This week I had a conversation with a friend I haven't seen in about 8 years. She is the Senior Pastor of a small Church in Ontario, Canada. (Yes, SHE is the Senior Pastor... I'll reserve the conversation about women as Senior Pastors for a future post.) I asked her how it was going 14 months in... she summed it up by saying something like: "I was hired under the expectation that I was to handle the leading AND management decisions of the church. In practice I am a puppet and the board (manages) pulls the strings."
She is underpaid, overworked and implements what she is told. On the bright side this allows this small group of people to keep their country club. ;)
I'm proud of her (and praying for her!) for following God's promptings to run fast from a secure pay check at this country club and head towards a ministry God has prepared in advance for her.
The age old practice of leadership by committee! I read something funny a while ago. One of the first committees formed in the Bible came to the conclusion of sending one of their own (Joesph) down a well! I laugh (with sadness) because I've seen that too many times in churches, including recently with my friend's church.
Here is an insightful post on this topic.
I am currently blessed to serve on a leadership team of 5 where we all have equal input. We get to offer our honest 'push-back' on pretty much anything but in the end respect the decision made by our Lead Pastor. He welcomes our input and we welcome his quick assessment of our input, promptings from God and his own wisdom to come up with a quick decision. It's efficient and effective. Something I will not take for granted for a long time after spending many years with committee (aka: inefficient or absent decision making!) managed churches!
How are leadership decisions made in your context? What are the pluses/minuses you've experienced with committees making management decisions?
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