Mike 
In my previous blog, I described five things that pastors and church leaders need to do when they encounter intense resistance to organizational change. Unfortunately, the challenge of change can wear a leader down. And when a leader is down, his or her behavior can take a turn for the worse. Here are three things to avoid, even if you feel like you’re constantly pushing the proverbial boulder uphill. Don’t …
- Vilify the resisters. They may be difficult, and perhaps they’ve even acted in ungodly ways, but don’t think of them as “the enemy.” If you do, you will forget that God loves them as well. You will lose the ability to minister to them or to reconcile with them in the future. And even if you “win” the “battle” of change, you may lose the bigger “war” of Kingdom impact. (“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matt. 5:44)
- Allow yourself to become isolated. An isolated leader is a dangerous leader. This is true in any context, but especially in the midst of a difficult season of change. You need to be around people who will encourage you, who will help ease your burden, and who will tell you if you’re heading down a dangerous path. (“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Prov. 15:22)
- Give up on God. Resistance from sinful human beings doesn’t mean that God has abandoned you. It’s simply not biblical to expect that every leadership journey will be smooth or that there will always be a “happy” ending (as the world defines it). In the midst of struggles, a leader’s prayer life and reliance on God needs to double, not wane. (“The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deut. 31:6)
