21 Steps to Courageous Church Leadership Dr. John P. Chandler The Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership

Summary of Ten Leadership Conversations Transcripts of interviews with some of the most effective pastors in the U.S. What patterns emerged in these conversations?

Patterns: Vision, Leadership, & Structure Vision Maintaining clarity Courageous honesty Opportune reinforcement Leadership Processing criticism Gaining tenure Finding life- giving learning communities Structure Releasing ministry Shedding outdated practices Thriving amidst complexity

1. Often, the obstacle to vision clarity is found within the leader. Performance trap Codependence

2. The ultimate measure of Kingdom vision is human and community transformation. Congregational transformation is but a means to that greater end. Vision and values unite, not personality Not church, but Kingdom

3. Admission of personal defects to oneself and others is the pathway to the next level of leadership. Speed of the leader … Sherpa, not guide

4. Frank and ongoing assessment of one’s giftedness and calling are critical matters of open discussion. What chapter of ministry are you in? With whom can you talk about this?

5. Sometimes we are compelled to announce that “the emperor has no clothes.” Prophetic role Church members: not customers nor consumers, but missionaries

6. Persistence repetition of the vision is irreplaceable. Nehemiah: every 26 days, or the people will lose it Developing intentional processes

7. Articulate interpretation and daily incarnation of vision are ongoing mandates. No churchy jargon! We are translators Not just your talk, but your walk

8. Criticism of leaders by congregations is a pervasive and painful thorn in the flesh. “Pastor Pigface” letters Culture of criticism in churches Vulnerability of pastors

9. Leaders can and should quarantine destructive criticism. Closing the back door can be overrated! Not rewarding dysfunction

10. There is a strong correlation between effective, courageous ministry and a long-term match of pastor and congregation. Most pastors interviewed had served 15 years or more in one place

11. Long tenure is a joint project between pastor and people. Boards taking the lead to encourage tenure for the well- matched pastor

12. Succession planning will be critical. Sustainability Intentional transition of long-term leaders They have roles before and after they officially “finish”

13. There is a horizontal revolution happening! Intentional networks Leader to learner Peer to peer Mentor to protégé Flattening of hierarchies RASNet

14. Learning communities keep leadership dialogical, energizing, and accountable. Beyond autocracy to the full creativity of the community of leaders

15. These communities are a source of energy, strength, and joy to those in them. Would you come back from vacation to go to a staff meeting?!

16. Pastors in growing ministries understand and practice appropriate “span of care.” Beyond people- pleasing to reproducing and multiplying ministry

17. The way beyond hoarding ministry is to measure outcomes of transformation Beyond “shepherd- sheep” to “body of Christ” images How much are people and communities changing?

18. Courageous leaders create congregational cultures where change is assumed, transition is welcomed, and leaning into the future is the default posture. The attitude toward change itself matters much The past gets a vote, but not the only vote

19. There are strong cases to be made for both evolutionary and revolutionary strategies for spurring change and transition in congregations. “Cry only once!” or: Slow, steady, evolutionary pressure

20. There can be great blessings in spiraling complexity. Contrarian: do larger churches do a better job with benchmarks of discipleship?

21. Leadership amidst complexity requires humble, patient, sharing. Beyond the bottleneck of what the pastor can do to the glorious mess of shared gifts in leadership

For further exploration, go to and search “John Chandler” Courageous Church Leadership: Conversations With Effective Practitioners

21 Steps to Courageous Church Leadership