Why church leaders need to be risk-takers
In my last post, I spelled out five reasons why I think we are on the verge of a major church revitalization movement.Today, I will review five reasons leaders of these revitalized churches must be risk-takers.
In the past, I have rightly named church planters as risk-takers. They start churches. They often have little funding. They typically have no building in the beginning. Many may have a small core group to launch, but few members at the onset. So, church planting is indeed inherently risky.
Similar risks
However, I would argue that church revitalization must be risky as well.
Indeed, I believe church revitalization leaders should be consummate students of risk-taking and change leadership. Let me offer five reasons why:
1. There is no such thing as a “status quo” church. Here is the harsh reality in today’s culture: churches are either headed toward greater health or they are declining. Many of the declining churches are dying. There are no churches “holding their own” or “hanging in there.” We need risk-taking leaders to lead church revitalization because the alternative is dying and death.
2. Churches that need revitalizing must be led by change agents. That path is risky. Change can be painful. Change often prompts strong resistance. Change can be three steps forward and two steps back. But if the revitalization leader does not lead change, the church will not become healthier.
3. Leaders of revitalization must be willing to risk their jobs. Leaders of revitalization know the harsh reality of job insecurity. Thousands and thousands of change leaders have been fired because they upset the status quo or threatened the main power group in the congregation. While leaders should not foolishly lead change, any change they lead could result in their ouster.
4. Criticism is a constant for risk-taking leaders of revitalization. Thus, many leaders in these churches revert back to the behavior of risk aversion. To use a sports metaphor, they play defense instead of offense. Church revitalization leaders must be willing to endure the almost daily doses of criticisms that will come their way.
5. Revitalization will take place when a leader points to the discomfort of an untraveled future path rather than remaining in the comfort of a well-worn present. It takes a leader willing to take risks to look to the future. It is not fully known. It is not the way we’ve always done it. It is downright uncomfortable for most people.
A step of faith
In the past, we often saw the established church as a place where leaders could move so slowly that progress proved almost imperceptible. And that was OK, because the churches of the past offered stability and sustainability.
Such is not the case today. Leading a church toward revitalization is risky business, but it is a necessary business.
Risk is really the path all leaders should take. There is a word in the Bible that reflects this leadership disposition more clearly.
That word is “faith.”
Photo source: istock
 | Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers, and online community and resource for church leaders. Prior to founding Church Answers, Rainer served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Before coming to LifeWay, he served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn More » |
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