It’s a common misconception that as long as you’re in charge, you’re an effective leader. Leading your church means more than just having a leadership title.
If you’re having more and more trouble engaging members, members are leaving and/or you’re having trouble inspiring others to be leaders, there could be a problem.
Don’t worry, though. Once you know more about what’s going wrong, it’s easier to become the type of leader your church needs to continue to grow.
Signs You’re Not An Effective Leader
No one wants to hear they’re not a good leader, yet to grow, you have to recognize when something’s not right. Think about your current leadership style. If you notice any of the following, you may not be leading your church as well as you want to:
- You’re quick to anger or take everything personally
- You never give credit to your team or church members
- You’re focused too much on you versus the church
- Your standards are ridiculously high
- You refuse to make any changes, such as getting your church online
- You consider yourself a boss versus part of a team
Don’t feel bad if this sounds like you. Trying to lead your church isn’t easy, but by making changes now, you can become an incredible leader that inspires others.
Ask For Honest Feedback
The first step is seeing how well you’re leading your church is to ask for honest feedback. If you have a website, put a form or survey on the site for members to fill out anonymously. You might not get the same kind of feedback face-to-face because your church members don’t want to hurt your feelings. You could also pass out index cards and let members put them in a box on the way out after a service.
The only way to truly lead your church effectively is to always work alongside your church family. Let them help you become the best possible leader for the church.
Always Surround Yourself With Support
Sadly, church leaders sometimes isolate themselves. They take on too much and feel like leadership is their task to handle on their own. This is why teams matter. You lead, but you have others to offer their advice and take on their share of the work. If you feel alone, you can’t be an effective leader. Instead, avoid burnout and surround yourself with support.
When you’re doubting yourself, talk to those you love and trust. They’ll help you find your way and your team members will happily help out more.
Leading Your Church The Right Way
While leadership styles vary based on your church family and their needs, there are some things you can do right now to start leading your church more effectively. When you lead your church well, members are far more engaged, they’re more likely to volunteer and step to be leaders themselves and it’s easier to grow your church.
For an in-depth look at leadership in the church, Joe McKeever has a large list of articles with detailed advice on handling common leadership challenges. If you don’t want to go through more than 50 articles, some simple, yet highly effective church leadership tips are:
- Be patient and talk things out versus getting angry
- Give up control, at least full control – no one likes to be micromanaged
- Take some time for yourself – you need to step away from being a leader sometimes to recharge your own spirit
- Delegate tasks – make sure to pay attention to members’ strengths for best results
- Be open-minded and know when change is necessary
- Get to know all your church members – this makes everyone feel more like a family
- Give credit where credit is due
- Focus on building up your members and leaders using things such as inspirational posts on your website/social media, team building exercises, community events and sermons relevant to issues your church family is facing
- Make friends with other church leaders – their guidance and expertise is invaluable as you grow as a leader yourself
If you want your church to grow, you have to make certain you’re leading your church in a way that inspires growth. The happier and more engaged your members are, the more likely they are to invite friends, share online posts and bring along others to special events.
Looking for even more ways to lead your church? See how a church website helps you connect with members even when they’re not at church.
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