A quaint story circulated among Methodists describes a young pastor fresh out of seminary who had just begun his first pastorate. As he drove up to the small church he noticed an old tree blocking the side doors into the building. In his exuberance he cut the tree down to show the congregation his decisive leadership. Unfortunately, no one told him that they believed that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had planted it hundreds of years earlier. He had one of the shortest pastorates on record after that.
Even if this story is somewhat dubious, it captures what often happens in a new ministry when a new pastor is blind to potential pitfalls. Here are seven common pitfalls a pastor to a new church should seek to avoid.
Pitfall #1 – Cookie cutter: Thinking what worked before will work now.
“It’s a mistake to believe that you will be successful in your new job by continuing to do what you did in your previous job, only more so.” This pitfall reflects a “one-size-fits-all” approach to ministry. Such thinking not only could be a mismatch for the church, but could stifle learning new ways to do ministry crucial to your continued growth.
Sometimes this pitfall shows up when we realize we’re talking too much about our previous ministry and our successes there. An occasional reference to your former ministry is fine. But when it becomes commonplace, your staff, volunteers, and people in the church may hear you imply that your prior ministry was better than your current one.
Pitfall #2 – Smartie-pants: Assuming you know all the answers.
I still remember an embarrassing conversation with a leader in my first church where I was lead pastor. We disagreed on an issue, and I recall saying, “I’m usually right on most things.” When I think back on that statement I cringe at the egotism I conveyed with that comment. I had failed to remember that Proverbs 16:18 warns that pride comes before a fall.
While not throwing caution to the wind, great leaders and churches must take bold steps of faith.
If those around you sense that you have all the answers, you’ll alienate them. Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, calls these leaders “accidental diminishers,” leaders who in giving all the answers actually squelch ideas in others. When that happens, others may withhold important information you need to know in your new leadership role. Getting correct feedback is crucial to successful onboarding, even if it’s not what you want to hear. A know-it-all attitude can stifle opposing perspectives you need to hear as a new leader. And failing to seek input from others can also convey a smartie-pants attitude. You don’t know what you don’t know, and you will never know it unless you intentionally seek out hidden information.
Pitfall #3 – Failure to recognize the former leader’s lingering influence.
Often people will fondly remember the former pastor whose place you just filled, if he was well-liked. Failure to realize the former leader’s influence is a potential pitfall you want to avoid. Seek out insight from members about the former pastor’s strengths, weaknesses, and leadership style. However, avoid giving the perception that you want this information to boost how others view you or that you are criticizing what he did. Rather, communicate to those you ask that such insight can help you serve the church better.
Pitfall #4 – Blindsided: Failure to clarify expectations or prepare for surprises.
Here I use “expectations” to refer to what [those you report to] expect from you. If you aren’t clear on their expectations, even if you think you are performing well in the early days, you may be in for a surprise disappointment.
In the pre-hiring phase, the better you understand your job description and unwritten expectations, the less unmet expectations will blindside you. Get answers to your questions for anything unclear. Talk to [those you report to] to further clarify what they want. And after you begin, continue dialoguing with them to make sure you continue to understand and meet what they expect. Prioritize healthy communication with them.
Another way to avoid surprises is to avoid setting expectations too high. Guard against making lofty promises you can’t keep. It’s better to under promise and over perform. Yet, don’t set expectations too low because you may lose the support of some of your high-performing people if they sense you are playing it safe by setting them low.
You will face surprises in those first few months. Clarify expectations early to minimize them. When they come, don’t panic. And when your enthusiasm and the church’s enthusiasm wanes after a few months, which is inevitable when the “new’’wears off, don’t be thrown by that dip. Manage your response with God’s power.
Pitfall #5 – Fire, ready, aim: Overemphasizing quick results.
Sometimes a new leader feels both a compulsion to do something quickly to prove his worth or takes too much responsibility for the ministry’s success. It’s natural to both want your church to believe they made the right choice and to put your stamp on the ministry. But trying to make a mark too soon without adequate information and buy-in may turn what seems like early wins into losses. Unless you have clearly defined reality and are listening well, acting too soon in big ways may send you down the wrong path. If you act too soon by focusing on tactics or move in multiple directions at once simply to create movement, you can confuse others about what’s truly important. Should this happen, you may be saying yes to good ideas at the expense of the best ideas. I recommend that new leaders prioritize spending time with key influencers just to listen.
You’ll want to show visible movement during your first six months without wrecking things or losing support. And you’ll want to balance being with others with doing ministry tasks. As Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th president, said in his inaugural address as the U.S. was sharply divided over slavery, “Nothing valuable can be lost by taking time.”
Pitfall #6 – Scaredy-cat: Risk aversion
Minimizing risk and maximizing safety can become an unhealthy trait for leaders. J. Oswald Sanders, who authored the book Spiritual Leadership, quoted a Christian leader who noted, “The frontiers of the kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution.” Great churches can’t play it safe, huddle and cuddle, strive for safety and security, nor guarantee comfort and convenience. While not throwing caution to the wind, great leaders and churches must take bold steps of faith.
Pitfall #7 – People pleaser: Saying Yes to too many things.
Bad stuff happens to leaders who say Yes to too many things. You can lose control of your calendar. You can work too many hours. Your family can suffer. Stress can become toxic. And ultimately, your walk with Christ and your leadership can suffer.
Saying Yes is easy, and saying No is hard because when we say, No, we almost always disappoint somebody else. And when we disappoint another, at least for a few moments, his or her disapproving comments or facial expressions can make us feel rejected. And rejection actually hurts because social pain registers in our brain in the same place where physical pain registers. Sensing another’s disappointment in us actually feels bad. That’s why we try to avoid it.
During your first six months it’s important to avoid adding unnecessary commitments to your already full schedule. Remind yourself that you don’t have to say Yes to every invitation or new ministry idea even though each request may initially sound good. Learn how to say No gracefully. This self leadership skill is perhaps one of the most important ones to help you manage your margins early on.
You may want to add other pitfalls to this list, but these seven cover some of the biggest pitfalls to avoid in a new church role.
Adapted from “Every Pastor’s First 180 Days: How to Start and Stay Strong in a New Church Job” by Dr. Charles Stone, Lead Pastor at WestPark Church, London, Ontario, Canada.
3 Ways Shepherding Our Socially Distanced Church Has Made Me a Better Pastor
I believe 2 Timothy 4:2 has taken on a new meaning for most of us this year. Pastors are leading their churches in a way they never have before. I have often joked that I missed the seminary class on “Pastoring through Pandemics,” but this really is unchartered territory for our professors as well. Most ministers I have spoken with are exhausted, noting that they have had to work harder during this time than at any other point in ministry. I can attest this is certainly true for me, and I believe ultimately, I will be a better pastor because of it.
What is most striking is how quickly this all transpired; almost overnight, the way we have been doing ministry had to adapt and change. We went from pastoring the local church gathered to pastoring the local church scattered; and primarily virtually. This time has certainly felt out of season. Most of us are searching for and discovering new ways to minister to the flock entrusted to us.
I want to encourage you by sharing some things we have done this season that are different, but have served to make me a more effective pastor. It is easy to focus on the negative during this time, but it is essential to focus on the things we can control. We must remember that God is still on his throne in this season, and he is in control. Instead of asking why God has allowed this to happen, maybe we should seek to see how God wants to grow us as this happens. Here are three areas where we have done new things during the pandemic that have become blessings.
1. Becoming better communicators
One of the ways my people have affirmed experiencing stronger leadership is through better communication during the pandemic. One of the first decisions I made for our staff was that we needed to be in constant communication with our membership. We did not want what them to be guessing about what we would do next. Instead, we have had them walk alongside us at this time. This process is something I thought we were already doing well, but honestly, we have found it’s an area where we could have been doing a lot better. Our people have appreciated the extra effort from the staff, and in particular from me as their pastor.
We have been doing a few different things to communicate better. First, we have been putting out weekly articles from different pastors on staff to encourage and challenge our people. These are short and are designed to be devotional. It gives our people a chance to hear from the staff, especially those who do not get a lot of stage time.
A second thing we have been doing is sending out regular emails detailing the needs of our church, ways we can pray and meet others’ needs, and letting people know what the next week will look like for the church. As restrictions were being loosened and we were formulating a plan to regather, we developed a 10-question survey for our church. They were able to hear what our plan was and give us their expectations for coming back together.
Our people have said they appreciate being genuinely heard and regularly hearing from their pastor. When things get back to normal, we will continue to build upon these new ideas to communicate clearly, competently, and consistently with our church.
2. More intentional pastoral care
Our hospitals quickly stopped allowing visitors, which created a unique challenge for how to visit the sick. This meant that the way we did pastoral care would be different. One thing we did was assign every pastor on staff a list of 125 church members to call each week and check on. Each pastor makes sure they update the members they call with any new developments, asks what their needs are, and asks for prayer requests before praying with them. They also take notes on their conversation to share with the staff. We have found that we are getting to know our people better because of this intentional time. Coupled with that, we discovered that for many of our members, especially those who live alone, this is a time they really look forward to. We plan to keep an updated list of our membership for our pastors to call each month to speak and pray with our people.
This has also been a season where I have been doing a lot of handwritten notes. Members who have had birthdays, anniversaries, loss of loved ones and employment, and other experiences are not going through the normal process of celebration and grieving. Taking the time to write our members to rejoice with them or mourn with them has been so well received. This is another new thing I plan to keep doing every week as a part of my ministry. I have always said, “No one wants to know what you know until they know you care about them.” This is a great way to show your people you care about them.
We also implemented three teams among our deacon body to serve our church in this unique time. These teams will go grocery shopping for our more vulnerable members, pick up prescriptions for our elderly members, and help them with any other needs they may have. Our deacons have also helped some of our members learn how to use the technology needed to watch our services so they can stay connected to our church. There is no way this could have all fallen on the pastoral team, and I am thankful area deacons took on this challenge to be servants to our body.
3. Refining my preaching skills
One of the most challenging things about this season is preaching to a video camera in an empty room. This is much more difficult to me than preaching to a room full of people. Early on, we decided that we record our service on Thursday and then release them live on multiple platforms on Sunday morning. This means that I have had the unfortunate privilege of watching myself preach each week for two months. It’s like I’m sitting through homiletics all over again.
As awkward as it is to watch yourself preach, I do believe this can help you become a better preacher. Do not waste this opportunity to refine your preaching. I have been able to watch myself and ask questions like: Did I communicate that properly? How could I have said that better? I also have been able to critique how clear I have made the gospel in my messages and how I can do so with more clarity next time. In terms of cadence, tone, and eye contact, I have seen areas of growth over our seven weeks online.
This has also reminded me how utterly dependent my preaching is upon God. Speaking to a camera and pleading with people to repent and believe is in vain if it’s powerless preaching. I have spent more time praying over my sermons than at any other point I can remember. This is another thing I will continue to do. In addition to praying, I have been reading Francis Grimke’s Meditation on Preaching as a devotion as I prepare each week. I do not know who will see our video each week, but I do know what they hear has been prayed over deeply by someone who knows his words don’t save—only God’s power does. Determine to get the gospel in people’s ears, and trust God to get it into their hearts.
Our plan going forward
As great as these improvements and ideas have been, we still long to gather together again. As this article is being penned, we are in the process of regathering as a church. As I mentioned earlier, we have listened to our people as we have come up with our plan. The decision to regather, at least to me, is much more difficult than the decision to cancel. Part of becoming a better leader is leaning on the wisdom of those around you. Therefore, we created an ad hoc committee consisting of doctors in our church and key lay leaders to help us make our decisions. They have been instrumental in developing the plan for our church coming back together.
But, make sure you write your plans in pencil, not pen. Your people will not fault you for being overly cautious during this time and adjusting plans based on this changing situation. Most importantly, hold fast to the gospel and use this as a season to grow as a pastor, leaning heavily on the goodness and grace of Jesus to bless your efforts and build his Church.