Home Pastors Articles for Pastors The Value of Leading From One Place of Ministry Long-Term

The Value of Leading From One Place of Ministry Long-Term

The Value of Leading from One Place of Ministry Long Term

I recently had the privilege of honoring one of America’s great pastors—a wonderful co-worker in ministry, a powerful force for good in the city of Los Angeles and dear friend of mine. Bishop Charles Blake has pastored West Angeles Church in the heart of L.A. for 46 years! That’s what you call “putting down roots” in a congregation and city. There aren’t many pastors who’ve cared for one congregation for that long. (One of my six mentors served his church in Dallas for 50 years.)

A big reason why many churches are plateaued and declining is because they change leaders every few years. There’s no way a church can grow healthy and strong if the office of the pastor has a revolving door. What would happen to a family that got a new daddy every three or four years? The children would have massive trust issues from not knowing who they count on, and all kinds of emotional wounds, including a fear of abandonment, poor self-esteem and a suspicious attitude in every relationships. When so many pastors move around every few years (or they are forced to move by their denomination), it’s no wonder many churches are weakened by conflict, cliques, gossip and distrust.

Usually in a church, the first year for a new pastor is the ”honeymoon”—everybody tries to get along and be happy. (Actually it’s not really a honeymoon, just suspended judgment!) The second year for new pastor, he starts to be criticized by people who don’t like his new direction for the church. The seven last words of the church are “We’ve never done it that way before!”

By the third or fourth year, somebody has to leave…either the pastor leaves, or those who are dissatisfied leave. From 35 years of coaching pastors and mediating church conflicts between members and their pastors, I’ve seen this over and over: When the pastor leaves, the problems stay. (They’re left for the next poor pastor to deal with.) But if the pastor stays, the problems leave.  Either the problem is eventually solved, or the problem-creators move to another church. It’s sad that one study showed that the average pastor gives up and leaves because of seven vocal critics.