I’m leading some change in our church. People are shocked by something that I’ve done, and I’m shocked that it is so revolutionary.
I go and tell people face to face what we’re doing. People’s reaction to that is that pastors (or leaders) normally tell the church what they want to do, and people can either accept it or get upset and leave.
I don’t think it is just the church I pastor. We have lost the quality of love in leadership. Leadership with love has been neglected and misused so that people don’t even expect their leaders to love them anymore. Pastors have misplaced it while looking for leadership principles that work.
I’ve been memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I’m convicted that it was intended as a guideline for life in the church including for leaders, not just for marriage or other contexts that need love. Imagine if we put love back into leadership.
- Leadership with love is patient. Worldly leadership demands its way today. Love means we bring people along with us. It’s not patience if it is the timeframe we wanted.
- Leadership with love is kind. Would our staff, deacons, and church members describe our leadership style as kind?
- Leadership with love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. We don’t compete with our church staff or members for first place or for our own glory and approval. We are glad when others look good and are honored.
- Leadership with love does not dishonor others. Are people used to our leadership as rude? Do we excuse bad behavior as “that’s just how I am” or “that’s how I was raised?”
- Leadership with love is not self-seeking. Leadership is not about our way and our success but about seeking the good of others.
- Leadership with love is not easily angered. Worldly leadership uses anger as a tool. It expects anger from leaders. Godly leadership gets angry slowly and only about the things that God does. Would our family say that we are not easily angered?
- Leadership with love keeps no record of wrongs. Do we have a list of wrongs in the church? Can we remember the names of those who hurt us? It is good to put it away, overlook, and forgive.
- Leadership with love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Are we happier when someone falls in ministry than when someone prospers?
- Leadership with love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Do people who serve with us and are under our care have our protection, trust, hope, and perseverance?
John Currie in The Pastor as Leader says, “It is important to realize that leaders who are exposed in headline-worthy scandals have a love problem long before they have a sex or money problem. Love must be the animating affection for the pastor’s leadership ethic.”
May we put love back in leadership “because He first loved us.”
