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Characteristics Most Associated with Unsuccessful Pastors

Orginally published on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 7:21 AM
by Todd Rhoades

OK... small sample size, but VERY interesting results. What are the characteristics most associated with both successful and unsuccessful pastors? Todd Hunter shares his findings from talking to both pastors of successful, growing churches, and pastors of churches that failed...

Characteristics Most Associated with Unsuccessful Pastors

The inability to identify, recruit, train, and deploy workers and leaders. (95%)

Use of ineffective methods of evangelism, and unwillingness to be ruthless at evaluating the results of those methods. (77%)

No clear plan and goals, which results in working hard at wrong things or lack of focus. (77%)

No proven record under supervision or authority. (73%)

A nurturer/ enabler/ facilitator rather than an assertive leader and equipper. (68%)

Failed to adequately research and understand the community in which trying to build a church. (64%)

No local or extra-local support and encouragement from other leader. (64%)

Unsure about the Holy Spirit’s leading for the church. (59%)

Not willing to take responsibility for church growth. (55%)

Success for failure of church tied to self-image; ego strength problems. (55%)

Unsure of call. (50%)

* Results based on telephone interviews of 22 pastors whose churches had failed. The interviewer, Todd Hunter, had supervised or known the pastors, and could in most instances agree with their evaluation. The numbers in parentheses are the percent who had this problem.

Characteristics Most Associated with Successful Pastors

A hard worker. (100%)

Proven record under supervision or authority. (95%)

Sure of call. (95%)

An attitude of optimism and faith. (95%)

Good social skills, friendly, easily liked. (95%)

Takes responsibility for church growth. (95%)

Both husband and wife felt called to the church. (90%)

Held values, priorities, and philosophy of denomination. (90%)

Indigenous of extra-local support from other leaders. (80%)

A strong marriage. (80%)

* Results based on telephone interviews of 20 pastors of successful, growing churches. In many instances they had raised up several churches. The numbers in parentheses are the percent who had this strength.

SOURCE:  Global South

FOR DISCUSSION: What do you think?  In your experience (yourself and other leaders you know), does this flesh out with what you’ve seen?  What would you add or subtract from the list?


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  There are 12 Comments:

  • Posted by Brian L

    I was afraid to read the list because I might find myself there - I pastor a church of 50 people in a town of 25,000, and have been here for going on 7 years.  I constantly struggle with the wondering why we can’t seem to make progress.

    But we are taking a hard look at our 121-year-old church, and seeking God’s face.  And I believe that our best days are yet to come.

    The list is actually an affirmation for me, because I see myself much more on the second list - and that gives me hope that God can use me to help this church move on to more impact for the kingdom.

    Thanks for posting this, Todd!

    Brian

  • Posted by

    I wonder what the Characteristics Most Associated with Unsuccessful congregation are?

  • Posted by Jan

    My first thought with the characteristics of an unsuccessful pastor was “embittered”.  I know a few of those.

    And my other addition with the “successful” pastor, is “dedicated”.  I’ve known too many and they usually end up embittered, that give up too soon.  Maybe that should be doggedly determined or stubborn.  smile

  • Posted by Stewart

    I wonder what comes first - the burned out, uncertainty or the lack of success? I think perhaps the situation contributes more than the list implies. I know plenty of people from seminary who had (or at least seemed to have) the same amout of passion, determination, etc… that I do, but now would be described more by the ‘unsuccessful’ list. I’m pretty sure I’m not any more spiritual, called or smart than any of them. But they had a rough experience in a rough church.

    Just my two cents. I guess my bottom line is that I probaby find myself more in the “successful” list but I see it as a “there but by the grace of God go I”.

  • Posted by Jan

    I can relate to the friends in seminary thing that have a rough time in a rough church.  But so did we and we took a break and got back in and kept serving.  Several of our friends instead dumped God completely, or just checked out, not even serving in lay capacities.

    We all at one time served passionately together.  So, I’m not sure what the deal is. But that’s where the bitter thing came from.  That would be the one common factor in all of them.

    And I would say we never went there.  Not that we are more talented or smarter, or whatever, just that we refused to let others influence our relationship with God?

  • Posted by jim

    How is success defined?  I’m tired of the continuing assumption that success = church growth.  That is a bogus assumption.  Shouldn’t we as pastors be calling people to be disciples of Christ and to affect missional change in the world?  If that leads to a bigger or more ‘successful’ church, great if not there may be plenty of other reasons and factors beyond the ‘success’ of the pastor that have kept the church at its size. 

    I’m also disgusted with the comment about pastor + wife called to the church.  I understand that maybe the point is if both aren’t called the pastor will be divided.  But I am a pastor and my wife is also a pastor at another church.  We feel we are both equally called to the ministry, it just so happens we are not called right now to serve the same congregation.  Does that divide us, well yes because we can’t be everywhere that folks might want us to be.

  • Posted by jim

    sorry, didn’t finish my comment before sending…

    But our churches have coped and adapted , moving beyond the cultural assumption and expectation that a successful pastor is a Man his wife and their 2.5 children.

  • Posted by Tommy

    This “successful pastor” thing drives me nuts.  A lot of stuff gets thrown around that just makes leaders in difficult places feel guilty and like failures.  I heard a popular church leadership guru say one time that after three years, if your church is not doing well and meeting your goals, it is your fault.  Well, he never pastored the family church with 100 years of Smith’s and Jones’!  And it takes more than 3 years to transition a church!

    I recommend Thom Rainer’s book, Breakout Churches!  Many of the pastors of those breakout churches went to “church hell” and back before experiencing significant change.  For years, many would not have believed them successful.  I personally think “success” is having a heart at genuine peace with God - on God’s terms!

  • Posted by Stewart

    Tommy,

    I agree that a lot of the “church improvement” (Church Growth, Health, Emerging, et al) is written by people with little or no experience in the 100 member, 100+ years family church. It frustrates me too.

    The question I started with in reading this thread was “what comes first - the negative characteristics associated with less-successful pastorates or the rough pastorates leading to many of the less desirable characteristics of their pastors?” I’m beginning to think a better question is “How would pastor’s avoid developing bitterness and other charracteristics while pastoring churches that are hard?”

    One solution that gets thrown around a lot is to avoid pastoring the “hard” churches. Or drive out all the people whose vision isn’t the same as the one God gave you. I don’t like those solutions. They seem to hinge on a wilingness to throw people away. I recognize that strategic reduction is sometimes necessary, but I don’t think it ought to be a leadership strategy.

    I’m more attracted to strategies that help pastor’s avoid basing their self-esteem week in and week out of the attendance numbers. smile

    For me - Sabbath rest helps a lot. Prayer helps a lot. Bible study (apart from sermon prep) helps alot. These might sound simplistic but they have kept me grounded (or more grounded) when things have gone really well, and they help stave off depression when things seem to implode.

    Other ideas?

  • Posted by Matt Morton

    I agree with Jim’s comment regarding the definition of success.  I was somewhat surprised to statements about success or failure with no indication of what those terms mean. 

    The characteristics listed for those who “failed” seem to simply be general characteristics of lazy, inexperienced, isolated, fearful, or unspiritual people.  So I’m not sure it is a truly helpful study, since the problems listed would negatively affect just about any person, pastor or not.

  • Posted by Chris Rhodes

    I call shenanigans!!

    Just admitting that the sample is small and then preceeding to treat it as if it is groundbreaking work is crazy. All you would need is five additional respodents who are outside of norm for these 22 respondents and you now have a possible 10 point drop on the percentages. It could be that the 22 respondents are anamolies and that the true correlating factor is something else that would only be shown through a proper sample.

  • Posted by

    “Not willing to take responsibility for church growth”? Thats funny, My church also thinks that I am the one who should do all the work, and numerically grow the Church, But I see something else in the Book of Ephesians I am to “Equip the saints for the work of the ministry” No what, I am tired of feeding spiritually fat and lazy church members,
    I love my people but recently I have come to the conclusion that God uses me, and I want to be found faithful, so I work hard with the Lord, I will disciple new believers to do the work along side of me and we’ll leave the lazy and unmoved behind.
    The other things on the list do make me do a self examination though. Thanks for providing it.

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