The Importance of Pastoral Leadership for This Program

Gary North

The program I am proposing is a permanent program. "Sustained" means "permanent." This means that there must be a systematic program of mobilization and reinforcement.

Pastors must provide the incentive. They must work with church officers to implement this program and keep it moving forward. The program must become a permanent aspect of the local congregation's activities.

This takes commitment by the leaders. Without guidance and reinforcement, this program cannot be sustained.

This is extra work for pastors. What is their incentive?

More influence
Larger congregation
Higher salary
Greater job security

Why not put "more people brought to Christ"? Because, after ten years of lack of success, the typical pastor has given up on the Great Commission. He is just trying to keep his job.

This program will add responsibility to the church. It is the pastor's responsibility to minimize his hand-holding of members with problems. On this point, read Exodus 18. Jethro warned Moses about burnout.

The pastor must recruit volunteers to pick up the burden. He must have a program to train them. He needs videos, PDF manuals, MP3 files, and anything else that will make good rulers out of simple people. Again, read Exodus 18.

The pastor's job is to herd sheep. He needs part-time shepherds recruited from the sheep. We might call them "lead sheep."

A pastor who is unwilling to delegate authority is doomed by this program. Read Exodus 18.

Pastors who refuse to delegate will resist implementing this program.

The pastors and churches that implement this program will lead other churches. There will be the usual Pareto distribution: 20-80. About 20% of the churches will get 80% of the converts. They will then become mega churches or else church-planting operations. The pastor must either delegate or decentralize. I recommend the latter. It's easier on pastors: fewer balls in the air to juggle.

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