FROM THE EDITORS
Marshall Shelley
April 1, 1991
The question took me by surprise. Had it come from a young pastor, I might have known how to respond. But the minister sitting across the chrome and formica table in the small-town cafe was no rookie. "What should I be doing in my church?" he asked again. Conventional wisdom would have pointed him to preaching, prayer, and pastoral care. But he was already doing those things. His struggle was deeper: not how to perform ministry skills, but in what direction to point them. "I'm not a visionary, not a type-A personality," he explained. "I don't have grand ambitions or the inner drive to stretch people to accomplish great things. I'm a pastor. I enjoy talking with people about God, Scripture, life, death, their families, and their character." From my conversations with members of his church, I knew this pastor was well-liked. "He's real," said one. "We can tell he loves us," said another. Jerry's frustration? "I feel like I should be doing something more. But what? Where should I be putting my efforts?" We talked about what made his church unique. We reviewed how other churches selected their emphases-how one pastor, for instance, upon coming to a new and troubled church, spent the first year focusing on healing strained relationships, the next year developing the infrastructure (primarily small groups and the youth program), and in year three focusing on outreach. We talked about what Jerry felt he should do to keep himself spiritually vital week after week. I came away with a new appreciation for Jerry and for pastors who aren't naturally given to vision or structure or goal setting. I also came away determined that this issue of LEADERSHIP, while dealing with "Priorities and Pacing," not add to Jerry's burden but offer realistic and practical ...
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