Growing Your Church Through Training and Motivation

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I learned the hard way that church leaders need personalized care.
—Roy C. Price

I've just gone through one of the most painful periods in my pastoral experience. It revolved around my relationship with one man. From the first time I met him, things were strained. A former leader in our church, he lived in another state for a few years and then returned to his position on the board. In the interim, I had come to the church as pastor.

Early on I sensed negative vibrations from this person. About the same time I began to initiate monthly luncheons with each board member, but he wouldn't meet with me. The end result was that he left the church. Although I leave the matter with God, I'm convinced that had I begun meeting individually with my board earlier, it would have made a difference. I learned the hard way that church leaders need personalized care.

"It's so simple! Why didn't I do this before?" I exclaimed to my wife after having lunch with one of my board members. The need for better communication with the board had been apparent, but I hadn't been sure how to go about it.

After considering several options, I had decided to begin having regular luncheons or breakfasts with them individually. No agenda. No pressure. We talked about their areas of responsibility and prayed together. I came away knowing my leaders better, sensing their concerns about the church and about their own lives.

About the same time I read a comment by Richard Halverson: "Whether a pastor is starting a new church or beginning his ministry in an established one, he will find Jesus' fundamental strategy of personally training individual leaders to be the key for a strong, healthy church with an effective outreach."

That made ...

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