“Pastoral ‘Free Agency’ Hurts Churches” – Rick Warren
Below is the latest Rick Warren article from his internet ministry, dated 7-08-2010. I am including it as an email and also as an ongoing accessible article on our "Ministry Articles" page. What he writes is consistent with church growth research. I have read approximately 40-50 books, plus other sources, on the matter. Furthermore, observing churches, such as the one I grew up in, for which my dad has ministered since 1984, is a good example that confirms Warren's conclusions. A graduate course I took at Lipscomb, for which 3 books were assigned, also taught what Warren says. The point is that this is more than one man's opinion. It is consistent with churches of all sizes across America.
I know there are readers of this site from various congregations, and hope this article will encourage each church represented to pursue church health, including the end of any "patterns" of changing preachers every few years.
Furthermore, while his article is intended to specifically encourage preachers, I would hope to influence all readers by his final statement. "Want to see your church grow? Don't leave."
Every church needs dedicated members! Every church needs members who will positively and persistently be there to worship and work and build up the body, even and especially in times of frustration or discouragement.
Here is the article:
You don’t need to be a fan of professional basketball to have heard talk this week about free agents. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, among others, are all contemplating changing teams in a quest for championship rings (and dollars).
Building short-term dream teams to win championships may be an effective strategy for winning championships in the NBA, but churches rarely become more effective when pastors keep changing, moving in and out like free agents of the church.
The truth is pastoral longevity is one of the untold secrets of church health. My experience is this –
A long pastorate does not guarantee a church will grow, but changing pastors every few years guarantees a church won’t grow.
Can you imagine what the kids would be like in a family where they got a new daddy every two or three years? They would most likely have serious emotional problems. In the same way, the longevity of the leadership is a critical factor for the health and growth of a church family. Long pastorates make deep, trusting, and caring relationships possible. Without those kinds of relationships, a pastor won’t accomplish much of lasting value.
Churches that rotate pastors every few years will never experience consistent growth. Few people want to follow a leader who they think won’t be around a year from now. The pastor may want to start all sorts of new projects, but the members will be reticent because they will be the ones having to live with the consequences long after the pastor has been moved to another church.
Knowing the importance of longevity in growing a healthy church I prayed at the beginning of my ministry, “Father, I’m willing to go anyplace in the world you want to send me. But I ask for the privilege of investing my entire life in just one location. I don’t care where you put me but I’d like to stay wherever it is for the rest of my life.”
I’ve now been at Saddleback for more than 30 years. I’m convinced that’s been a factor in Saddleback’s growth. Want to see your church grow?
Don’t leave.
This can also be found and read at http://www.pastors.com/blogs/ministrytoolbox/archive/2010/07/08/pastoral-free-agency-hurts-churches.aspx
