Leading during difficult times:
your best training options
Matthew F. Manion
Professor of Practice in Management and
Operations
Faculty Director for the Center for Church
Management
Villanova School of Business
www.villanovachurchmanagement.com
Phill Martin
CEO at The Church Network
www.thechurchnetwork.com
Certified Church Administration
Certified Association Executive (CAE)
Certified ICF Coach – ACC
Rusty Ricketson, Ph.D.
Professor of Leadership
Master of Arts in Leadership
Program Coordinator
Luther Rice College and Seminary
www.lutherrice.edu
Author, Followerfirst: Rethinking
Leading in the Church
What are a pastor’s biggest indicators that it's time to
consider leadership development training?
Martin: Many seek training during a crisis, or when a felt need is
strong, which creates anxiety in the church’s system.
Those who choose to pursue ‘lifelong learning’ are less likely to have
staff conflict, mistrust or confusion in the church family system.
Ricketson: It’s never too early to begin to create a culture of
responsibility that follows a biblical ethic of mutual respect and
submission. Although I received a wonderful biblical education while
in seminary, I didn’t have one required course on how to get along with
people to accomplish the goals of the church. No one explained to me
that leadership is a process between people in the role of leaders and
people in the role of followers trying to accomplish a common goal.
Manion: The most successful leaders are lifelong learners and know
that it’s always time to consider leadership development opportunities!
For the rest of us, I think the Holy Spirit prompts us when something
feels off in our ministry or relationships. We should always check
first to make sure our relationship with God is in the right place.
Assuming it’s healthy, then the challenges we face in ministry or our
relationships are usually a function of our leadership. Our ways of
doing things might need a refresh.
Amid COVID-19, church leaders are facing a lot of
challenges right now. What areas of leadership
development are most in-demand among church
leaders currently — especially among senior pastors and
executive pastors?
Ricketson: First, conflict resolution. Our individualized, me-first
culture influences church members to believe that personal rights
are preeminent. Add to this that some leadership teaching requires
submission because of position, power and control and you have a toxic
brew just waiting to infect other members within the fellowship.
Second, strategic planning. Many pastors experience the ‘silo’ effect —
various ministries within the church making their own plans, raising
their own funds, and doing their own thing without considering how
these actions might affect other ministries within the church. Thus,
many churches are ‘activating’ their people to exhaustion.
Finally, organizational culture. The challenges many pastors
unknowingly face are those of an ingrained organizational culture.
By understanding that people create their organizational culture
28 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | MAY / JUNE 2020