shouldn’t our view of leadership be simply to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead? Aren’t mission and vision statements and strategic planning contrary to a Spirit filled, Spirit led life? In 2 Kings 19:25 God speaks these words through Isaiah, “Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass.” Speaking of the crucifixion of Christ, 1 Peter 1:20 says that “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” The word foreknow can either mean “to know ahead of time,” or “to pre-determine.” Either way, these passages are a few among many that indicate that planning is an inherent part of the nature of God. God is a planner. He planned the redemption of mankind and all creation before he even created it.

Church and change are not two words that comfortably connect. Change does not come easy, nor is it comfortable. As a result, change is often resisted. Yet change is a guaranteed part of our walk with God. Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing…” Psalm 96:1 says, “Oh sing to the LORD a new song.” Lamentations 3:22-23 talk about God’s mercies being “new every morning.” Jeremiah 31:31 promised a new covenant which the New Testament tells us was fulfilled in Christ. Revelation 21:1 promises “a new heaven and a new earth.” Following God involves new things.

 

Leadership is a biblical concept rooted in the nature and character of God. Biblical leadership requires humility and a servant’s heart. Pastoral ministry involves leading, feeding, and guarding the people of God. Leading and shepherding are not mutually exclusive. As a part of their shepherding role, pastors are called to lead.

 

 

Leading a church through the process of change requires four essential elements. First is the personal preparation of the leader. Personal preparation involves prayer, personal assessment, and emotional/relational health. Insecure leaders often undermine and derail the very change process they are trying to lead. Self-differentiated leaders are able to maintain a non-anxious presence when their congregations get anxious over the process of change. One pastor pounded his hand on the table in an elders’ meeting saying, “I have a Master’s Degree in theology and I know what I’m talking about.” His personal insecurity undermined his ability to listen and lead effectively.

 

 

The second essential element to leading change is challenging and changing mental models. Until pastors and congregations think differently about themselves and their communities they will not change. Changing mental models happens through effective Bible teaching, patient dialogue, and experimentation. A congregation ought never change what they believe, or their commitment to Christ and the Word. Congregations need to be convinced that the change being considered has biblical precedent, without rejecting or disrespecting their history. Driving through rural communities one passes one shell of an empty church building after another. These were once thriving congregations that failed to recognize their changing communities.

 

 

The third element essential in change is relational decision making. Pastors in rural communities are almost always considered outsiders. Rural congregations needs to see value in the vision. They need to see its connection to their history. They need to see the biblical foundation for it. They need to see the necessity of the vision in light of their changing community. Vision cannot be imposed on a rural congregation. Often a church looking for a pastor will say, “We want a pastor with vision.” But they are asking the person with the least knowledge of their church and their community to impose a vision that they likely will resent. Rural congregations need to own the new vision. Rural ministry is relational at its heart. Effective leadership in a rural setting will start with building relationships and listening well.

 

 

The fourth element in change is clarity of direction. Too many churches have given in to the unwritten mission of existing for the purpose of continuing to exist. That purpose drives all that they do, yet it sucks the life out of the congregation. A lack of meaningful purpose and a lack of clarity drain energy. Clarity of direction changes everything. It gives the congregation a reason to be. It breathes life into them.

 

I think it was Howard Hendricks who said that if our memories are more exciting than our future, then we are dying. Dying churches often see the end coming, but do not have the energy or the will to make the changes needed. One pastor was told by a church leader, “I know the church will die if we don’t change, but the death will come after I’m gone so I don’t care.” Is that really the legacy we want to leave behind: An empty building with the epitaph, “It died, but not until after I was gone?” Clarity of purpose creates energy.

 

 

Change for the sake of change is pointless, but effective ministry involves change. Effective leadership means leading change. Effectively leading change requires the personal preparation of an emotionally healthy leader who can challenge and help change mental models through a process of relational decision making that leads to a clarity of direction.

Too often we think of a leader as being the person out front, but many effectively lead from behind. What I mean by that is not what first comes to mind. We might think of the battle field and think of leading from behind as the person standing in the background sending others out to do the dangerous work. That sometimes happens, but that is not what I mean by leading from behind.

 

Leading from behind is leadership that does not depend on titles or accolades. Some of the most effective leaders are those who don’t need to be known or recognized. They are simply there in the background making suggestions when needed, encouraging those in the limelight, and keeping organizations focused on their purpose through influence rather than authority.

 

Those leading from behind are individuals the leaders out front trust. They are the ones who care more about the success of the organization than about their own success. They are the ones that understand that ultimately leaders are called to serve, not be served. A number of variations on the following quote have appeared over the years, but Father Strickland, a Jesuit Priest from the 1800s, seems to be the originator, “A man may do an immense deal of good, if he does not care who gets the credit for it.” Those leading from behind understand the power of that statement and live it out wherever they find themselves.