Teams matter—and church leadership is not a solo sport. It’s a body—and a team. Churches across America and the world are doing incredible work. Pastors and members are sharing the gospel, serving people who are marginalized, and meeting a range of practical needs.
Yet even the most thriving ministry can be challenging and can take a toll on leaders. Many churches operate in silos, unable to access resources or training. Busy pastors often lack time to meet the wide range of congregant needs.
Research findings from Barna explored pastor health and well-being. Barna defined “healthy” pastors as those who score themselves either “excellent” or “good” on all six of these six well-being categories. At the time of that survey, only 35 percent of America’s pastors fell into the healthy category. What was worse is that almost half (46%) of pastors under the age of 45 considered quitting full-time ministry. Those church leaders cited factors such as the “immense stress” of the role (34%), “current political divisions” (32%), and feelings of loneliness and isolation (18%).
It’s heartbreaking to know that ministry leaders today feel such an immense burden, and that they bear it in isolation.
If there’s only one thing you take away from reading this, it’s this: Leaders, you don’t have to go it alone. Ministry is a team effort. God has surrounded you with people, ministries, researchers, donors, and so much more to help you accomplish his mission. But you have to say no to silos.
When silos come down, we can all play our God-given role. By partnering with other churches and ministries to help your people flourish, you can stop being a generalist and embrace your unique strengths. You can leverage the expertise and giftings of service providers and ministries to ensure you serve and disciple all people. Then we get to see the incredible expression of the body, the Church at work.
Unleash the Power of the Church Through Common Vision.
As leaders embrace these mindsets, the flywheels can begin to turn. Ministry leaders get to know people better. They see a clearer picture of individuals and families flourishing—and the church thriving. As leaders see more clearly, they begin to leverage content, services, and tools from publishers, denominations, and developers to better serve members. As members begin to measurably grow, donors see the outcomes. Then they give more generously to support and expand that missional reach. As the missional impact grows, more congregants and community members step forward to contribute and participate. This is the collective strength of the church at work. Together, we achieve more than each person could achieve alone.
The State of the Church initiative puts research and tools at your disposal that you’ve never had before. Seeing the fullness come to light might take time. By putting these tools to work, you will experience the joy of a flourishing community and a thriving church. And, these unified measures lead to unleashed potential.
