There are many things that get a leader discouraged and sometimes depressed. Leaders struggle in a variety of ways. Here are eleven types of struggling church leaders.
Originally posted by Chuck Lawless
Types of struggling church leaders
Some of the greatest people I’ve ever met are pastors, staff, and lay leaders who just love the Lord – so I’m hesitant to write this post. However, I’ve also met many leaders who are struggling with their callings. Maybe you can use this list to determine if any describes you today:
1. Defeated leaders – These leaders have simply been through too much. They want God to use them, but they’ve given up. Tomorrow does not look bright.
2. Discouraged leaders – Leaders in this camp haven’t given up yet, but they’re leaning in the wrong direction. Every day, they look for anything to give them hope.
3. Distracted leaders – These leaders are living out their current role while longing to be in a different role. The “greener grass” is always on their mind – which limits their focus in their current ministry.
4. Defensive leaders – Challenge these leaders, and they’ll blow up. They want to be successful, and accepting responsibility for anything less than the ideal is tough to do.
5. Dictatorial leaders – You know these leaders. They’re seldom, if ever, wrong. Their philosophy is the proverbial “my way or the highway.”
6. Directionless leaders – They want to lead, and they’re in a position to lead, but they’ve lost their way. Somewhere, they’ve been diverted from their focus, and they’re wandering.
7. Disorganized leaders – These leaders have all kinds of ideas and plans, but the vision seldom comes to fruition. Plans – if they’re made – lie on a table at the bottom of a stack of unsorted papers.
8. Disconnected leaders – These leaders have built so few relationships that they have no team around them to carry out their vision (if they have one). Or, they’ve been hurt enough that they prefer to close the door of their office and minister from a distance.
9. Dishonest leaders – In public, they’re one person; in private, though, they’re somebody else. We call that “hypocrisy.”
10. Disdainful leaders – These leaders believe no one else is as good as they are; thus, they disdain the work, ideas, and successes of others. Often, these leaders simply not nice.
11. Devoted but distressed leaders – These leaders love the Lord, and they love their church. They’re giving all they can to the Lord’s work, but still it seems like something’s missing. They rejoice and weep at the same time over their work
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