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    Richard Blackaby on Pastors in Plateaued Churches

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    Read more of Richard’s thoughts here at ChurchCentral.com...

    What do you think?  It seems to be a tad bit of an overstatement to me, but it may be true in many cases.

    Todd

    Here's an interesting quote from Richard Blackaby (Henry's son) on what he finds in churches today. Here it is: "When I find a church that is plateaued, I typically find a pastor who needs revival." That would seem to be a pretty big indictment on many pastors today. What do you think? Has this been your experience?

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    1. Stewart on Wed, May 30, 2007

      Sounds more like judgment than constructive comment to me.


      There is a ton of research on plateaued churches. None of it claims that they are simple to pastor.  I fear Blackaby’s statement will discourage a bunch of Jesus’ loving pastors who already get enough criticism. For any of you who have ever tried to do a “turnaround” job in a church (I’ve done two), you know you get plenty of internal criticism. No need for anymore.

    2. Leonard on Wed, May 30, 2007

      I agree Stewart no pastor need more judgment regardless the size of church they pastor.  But I did not read judgment in Blackaby’s words.  I think he encouraged these actions.


      •  Make sure you are connected with God. 


      •  Don’t substitute working for God for a relationship with God.


      •  Get off your cell phone and iPod and spend time with God


      •  Don’t forget God places us in hard places because there are other people in hard places… Keep your eye on him.


      •  Invest time in your own spiritual health


      I think this is great input.  A pastor of a smaller church, with a smaller budget, with no staff will often work to 110% of his or her energy.  They will care for sheep, feed sheep, correct sheep, fix sheep, play with sheep, teach sheep, chase sheep… and in the end very little is left to sit with the great shepherd.  I would not say it is always true that a church will plateau because a pastor is plateaued but I will say it can often be a huge factor. 


      I know that If I am not growing as a leader (my spiritual gift) if I am not growing my skills (fanning to flame my gifts) If I am not growing as a student of culture (men of Issachar) If I am not developing a deep friendship with God…(Wisdom to lead God’s people) If I am not building a deep love for God because of time spent with him in prayer and in the Word, I will get in the way of what God wants to do. 


      Many smaller church pastors I know have attitude problems.  They are frustrated with the sheep because they just wont… They are angry at the mega church because one the good families left to go there because they can offer more services… They are discouraged by the pay… hurt by the complaints… All real stuff but all stuff we shouldn’t operate out of. 


      Tired leaders create tired followers, angry leaders alienate people, frustrated leaders repel help.  Rather Paul told us to replace worry with prayer so God’s peace will guard our hearts.  He told us to think on the best stuff… Told us he was the example in this and to follow that example.  He told us that we should learn the secret of contentment by making Christ the well of strength you draw from.  He told us these things from prison by writing Philippians. 


      No pastor need to be beat up but some do need a challenge to be what they need to be to have joy wherever they are planted.

    3. Randy Ehle on Wed, May 30, 2007

      I haven’t yet read Blackaby’s article, but I would expect a significant correlation between the pastor’s and the church’s spiritual vitality - with a host of “exceptions” from the innumerable possible circumstances.  An “easy,” non-judgmental take-away from the one comment Todd quoted is this: a pastor cannot lead a church in or toward spiritual health if the pastor is not spiritually healthy.

    4. Jan on Wed, May 30, 2007

      At first I would of agreed with the judgement statement, but then I went to his article.  There was a lot of wisdom there and it’s well worth reading.


      Here’s his complete quote which I think puts his statment in better context…


      “You need to understand, God has given you the biggest compliment when he gives you a tough assignment,” Blackaby told an audience of pastors and church leaders in Lexington, Ky. “Every time he gives you a deeper assignment, he gives you a deeper relationship with him.


      “Don’t feel like you have to put in time in the hard place so you can get to a nice place. So much of the time what limits us is we get to a place in life where we feel like we don’t need to grow any more. When I find a church that is plateaued, I typically find a pastor who needs revival.”


      I do think that a lot of ministry people don’t want to stick it out when things don’t go the way they expect.  They either give up too soon or maintain or the church does them in because they didn’t have the training and wisdom to lead beyond the controlling or difficult people.


      Or they try formulas and paradigms and they don’t work with the people they are called to minister to and with.  So, they blame the people and don’t learn new things.  Instead they leave to find a better group.

    5. Mark Artrip on Wed, May 30, 2007

      I would say that I don’t really agree with the comment as a general blanket statement.  I think the reason some people plateau in their church is because they have plateaued in their leadership.  John Maxwell calls it the law of the lid and others have referenced it as a pastor who bottlenecks the growth of a church. I dont’ think it is wrong to admit that there are men who are great to grow a church from 50-800 but may not be the person with the gifting to get it to 10,000.  It doesn’t mean they are in need of revival, it just means that isn’t what God had for them.

    6. Peter Hamm on Thu, May 31, 2007

      I am not convinced there’s as direct a correlation between growing as a church and being in good healthy relationship with God, but I still think the article was a great read. We will hear from God more if we are making an effort in that relationship. Will that lead to improved church health? Of COURSE!


      Thanks, great article.

    7. Layne on Thu, May 31, 2007

      Read the article, did not see condemnation or judgement I did see a challenge.  I think it was Corrie Tenboom who warned; “beware of the barreness of a busy life” that seems like wisdom to me.  How do I maintain my relationship with God?  How often do I replace relationship with activity?  I know I have been called to do some things but if the things I do dont flow from my relationship with God… I have two kids who are deeply involved in youth ministry, the thing I fear most for them is there ability to do things well, to the exclusion of the cultivation of relationship with God.

    8. Indiana Jim on Thu, May 31, 2007

      Someone define the word “typically” would you?


      “...I TYPICALLY find a pastor in need of revival….”


      Perhaps the need for revival is a result of frustration from the plateau, rather than the other way around?

    9. Andy McAdams on Fri, June 01, 2007

      After reading the article, it’s obvious that its mostly about the spiritual health and vitality of the pastor, or any church leader for that matter.


      When working with and consulting churches and pastors that are in a plateau situation I find that it’s about 50/50.  The church often causes the pastor to plateau in his vitality and vision due to the church’s unwillingness to “think outside the box” and move ahead to make the needed changes to reach the community for Christ.  This is the most common circumstance.  It’s easy for us to say that “a pastor is responsible to keep spiritually healthy and it will affect the rest of the church.”  But that’s not always the case.  Resistant church leaders and church people that want things to remain the same, gossip and critical spirits within the congregation can and often still exists even when a pastor walks hand in hand with Jesus.


      I have seen it the other way around also.  Pastors will often just do their job and pass time and become so lazy.  Of course this affects the rest of the church and those pastors need to go do something else, or “get right with God, lead, set strategy and follow their original call to fulfill the Great Commission.”

    10. Leonard on Fri, June 01, 2007

      Two thoughts: 


      #1)  Funny (sad) how Swindoll saying crap can generate 90+ comments and this fosters 10.   Don’t really know what that means if anything but I found it odd. 


      #2)  How much does attitude play into a plateaued church?  The bible speaks often of our thoughts and our heart.  Attitude is what happens when our heart and thoughts collide.  Often it is life that crashes them together.  I find attitude impacts faith, joy, energy, vitality, perspective, hope, fun, relationships, expectations, vision, mission and countless other things. 


      Many leaders today have attitudes, that for lack of a better way of saying it, suck.  (there goes my radio show at VCY)  I know that ministry is hard; I have been doing it for 27+ years.  I know sometimes we get the crud beat out of us and that our dreams die hard.  I know sometimes our families suffer and I know that sometimes we just need to weep.  But the truth is a lot of pastors in this country need an attitude adjustment. 


      I am praying daily for this in myself and in the many pastors who are my friends.  Too often we counsel and console people who simply need someone to say, change your attitude and watch the world around you change.  I know it is not so simple as it it to write but that is my 2 cents.

    11. Camey on Fri, June 01, 2007

      Looking at the health of a church is hard beyond words at times. It requires putting the individuals under a microscope and frankly - no one really wants to have that happen to them. Oh, we might say “Search us.. search our hearts. Search our minds.” Quite honestly - there can be some frightening things found when done so. That’s why as Leonard pointed out, there were more comments about Swindoll saying crap. He had already been put under that microscope and therefore was seen as fair game to inspect.


      One of the main reasons why I think so many churches plateau or go off the cliff in a downward spiral is because the individuals lose sight of their first love. I’m not talking here just about a pastor or some other staff member. It takes each one who claims to be a follower of Christ fulfilling their body part in order for the church to be really healthy. The pastor cannot do it alone. Other staff cannot either. And no matter what individuals may think….. neither can Mary and Joe. We must be committed Him first. Then, we must seek to serve instead of being served.


      I liken church health to going out to eat. Oh my…. I must stop there. It’s Friday right??? lol

    12. myPond on Sat, June 02, 2007

      And many times “pastors who need revival” serve a church that simply wears them out.

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