Category Archives: Encouragement for church leaders

A barefoot Moses in Sinai

Posted by pastorchrisjackson on
Moses before the Burning Bush

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I’ve discovered the answer for how to succeed in life, relationships, leadership, and ministry.

However, before you write me off as either delusional or presumptuous, let me quickly say that I didn’t originate the answer—I just heard it and wrote it down. I was in a pastors’ training seminar with Pastor Jack Hayford (an esteemed author, teacher, and pastor to pastors) when I heard it. Jack was coaching a roomful of pastors on how to succeed in life and ministry, when he made a statement that has forever lodged in my heart. He said, “Leadership that succeeds walks softly, like a barefoot Moses in Sinai.”

I loved that statement!  And it resonated with me on multiple levels. As a student of the Bible, I’ve always loved the imagery of Moses slipping off his sandals and kneeling on holy ground, and it’s always inspired me to pursue my own moments of barefooted worship and surrender. As a church leader, that statement reminded me that the safest place in the world is the place of reverential devotion and the fear of the Lord.

I think Pastor Jack nailed the essence of successful leadership. Leaders who succeed for the long haul never lose their dependence on the power and presence of God. They never walk in self-sufficient arrogance, and they are quick to discern when common ground turns holy.

A barefoot Moses in Sinai—I hope that’s descriptive of you and me. And I hope it always continues to be.

How the mighty have fallen

Posted by pastorchrisjackson on
"Death of King Saul", 1848 by Elie M...

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“How the mighty have fallen, how the mighty have fallen, how the mighty have fallen.” David repeats this mournful phrase three times in 2 Samuel 1 after learning of the deaths of King Saul and his son, Jonathan. He laments, “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights…for there the shield of the mighty was defiled.”

It’s a tragic passage, and it becomes even more so when we think of the people we personally know who have “fallen” in to shame, regret, or disgrace. I’m always heartbroken and deeply sobered when I hear of ministers or church leaders who have lost their ministries because of poor choices. No one sets out to do that. No one would willfully choose a few minutes of pleasure (in any area) over his or her character and reputation—it sneaks up on people. Doors that should stay shut get peeked through, activities that should be banned get dabbled in, and wisdom eventually gives way to deception.

Let’s pray for ALL of God’s followers in the world today (we all need to cross the finish line of our lives well), but let’s take time this week to especially pray for the ones who have unusually high levels of visibility and notoriety. The church needs them to make it. So let’s pray that David’s lament would never be sung about them.

Innate miracles

Posted by pastorchrisjackson on
Aneroid sphygmomanometer with stethoscope, use...

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How many different miracles are you praying for right now? If you’re like me, you’re probably talking to God about dozens of situations that need His miraculous touch. And while its good and essential that we seek God for His supernatural power, it’s also important to make sure that we’re taking advantage of the natural power that’s He’s buried inside the Christian faith.

If we DO the things that Jesus calls us to do, supernatural power will flow through us naturally. Think about it.

  • If we withdraw each day for times of worship, solitude, and prayer, our stress and anxiety levels will decrease as we offload our cares on to Him.
  • If we forgive the people who hurt us, our tension and agitation will drop.
  • If we treat our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and thus exercise in moderation and carefully watch what we put in them, we will reap the physical benefits of increased strength and flexibility, as well as the natural antidepressants that are triggered and released when we work out.
  • If we live with integrity and a clean conscience, our sleep will be more restful and untroubled.
  • If we lay our lives down for our closest friends, we will reap the  wondrous benefits of loyal friendship.
  • If we stay sexually faithful and pure, we will never have to worry about scandal or regret.

The Christian life is a miraculous life–and even while we wait for God’s supernatural touch, we can create lifestyles that innately invite His natural touch.

Lonely at the top

Posted by pastorchrisjackson on
Friends.

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It’s lonely at the top.

Do you agree with that statement? Has it been true for you in your ministry experience?

Some leaders renounce that statement, saying that we are only as lonely as we  choose to be, and that being a senior level leader does not mean we have to live in misunderstood isolation. They assert that it is entirely possible to find and maintain quality friendships regardless of our position or season of life.

I agree with both perspectives. We absolutely can experience the blessing of deep friendships; however, there are some challenges that are unique to leaders, and that complicate things.

According to surveys conducted by Focus on the Family, approximately 80% of pastors confess that they have few or no close friends. And that’s really a stunning statistic when we consider that the majority of a pastor’s life centers on relating with people. Most pastors spend large amounts of time with wide varieties of people, and yet their common grief is an inability to develop deep, lasting, Jonathan-David type friendships.

I think there are several factors that contribute to this.

1. There are too many people and not enough time. A common stress for clergy members is their inability to adequately connect with all of the people in their congregations. They genuinely love their people, and want to know them in meaningful ways, but they’re spread so thin that they end up maintaining lots of superficial connections while feeling guilty that they can’t go as deep as they would like.

2. Relationships in the church are fragile. Even though the church should be a relational fortress (and for many people it is), it’s not a level playing field for ministry leaders and their congregants. When a pastor develops a friendship with a member of the church, the church plays a significant role in that friendship. If their friend’s experience with the church is great, it strengthens the friendship, but if there is  a hurt or a fall-out in some department in the church the relationship can be jeopardized.

3. It’s hard to know when our position gets in the way. Some people love to connect with leaders, but others get nervous or intimidated by them, and it’s difficult to discern when that’s happening. This is especially true in friendships with our staff members. As much as we may adore our team members and desire to build meaningful friendships with them, there is still an employer-employee dynamic that accompanies the relationship, and even if it doesn’t affect us, it’s hard to know how much it affects them.

Despite these and other challenges (like the weight and confidential nature of a pastor’s job), friendships are not only worth the risk, they are essential for our long-term health and success. Here are a few suggestions to help us find them.

1. Ask God for them. Jesus prayed all night before selecting His twelve disciples, and we need to remember that He wasn’t just selecting followers–He was choosing friends. And if Jesus spent a night in prayer before investing in key relationships, certainly we should seek God’s counsel and direction for ours as well.

2. Take the risk. C.S. Lewis aptly stated that the only place free from the risks of love was hell. Quality friendships are worth the risk of disappointment or potential heartache. They’re also worth the time and energy it takes to cultivate them. We may feel guarded from past hurts, and we might not have any surplus time right now, but years from now, will either thank ourselves for making time, or we will lament our relational bankruptcy.

If you are an introvert, many of your relational needs will likely be met through the course of your ministry; however, it’s still important to intentionally cultivate true, covenant friendships whether they are in or outside of your ministry.

3. Be warm from the platform, and walk slowly through the crowd. Even though we can’t become best friends with everyone in our ministry, we CAN love them, pray for them, and genuinely care for them. And if we are intentional about doing these things, authentic care will radiate from both our platform ministry and our brief interactions with people–and it won’t be forced or fabricated. It will be genuine. And people will appreciate it.

The Christian life was never intended to be lived in isolation.

God has a “Jonathan” for you. Let’s be praying for each other that we could all identify and latch on to him.

Your funeral script

Posted by pastorchrisjackson on
Winston Churchill in Downing Street giving his...
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While traveling through Europe the summer after my high school graduation I made an interesting observation about many of the ancient cathedrals–their walls were often adorned with the likenesses of human skulls. Although a Pirates of the Caribbean skull-laden decor is the last look I would want in my own church, I think the architects of those early sanctuaries were on to something: when we live our lives from the grave looking back we live lives of greater significance and impact. 

There’s no question that a recognition of our mortality can inspire a determination to live our remaining days well. And personally I find that to be one of the sobering blessings of being a pastor. Whenever I’m preparing thoughts to share with the friends and family members of departed loved ones, I find myself wondering what people will say about me. And inevitably I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s famous statement: “I am not afraid of what history will say about me, for I intend to write it.”

I want to do the same–I want my life to be a living script that my loved ones can recite at my memorial service.

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “Death is the destiny of every man; and the living should take it to heart.” Let’s take those ancient words to heart, and then go out and live, laugh, and love in a way that honors God and serves the world around us.