Serving as a lead pastor in a church has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I have been a part of 15 new church plants that have seen more than 1,500 people come to Jesus. However, I have also had major struggles along the way. Serving as a lead pastor has been an incredible experience, but it has also been an incredibly difficult one.
All churches have seasons. They have seasons of growth and excitement, and they have seasons of struggle and discouragement. Healthy and effective leadership in a church is vital to the overall health of the church. Churches must have leaders who have the right tools to make it through the good seasons and the hard seasons.
For the past few years, I have been studying church leadership, both in myself and in other pastors and church leaders around me. Through this, I have identified 10 keys that every church leader needs to have or needs to develop in order to be effective.
1. Outward-Focused Living
In John 4:35, Jesus says, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
Jesus says the harvest is ripe. There are so many people in the world who do not know Jesus. Our call as church leaders is to lead our people to reach the world. Effective leadership in the church is about reaching those who are not currently in the church. I once heard someone say, “For so long churches have focused on the barn much more than they have focused on the harvest.” We have focused on ourselves for too long and not on the world around us that does not know Jesus.
2. A Clear Vision
Proverbs tells us that without vision, the people perish. Effective leaders operate out of the vision that has been established by the church. It is much easier to be effective when there is clear church vision.
3. Humility
Peter tells us to be humble (1 Peter 3:8). As leaders, our call is not to be prideful or stuck on ourselves. We are called to walk in humility alongside those that we encounter and lead. People will follow humility.
4. Keeping Your Word
Jesus says, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’” (Matt. 5:37). When we say something, we need to mean it. When we commit to something, we need to stick with it. When we say yes to a person, we need to keep our word. Church leaders must be people of integrity.
5. Empowerment and Delegation
For so long, church leaders have felt that it is their job to do all of the work. However, Paul tells us that our job is to equip and empower our people for works of service: “Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12).
6. Conflict Management
Many church leaders will sweep problems under the rug. Effective church leaders will openly deal with conflict. We have a strict policy in our church that each and every time there is a conflict, we meet with the person to try to clear it up. Jesus says:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matt. 18:15-17)
7. A Vibrant Prayer Life
We have a phrase in our church: “Pray your guts out.” Effective leaders must be willing to lead by praying. Now, I am talking about serious prayer. We need to spend hours in prayer each and every day. Effective leaders know that their strength comes from God.
8. Mentorship
Effective leaders must have mentors. A mentor is someone who has been where you want to go and is willing to help you get there. Every effective leader must have a mentor who is at least a few steps in front of them. Mentors will help leaders become even more effective.
9. Life Balance
Effective leaders live a balanced life. This includes balance in their home, balance in their rest and balance in their ministry.
10. Strong Communication Skills
Effective leaders will keep communication strong with their people. They will continually work to keep communication strong within the life of the church.
There is much more that I can add to this list. What characteristics would you add?
Kevin McDonald is the lead pastor at Gateway Church of the Nazarene in Murrieta, California, and a veteran church planter and speaker.
