What more can be said than “Amen”?!

God wants to take me by the hand and lead me right into the very presence of my fears - going “face to face” with my worst disasters.  Faith is what makes this kind of confrontation possible, and it is only through confrontation that I obtain resolution to my fear.  The best part of this is that I can’t lose when I trust God.  “God did not give us the spirit of fear”

I agree whole-heartedly. As a pastor you MUST display courage and leadership even when it means going up against deacons, elders, etc. Just this past Sunday I had to instruct my AV guy to inform ALL church members and I mean elders and deacons included that when the worship leader sets a sound level it is set for the entire service unless I personally give instructions otherwise! Afterall, I am a professional and I know what it takes to help lead people sincerely and deeply into worship! I would NEVER think of going to a church members workplace and try to dictate to them how to do their job! Quite frankly, it is very disrespectful of anyone to question the judgement of their pastors when it comes to conducting their services. If they have a concern then they need to show their respect and set up a time to meet with the pastor to discuss their problem. They should NEVER disrupt the flow of a worship service! Remember that GOD called you into this profession and GOD watches over His servants. Stand firm and trust that the Lord will handle matters.

I agree with Stuart.  The business would IS the same way.  The author is wrong.  Both worlds need strong leadership. 

The author says:
“Here’s the pastor who’s been hired — I tell our business guys all the time, “You’d never go to work for an organization where the customers can hire and fire the president of the company they bought products from.” But that’s the church world.”

In the business world, if the customers don’t like your product, they will fire you by using another’s product.  It’s even MORE cut-throat.  Most Church members have a loyalty far stronger than consumers, I believe.  Too many Pastors take advantage of this and get sloppy.

The article has a great point-- it’s all about leadership.  But I think it’s really wrong and naive to think that Pastor’s have it rougher.

...Bernie
http://www.FreeGoodNews.com

I think Andy is right on...I believe his point is that I cannot walk into WalMart and fire the Chief Executive simply by virtue of the fact that I am his customer an am unhappy. Nor can I enter the local Subway (small business) and fire the owner - not that I would - he is a great owner and a personal friend! It is true that if I do not do business with their companies, eventually an impact will be made and they may “lose their job.”
In the church, however, a member can IMMEDIATELY impact a pastor’s life. When I faced the prospect of continuing to serve in a church that only wanted me to do “maintenance” and cease trying to reach new people, I confronted it. But, in that church, like most in my denomination, the majority rules - so my family and I were “out.” I did not have another church lined up, and, because we lived in the parsonage, had no place to live. But, God is faithful. We found an apartment and started a new work with a handful of folks who believed in the vision God placed on our hearts. That was four years ago - and God is still faithful.
There is tremendous freedom in leading courageously. That doesn’t mean we never face doubts or insecurities or, even, fear. But, it does mean that we trust in the One who is greater than our fear, than our “opposition”, greater than ourselves.

Wow what a timely word.  I just went through all that this past summer.  When I suggested the changes we needed to make the old regime got angry, left and took thier parents, aunts and uncles with them.  They were my friends, but God is my God and I had to follow His leadership.  Thee months later (now) God has raised up every postion of need that was vacated.  The church is experiencing a new found freedom in worship, preaching and fellowship.

It was a hard thing to go through, but God saw me through. Praise Him!!

Pastor John

I agree with Andy!  As a staff member, it is difficult to work in a church where the pastor is afraid to lead.  I have had the experience in former churches where the pastor used the staff to make hard decisions so they would be blamed and not themselves.  It is a shame for a minister, whether senior pastor or staff member to neglect his God given responsibility by being afraid to exercise his authority because he is afraid of the people.  Could you image Jesus being afraid of the disciples?  Could you imagine a shepherd being afraid of his sheep?  Why are we afraid of our people?

I learned conflict management as an associate pastor watching the congregation destroy the church and fire or chase off nine pastors.

But the senior pastor stayed his ground and attacked every area of sin. He did eventually lose his position as the senior pastor, but I believe he did the right thing. Call the controllers and their ways of attack what it is…sin. And address it as such.

If you choose to lead a church then lead the church.

As others mentioned, Pastor Stanley is pretty naive when it comes to what happens in the business world when he asks where else can “the customers can hire and fire the president of the company they brought products from.” Ask any salesman or business owner how many times they’ve been fired by their customers in the course of a year. It comes with the territory. But he is young and can’t be faulted for his ignorance on this point. He’d be well served by one of his “Business guys” in his church taking him aside and explaining the realites of commerce.

I do think Pastor Stanley is right on when it comes to pastors fearing people. Reminds me of poor parenting. So many parents fail to discipline because they fear their kids won’t like them if they’re disciplined properly. Pastor Stanley states “I don’t know where that [fear of people] comes from.

In my view, the fear comes from 2 places. One is the desire to be liked by everyone. The other is not knowing why people do the things they do. The former is dealt with by giving up on this illusion. It ain’t never going to happen. Ever. The later is overcome through the hard work of talking to people to find out from them why they think the way they do, without assuming malacious intent, along with extending a little grace to people who are thorns in our flesh. But that’s hard work, and takes time, but that’s what good leaders do. This takes a lot more courage than the “just lead” model the author calls for. It takes courage because when we truly enter the world of another we never know what we’ll find, and we’ll never know how much will be required of us as a result. But that is what scripture calls us to do as servant leaders.

There is fear when one doesn’t know where one is going, or who is leading.
Ever wonder why there are so many leadership books out there?  Why so many self-help books?  It is because we try so desperately to understand what’s happening to us and around us. 
Every helpful book takes a nugget, a gem of truth from the Word and presents that as though that will solve the leadership dilemma or show us how to raise God fearing kids, or how to do whatever it is we are fearful we cannot do.
So you read and read and get more fearful all the time because you can’t possibly read all those books!  What if your congregation gets ahold of one you haven’t read?  They will certainly love the book and not you and you will be outta there because you missed it and now you are incompetent!
It’s an old saw, but there is no other Book we need for life, especially for a life devoted to teaching from that Book, but the B-I-B-L-E.

For many of our churches a courageous leader as a pastor is totally foreign concept. Sunday was our voter’s assembly and after the meeting one of the members who think that I run everything quipped, “I guess that next we will vote to make you the benevolent dictator!” Church is one of the last places that some people still feel that they have some “say” and they don’t always like someone else taking control. Without courageous leadership the church will be no good for the lost, only those who are already in the church.

Pastor Paul

Sorry - in my post it should have read “...at Wal-mart you don’t get to benefit from the visit WITHOUT paying!

I couldn’t agree more.  Pastor’s are running scared today, because the inmates have taken over the asylum.  No where in scripture will you ever find deacons having authority over the church (they have no governing power).  Nor will you find anywhere in scripture where they have any authority over the pastor.  The scripture clearly states that a pastor (overseer) is to be:
1, a man. (sorry, I didn’t write the scripture, I just tell it like it says)
2, a strong leader (ruling his household well)
3. a patient man (not quick to anger)
4. a conservative man (not pugnatious)
5. a sober man (not prone to “much wine.")
6. an honest man (not prone to filthy lucre)
in otherwards, and example to be followed.  Granted that some men whom profess to be pastors have no business being there because they don’t really love people, however, many are men that fit the above description that are tattered, beaten and bruised for there ministry.  Blessed are they for God will take care of them.  remember folks, ministry is a tough “business”, and not for the faint of heart.  God will be your sustainer.  If you can’t take it, then maybe you weren’t called to pastor.  The moral is this...even if you are under intense pressure, or are being abused verbally, and/or mentally...God is your priority, and the ministry He gave to you.  You don’t have the right to give up!  No matter what the reason or attack.  I know it’s tough...I’m there right now, and if you’re a pastor you either are there with me, or you soon will be.  Even in the toughest, and meanest of attacks, it is easier to endure if you just remember that you’re not there to please men, rather to obey God.  if you get fired tomorrow, and you’ve been obedient...God is there to direct you.  Nothing catches God by surprise.  If He took you to it, He will see you through it, or something like that.  I promise I am not judging...I’m just pouring out my heart.