It Takes a Leader
December 17, 2007 · Print This Article
Sometimes you hear pastors and church leaders saying that leadership in the Church is harder than in the business world. You deal with volunteers, they say, and you can’t hire anyone you want. You have to take those who come in the door. Perhaps church leadership has some unique challenges, but Every Square Inch responds to recent statements by Bill Hybels and makes the case that business leadership shares many of the same challenges as leadership in the church.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaGordon Atkinson
Hybels goes on to make the case that church or ministry leadership is more complex and challenging than leading in the business world. He offers the following four reasons to make his case. Let me state the obvious - I’m nowhere the equal of Hybels in the arena of leadership and I’ve had relatively little experience leading in ministry. However, there are elements of his words that really misses the mark - my comments and rebuttal below…Click here to read more.
Every Square Inch - Conversations on the glory of Christ in business and culture.
Great blog, and I love the challenge to the thinking of people that are “supposed to be right”. I work in the corporate office for a very large company, and I also serve as the ministry leaders for the young adults ministry in my church. I also serve on the Board of Directors for my church. so I hope that my background helps me to add my two cents here.
I agree with Hybel 100% when he says that it is more difficult to lead in a church than in a business. The fact is that in a business people get paid, and in a church (for the most part) people do not get paid. Granted it is not the same level of pressure as a court martial, but money is a big motivator.
I also agree with you when you say that it takes the same skills to be an effective leader whether in a church or in a business. I just don’t think that this concept is in conflict with Hybels statements. The fact is that it DOES require the same skills to be a good leader. The difference is that in a environment that provides your primary income, people tend to be more forgiving of poor leadership. Where there is poor leadership in a church, pleople just stop coming.
I do believe that in order to maintain long-term success, and maximize growth, that certain leadership principles must be adhered to, and that is exactly what I blog about at…
http://managementbyGod.com
Thanks!
Dan King
management by God