Leadership Perception Survey - Ron Edmondson

Ron – Fairly new to the blogospear.
So I Googled “pastors and leadership” and a whole bunch of sites came up.
The “leader” comments were left on over 40 sites.
Thank you for responding.

I have seen the dangers of “Titles,” of “Pastors,” and of “leaders.”
Spiritual abuse for both the “leader” and those “being led” by a man.
It seems the word and position of “leader” is very dangerous for both.

I’m not not new to “ministering healing” to those who have been abused
by those who “thought” they were “Pastors” and “leaders.”
Folks who’ve been burnt, burnt out, kicked out, or crawled out of “the religious system”
with it’s leaders, spiritual authority, and other “heavy weights” put on folks shoulders.

I also spend a fair amount of time with pastors,
“so called leaders,” who can’t do it anymore.

Trying to run the show, please so many masters and
realizing they didn’t even qualify to be an elder.

Trying to please the denominational leaders,
the congregation and it’s leaders,
and of course Jesus.
Who is often relegated to last place. Hmmm?
Serving three masters, that’s tough; Yes?
Preaching every week… and it better be good, being the CEO,
the team leader, councilor, smiley face. etc. etc.

If “pastors” and “leaders” (as we see them today) are of God?
He’s not taking very good care of His shepherds; Is He?.
Hmmm? Wonder why?

This is info from a website helping “burned out Pastors.”

PastorCare offers support and encouragement for pastors and their families.
At PastorCare we care about YOU and we want to help.

http://www.pastorcare.org/PastorCare/About_Us.html

According to the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership (2007)
• 77% say they do “not” have a good marriage.
• 71% have felt burned out or depressed.
• 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.
• 40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month.
• 38% are divorced or seriously considering divorce.

According to the Ministering to Ministers Foundation…
• Over 1600 pastors in the U.S. are forced out of their positions each month.
• Nearly 1 in 4 pastors experience a forced termination at least once during their ministry.
•Only 54% of pastors go back into full-time church related positions.

Think we might have a problem Ron?
70% of pastors are depressed or burnt out. Don’t have a close friend. Hmmm?
That’s who is running the show. “Servant-Leadership?”
That’s who is abusing God’s sheep.
I have been both abused and the abuser. It’s not pretty.

1600 pastors a month, that’s 19,000 a year, leave or are pushed out. Wow!!!
That’s a lot of broken hearts, disappointments, feelings of failure, pain, abuse.

Hmmm? Pastor, is this a “Title” or “position” in the scriptures?

Where in the Bible does it say “pastor = leader?”

Have you done your own study on pastors?
I mean in the Bible? What does the Bible say about pastors?

Makes an interesting study.

Here’s some questions to ask
as you check out pastors.

1 – In the Bible, How many people… have the title pastor?

2 – In the Bible, How many people are… referred to as pastor?

3 – In the Bible, How many people are… ordained as a pastor?

4 – In the Bible, How many congregations are… led by a pastor?

Once again, How do “you” reconcile leaders
with “Jesus” telling His disciples “Not” to be called leader.
And none did…

Ron, I do think the word “Pastor/leader” is dangerous.
It creates “honor” whether we want “honor” or not.
Jesus said, “I receive not honor from men.”
“If I honor myself, my honor is nothing.”
“Leader” becomes a position of honor.
Warning, Warning, Warning.

“Titles” become idols and
“pastors” become masters.

Leaders = lord it over = abuse = always

It’s always a heart issue; Isn’t it?

Are you a “servant of Christ,” or
are you “the leader?

“Multitudes in the valley of decision.”

Yes!!! Be blessed in your search for truth… Jesus.

In His Service. By His Grace.

• I appreciate your comment and thank you for that perspective. As one that God has humbled many times over the years, I certainly would never want to set myself up as anything more than I am. I disagree with your here, however, and think you are getting hung up on terminology. The real truth is in the heart, not in the terms we call each other, in my opinion. There are humble, God-honoring servant leaders and there are those who lead to build their own self-worth.

  As I commented earlier, I don’t think the concept of leader or leadership was much in the vocabulary of Biblical days. I would ask you to consider, however, that many of the men God called to “lead”, as we would term it today, fit every definition of leadership, even servant leadership, that would be taught in schools of leadership today. Consider even the words of God to His servant Moses:

  “The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.'” Exodus 32:33-34

  Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ Exodus 33:12

  Or what was said about Joshua:
  “But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.” Deuteronomy 1:38

  I think there are probably other references, but those are the first to come to mind. Again, I don’t want to get hung up on terminology, but what would we call Nehemiah. Obviously he was God’s servant, but was he not also a leader of the task God called him to?

  Good thoughts. Thanks for making me think.
  Ron