I’ve met pastors who want their church to grow but don’t want to be the leader because they don’t want to exercise any power or authority. The problem is, this never works; growth takes a leader who is so convinced of the outcome that he or she influences others to jump on board and use their gifts to help make the vision happen.

What they don’t understand is that in a church, someone always exercises power, either for good or bad. In the absence of a leader who exercises good, power controllers or bullies usually step into the vacuum and exercise bad power. That always causes a church to stall or decline.

In a church, someone always exercises power, either for good or bad.

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We beg you not to start making the case for not using power because it has been abused too many times by too many pastors. Bullies have misused power many more times and much more detrimentally than pastors. Give that some thought. I know you can think of more times controllers and bullies have stolen the vision than pastors who have misused the vision.

So use the power God has given you, always remembering that what has been given can be taken away if it is abused.

Question: How have you seen pastors recover from the fear of being too controlling? Share your stories in the Comments section below.

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Additional Resources:

• Leadership Coaching
• Leadership On the Other Side
• Conflict CPR DVD Training