Asking the Right Leadership Questions

I received a promotional email that included this quote: “Every leader is asking two questions: How can we grow? How can we grow faster?” I disagree – on many levels. First, I don’t believe that every leader is asking these questions. Certainly some are, but others are asking “How can we rebuild?” or “How can we survive?” Second, the statement implies that these are the most important questions for leaders to ask. But I think other questions are much more important. We should be asking, “Where is God leading us?” or “How can I most faithfully and obediently use my God-given gifts?” Third, these questions overlook the reality that pruning and difficult seasons are often necessary parts of a church or ministry’s journey to a positive future. The hard decision that leads to a downward turn for a season may be exactly what is needed for long-term success. But a bigger, faster mindset seems to ignore this possibility. Finally, and most importantly, this focus will foster even more unhealth in the Christian leadership culture. Every day, church and ministry leaders wrestle with feelings of doubt and inadequacy as they compare themselves with others who appear to be more “successful.” That will only get worse if bigger-faster becomes a leader’s primary, driving question. Let me close by saying that I am not against growth, nor am I against moving quickly. I believe that healthy things grow and that many churches move far too slowly. But I’ve also seen plenty of examples of unhealthy growth. And the root of those troubling stories is often a greater emphasis on growth than on discerning and following God’s direction. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>