Being “relevant” as a pastor or church leader has nothing to do with the kind of clothes you wear up to date you are on pop culture or what you hair looks like. These are obviously styles and trends that change with the seasons.
What makes that leader “relevant” or able to relate and influence those they lead has everything to do with how close they stay to the calling that Jesus has given us. Obedience is the key. Unhealthy churches are typically led by those who have some way or another drifted over time from that calling. The results are tragic and the communities around many churches continue to spiral downward as a result. Here are 4 Signs A Pastor is Becoming Irrelevant:
All Christian Friends– Let’s just shoot straight here. How can you lead your church to befriend, help and have an impact with people that don’t know Jesus if you are not personally building relationships with people that don’t know Jesus? One big sign that a pastor is becoming irrelevant is when all their friends and even aquaintances are Christians or from their church. The result is a warped view of reality-how real, unchurched people see the world.
No personal ministry- by this I mean you don’t have any ministry that isn’t directly related to your position at your church. This isn’t good and leads to a lot of other things that aren’t good. If you are not meeting opportunities when they arise in your family, neighborhood, and in the community, you are missing out!
Isolated from the world- Generally speaking, you have isolated yourself from anything non-Christian. Jesus said, “Go into the world and make disciples…” You have answered by going “away from the world to spend time with disciples.” People at your church are going to have a tough time relating with you. They need to see your example, as imperfect as it will be. They need to see you engaging in the world!
Heart– Sometimes you can just sense when a pastor or church leader is becoming irrelevant. By that I mean that sometimes you just get a vibe that the heart is not in the right place. The heart is not the heart of Jesus, but something different. Something manufactured. The younger generations sniff this out like a dog sniffs out a rotten fish. People know it isn’t real and they will not want to be a part of whatever this leader is doing or saying.
God’s Word is just as relevant today and completely applicable to the lives in our world. Let’s live it out and see what difference we may be able to make in the lives of those we lead!
What are other signs a church leader or pastor is becoming irrelevant? What can we do to work against the above examples?
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