Over the last 10 years or so I’ve had the privilege of ministering with dozens of pastors in other churches. Many of these were in person. Others were virtual. I’ve been in large and small churches. I’ve been to big cities and small towns with only one stop light. (Or none at all.).

In the process, I’ve learned a few things about pastors and churches. In fact, much of what I write this blog about comes from those experiences.

Recently I had back to back weeks in small cities dealing with, by some standards, smaller churches. They were shy about sharing their success.

I led a leadership retreat for a church with 150 leaders in the room. I was amazed they could attract that size crowd in a small city. But, talking to the pastor, it was as if they had no success at all…at least when compared to my perceived “success”. (I’ve realized, too, that if you have a decently read blog and you’re from out of town…people credit you with more success than you deserve. I’m sometimes seen as the “expert”. If only they knew, right?)

It wasn’t humility on this pastor’s part. I’m not saying he wasn’t a humble person, but I don’t think that was keeping him from talking about the good things God was doing through his church. It was more. I think it almost always is.

That’s when it occurred to me something I’ve observed numerous times, but never put into words.

Sometimes they don’t know how well they are doing.

It’s true.

Take my good friend Artie Davis as an example. His church is mega impacting Orangeburg, SC. I would love to see the church I pastor have half the influence in the community where I live. Artie also leads The Sticks Network of churches ministering in small towns. The impact of those church is amazing every year when I attend their conference.

Many times the small city pastors compare themselves to the big city churches. They compare numbers rather than progress. They compare size rather than context. They compare notoriety rather than influence.

And, because of that, many times, they don’t know how well they are really doing.

I see the connections, networking and influence the small town pastor has and I wish I could have that kind of Kingdom influence in my city. I see the respect they command in their community and know, in my context, they are miles ahead of me.

Small city pastor. God is using you. You are making a Kingdom difference. You just don’t know how well you are doing.

Do you know a small town pastor doing great Kingdom work?

Change takes time. There are no “quick fixes” in the world of change leadership. I’ve seen many leaders try to rush change through only to destroy themselves, the organization they are trying to change, or the change they are trying to make.

There are occasions, however, when the speed of change can change. There are unique opportunities where change can be introduced and implemented quicker than other times. The leader should be careful to strategically plan each change, but taking advantage of these times can help facilitate change faster.

Here are 7 times the speed of change can change…faster:

When the leader is new – The honeymoon period is real. Honestly, from recent experience, I believe that period is becoming shorter than it may have once been. I don’t know how long this period will last, perhaps a few months or up to a year, but change seems almost expected in the beginning days.

When the change is imminent – There are times when everyone agrees something must be done. When a needed leader unexpectedly resigns, for example, no one likely questions the change in staffing to hire someone new. When “it is what it is” there is an expectation to make a change.

When the organization is new – In the early days of an organization, time can move quickly. Everything is new and so change may come rapidly.

When there is a crisis at hand – I’ve seen this in government, the church and among individuals. When something happens that shakes the core of your being and scares people they’ll be more accepting of any change that may keep it from happening again. (Warning: Sometimes these changes are regretted once emotions heal.)

When there is overwhelming support – There are times you can move swiftly simply because the support is overwhelming. That can be dangerous if the change isn’t good, but public opinion does impact change.

When situations are beyond control – Sometimes you can’t do anything to stop needed change. When government, or other powers, demand change, you can rebel or you can change…quickly.

When you aren’t concerned about the outcome – There are times when the results simply don’t matter much in the scheme of things. We schedule baptisms almost any Sunday. Sometimes we may not have a baptism scheduled, but knowing baptisms help fulfill our key function as a church, we will quickly change our schedule to accommodate.

There are probably equally good illustrations for refusing to make change quickly. (There are probably even 7 of them.) Feel free to share them with me and my readers.

When have you seen the speed of change change?

Thanks to cultural improvements…technological advancements…

Handling conflict has become so much easier these days.

You know what I mean…

No longer do we have to confront a problem in person.

We can send a nasty text or email.

We can easily “unfriend” someone.

We can quit following them on Twitter.

If the conflict is really bad, we can even “block” the person.

Technology allows conflict to be addressed in cyber space.

Super easy. Even seems fun sometimes to take a cheap shot when the person is in the virtual world.

It’s not the best way…it seldom really solves the problem…it often escalates things into something bigger…

But, at least it’s easier on the front end.

Who knows…maybe there’s even an app for that…

Bill Hybels is fond of saying that “leaders are readers.” I think we all instinctively know that this is true, and recognize our need to be constantly learning how to be better leaders. At the same time, ministry leaders are constantly in a time crunch as we lead meetings, meet with church members, preach, and care for our family. Add to that the sheer volume of content that is at our disposal, and it can be difficult to know where to start!

Enter, Ministry Briefing.

Every month Todd Rhoades and Matt Steen sift through thousands of newspaper articles, blog posts, studies, and stories to find those that are most helpful for ministry leaders. Each edition of Ministry Briefing is made up of executive summaries of over one hundred articles covering current events, trends, and helpful info for those who serve the church. So, what does this look like? Here are three examples:

• Harvard Professor: America is Still a Very Religious Country: According to Harvard University professor, Robert Putnam, even though recent studies show that the number of Americans that claim no religious affiliation is at an all time high, religious commitments are “incredibly stronger than in most other advanced countries in the world. The average American is slightly more religious than the average Iranian, so we are a very religious country even today.” Source: Religion News Service
• Marketing to Christians Aids in Les Miserables Success: Grace Hill Media, a company which does targeted marketing within the Christian community, has been credited with some of the success of the latest version of Les Miserables. Targeting those with a “bully pulpit”, founder Jonathan Bock explained a strategy that involved inviting influential Christians to private screenings in hopes that they will spread the word about the movie. Bock suggests that a movie this size would spend anywhere between $30 and $130 million on marketing, and campaigns like the ones he ran cost upward of seven figures. Source: CNN Belief Blog
• Poll: Homosexual Behavior Gaining Moral Ground: A recent study by LifeWay Research finds that only 37% of those polled say that homosexuality is a sin. That’s down 7% from the 44% who called homosexual behavior a sin just last year. In total, 45% of those polled say that ‘homosexual behavior’ is not sinful. Also trending: the number of people who support marriage equality for gays and lesbians. That number now stands at 63%. Source: Religion Dispatches

Ministry Briefing is released during the first week of every month, and works for your Kindle, Nook, or pdf reader. Use the code edmondson to receive $3 off the February edition when you download it here.

I’ll be honest…I like to eat. It’s become somewhat of a habit, in fact.

Our boys used to make fun of Cheryl and me because we would often drive long distances to eat.

Since, we’ve moved to Lexington, KY, we’ve determined that there are nearly 100 locally owned restaurants…and we are half way into exploring them all. We’ve uncovered some gems too.

People keep asking us…they always have:

How do you find so many good restaurants?

People who have lived here for years are learning restaurants from us. I kind of like that.

But, it’s a great question…and by the way…the answer serves as a great leadership and life principle as well. (If you knew me…you already knew that…right?)

Here is the answer:

We don’t limit ourselves to what we already know.

• We take risks
• We explore
• We listen and ask questions of others
• We venture off the path everyone around us has paved
• We occasionally even get lost along the way
• We aren’t afraid to be the first ones (in our circle of influence) who try something new

We will often Google reviews and we are impacted by them somewhat, but mostly we just take chances. That’s where we discover some of the greatest places.

Recently, we were in Maryland. We took the road less traveled, ended up on a dead end at the ocean in Virginia. It was a dive. It didn’t look like much on the outside, but it was great. Another gem.

You see, for us…
Being stuck with the same short list of restaurants…with the same menu items…

Boring…boring…very, very boring. (That’s actually a song in my head…wish you could hear the tune…)

That’s our secret. How do you find good restaurants?

And, just curious, does that represent how you do life?

By the way, it’s how I often do leadership too.

I’ve learned in leading change that there are some common objections. If you know a change is necessary, understanding why someone is objecting may help you respond accordingly.

Here are 5 common reasons for criticism of change:

Confused -These people just don’t understand the change. They lack information. Often they have heard misinformation. Many times, in my experience, once the change is explained, they become supportive or less opposed.

Conflicted – Some people object to change because they are objecting to life. They have past hurts they can’t resolve. They are injured. Frankly, some people can be mean. This category can be the most hurtful as a leader, but understanding them may help you avoid a lot of heartache. These people will likely always be critics until something is addressed with them directly. Understanding their pain can often lead to helping them heal from something in their past. If the change is necessary, you may have to confront these people directly or simply learn to work around them. You can’t allow their personality or emotional injury to hold you back from what you need to do as a leader.

Care – These people simply don’t think you care. They assume, for whatever reason, the changes are being made without considering their position. These are many times changes which appear to favor one particular group of people at the inconvenience of another. I have seen that many times including people in the decision process, acknowledging and attempting to understand their concerns, along with good vision casting can alleviate some of these concerns.

Control – You stepped on someone’s power. You didn’t check with them first. This reason for criticism is probably most frustrating to me, because there’s little you can do about it unless you’re willing to appease them. I have found that many times pride and selfishness is the driving force here. As difficult as this type criticism is to accept, I have observed that patient, honest, transparent conversations, while remaining firm with the change, can sometimes keep these critics from working against you, even if they still don’t agree with the change. (And, then sometimes, you simply have to move forward without their support.)

Comfort – These critics, who are the most common group, simply don’t like change. It’s uncomfortable. Resistance to change is relative to the size of the change. We all resist change at some level. Let me give you an example. Imagine your day off has been Saturday for the last 20 years. Suddenly your employment changes your day off to Tuesday. You now have to work Saturdays. How comfortable is that change? Don’t resonate with that example? Pick an issue where you’re currently comfortable and consider changing it. Try enough scenarios and you’ll find your level of resistance to change. The only solution to this one is to provide clear communication, cast the vision well, and be patient as people adapt.

Criticism is common in leadership and change. The only way to avoid it is to avoid change. I’m not sure that’s leadership, but that’s the only solution to be criticism-free. The fact is, the more change occurs and the more it becomes part of the culture, the less resistance there will be.

I should note, this post is not intended to help you avoid criticism, and certainly not completely dismiss it. As a leader, you must consider whether the criticism is valid, be open to other ideas and even rebuke if needed. Thinking all your ideas are great is an error in judgement and character. This post is intended to help you understand the basis of criticism. Even the best ideas will receive some.

You may want to read 5 Right Ways to Respond to Criticism and 5 Wrong Ways to Respond to Criticism.

Are there any other reasons you have seen for criticism?

I was talking with a young hurting pastor recently. He resigned after several years of trying to turn around a dying church into a healthy church. The church brought him in with definite goals. He felt he had a mandate. The church began to grow. Things were exciting…or so it seemed. But, with every change there was growing resistance. Eventually, only a few people with power still supported him. when they refused to back him with changes they had agreed were needed. He was continually reminded this was not “his church”. He felt it was best that he leave rather than divide the church. (This church has a long history of short-termed pastorates.)

In the course of the conversation he asked some sobering, and honest questions.

He asked, “Is there really such a thing as a healthy church? Are there any healthy church staffs? And, what does healthy mean, anyway?”

Great questions. I understand. Sadly, I hear from pastors continually asking the same questions. There are many unhealthy environments in churches.

But, yes! There is such a thing as a healthy church. There are some healthy church staffs.

I don’t know if I know completely what “healthy” means, but I’ve given the issue some thought.

The reality is that the church is the Body of Christ. In the purest form, the church is always “healthy”, because it represents Christ. We are promised that nothing will ever destroy what Christ has established. But, local churches are made of people. And, some of those people, even well-meaning as they may be sometimes, work together to form unhealthy environments. Some work together…for the common good of honoring Christ…and form healthy environments.

So, with that in mind…

A healthy church culture…

• Doesn’t mean there aren’t bad days
• Doesn’t mean you won’t have tension or stress.
• Doesn’t mean everyone always agrees.
• Doesn’t mean there aren’t relationship struggles.
• Doesn’t mean you have all the answers.
• Doesn’t mean the pastor is always right.
• Doesn’t mean problems or issues are ignored.

A healthy church culture…

• Does mean you can disagree and still be friends.
• Does mean tension is used to build teamwork..when one is weak another is strong.
• Does mean meetings are productive and purposeful…not ritualistic or boring, and certainly not hurtful.
• Does mean rules add healthy boundaries, rather than stifling creativity or controlling actions.
• Does mean you work as a team to find solutions.
• Does mean the pastor (and his family) is never attacked publicly or continually stabbed in the back.
• Does mean the rumor mill is never allowed to form the dominant opinion.

I’m praying for my new pastor friend that he finds a healthy church, in which to serve out his calling. They do exist.

Have you been in an unhealthy church or organizational environment?

Have you been in a healthy one?

What do you think it means to have a healthy?

Here’s a reality pastors and leaders need to know:

The longer you do what you do well…the less praise you’ll receive for it.

Everyone loves to praise the new guy…the guest appearance…the surprise home run.

Once you do exceptional for very long…it’s the new norm.

It’s expected…

You’ll hear less approval.

It’s not necessarily that you aren’t doing a good job anymore. You’ve just set a new bar of expectation.

Congratulations.

Still, this post also serves as a warning of sorts.

The new norm…the quietness…can make you think you’re no longer appreciated. If you’re not careful, you’ll begin to doubt your abilities or the success you are having.

Those emotions…the reactions…are normal, even if they aren’t true.

I’m not ignoring times when you aren’t doing your best. Don’t be an unaware leader.

I’m not trying to convince you not to be normal. That would be abnormal of me.

I am encouraging you to seek your affirmation beyond the verbal praise of man.

I am saying that if you live for the praise of others, you’ll eventually be controlled by that praise (or lack thereof).

And I am suggesting you may be doing everything right, but seldom hear the good that you’re doing.

That’s part of leadership. And, the leader who can lead just as passionately towards a noble goal, without the praise of man, even when criticism seems more dominant, is on track of success.

Have you ever been in a “normal” season of producing good work, but not feeling valued for it?

Trust is like gold in leadership. Without it a leader will fail to build a healthy following. Developing trust takes time. It is seldom granted with position alone. Most people have been injured in relationships that keeps them from trusting blindly. But, developing trust is critical for leaders to pursue and maintain.

In full disclosure, I’m 7 months into a new leadership position as this post is written. I recognize that with many in the church I pastor I’m still developing levels of trust.

How does a leader develop trust?

Here are four suggestions:

A Compassion for others that is personal and goes beyond what they bring to the team.

A Competence in a subject matter, or a willingness to yield to those who know more than the leader knows about a subject.

A Consistent approach or methodology, as well as consistency in character, that can be depended on through good and bad times.

A clear and frequent Communication process that shares in transparency and full disclosure.

Those are some of my suggestions.

What can you offer?

This is a guest post by Tyler Braun. Tyler is a writer and pastor from Oregon. He is the author of several books, including a book on mentoring and Why Holiness Matters (Moody), which is on sale for FREE this week only (ebook version). You can find Tyler on Twitter or his blog, www.manofdepravity.com.

How a Mentor Will Change Your Life

We all want to achieve some level of greatness or significance with our lives. What we often underestimate is that this only comes through our engagement with others, not in isolation. We all need people behind us that continue to push us forward.

Only when you understand who you are, will you start living into how you were made to engage in your current context. I believe we were each made with an intense longing to have other people speaking into our lives. A mentor will help you discover who we are in a way you would not know in leading an isolated life.

There is no life-change without life-exchange.

For over a four year period I waited for an older and wiser man to mentor me. I assumed that if I waited long enough this person would give me a call and make my life better. The call never came despite desire and my frustration continued to grow.

Eventually I worked up enough courage to flip the script and asked someone who I thought would challenge me to be a better person. And sure enough, the time I spent with him changed my life.

Looking back I see the specific ways interactions with a mentor facilitated change within me.

Clarity Within Community

A lot of people have clarity of vision for their life, but they lack the relational engagement needed to see the full extent of the vision.

A mentor provides added perspective. You have blind spots—areas in life that you struggle to navigate well.

Personal clarity without the input of others often leads down treacherous paths.

A Nudge

Your life needs fresh eyes to lend perspective on where you are going astray. A mentor is not a babysitter or a parent, but they can shed light on areas of concern. A mentor—having navigated life further down the road—can give you the nudge needed to keep you walking the right direction.

The culture at large teaches that you should surround yourself with people who give positive vibes, but what you likely need is someone who is willing to give you the honest truth when you would rather ignore it.

Hikes Not Maps

I’m stubborn enough that I typically look for someone who will provide me with enough information for me to continue on my way. These information givers are like shopkeepers who provide maps.

The problem is what I need is a trail guide who can walk the paths rather than just providing a map.

You need a trail guide, not a shopkeeper. On a lonely trail, you need a hiking partner, not a map.

Plenty of people can give you the information you need to take the next step but a mentor will walk alongside you throughout the journey.

A Character Driven Life

In my weaker moments I’m often drawn to make decisions when my emotions are at their peak. Instead of taking the time to process through it all, the knee-jerk reaction seems to come naturally.

A mentor helps you sift through the emotions to make character based decisions. What are the principles and values that under gird your life? Those should drive your decisions.

At one point 6 months ago I was about to make an emotionally-driven, irrational decision because I sensed a need to make a drastic change in my life. My mentor helped me see how that decision directly contradicted a few things I believed to be true about myself.

A character-based life allows for short-term wins to translate into long-term sustainability.

Wings to Launch

The Millennial Generation has been described as “failing to launch.” The reasons for this are many and highly debated, but it doesn’t remove the truth that many people feel relegated to their current state—flightless with no wings to see beyond it.

This is right where a mentor can step in and help you navigate how you have been gifted and how those gifts can launch you toward the life you’ve been created to live.

Take the step. Make the ask. Get a mentor. It will change your life.

In what ways has a mentor changed your life?