What is the greatest need of the church to become effective again?

What is the greatest need of the church to become effective again? Out of the four options listed in the poll:

• Witnessing
• Maturity
• Gifts of the Spirit
• Sound Leadership

 

Maturity is the one most people voted for. I do believe that maturity is the greatest need of the church, however, I do not believe that it will be arrived at without sound leadership. Everything rises and falls on leadership. At this present time, the church as a whole in America is immature. It is in this condition because spiritual leadership tolerates it. Many pastors have a perverted view of their position. Some believe they are employed to be the babysitter. Others, believe their job is that of an entertainer who is to put on a show every week for the audience. I am afraid that at the end of the day that pastoral leadership is amusing more goats than they are leading sheep.

The key to church growth, it's protection, and change, is sound leadership. No matter what condition a church finds itself in, it did not arrive there by accident. Someone led them in a direction that produced this condition.

This is why that the current church's condition will not be solved by emphasizing new programs, techniques, and borrowed psychology from the world. We must renew our demand of putting sound leadership back at the helm of our churches. Pastors today are evaluated by their ability to implement programs and how they can master a budget. However, God may have never called them to that position, and they may not have the anointing to form a congregation into the stature of Christ.

Consider which one of the following armies you would not be willing to face. An army of lions led by a sheep, or an army of sheep led by a lion? What is in the leadership is what will get into the rest of the followers. I would not want to fight the army of sheep led by a lion, because the sheep would take on the nature of the lion and would become vicious fighters. The army of lions would take on the nature of the sheep and would become cowards even though they possessed a powerful potential to be victorious. I have been around many ministers who are weak in their personality, no convictions, no drive, and whine about everything. There is a congregation of potential lions sitting in that church every week – I just want to shout it out – be a MAN and LEAD! Ladies too (smile).

Sound leadership is:

• has character and a good reputation
• has an obvious anointing to preach the gospel
• possesses sound doctrine
• thoroughly educated in the word
• meets the qualifications of 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1
• humble

Why is sound leadership so important:

• there is no development without leadership
• correction is to be administered by leadership
• no progress without it
• direction and attitude is set by leadership
• it is what keeps sheep from scattering

 

For a pastor to be successful in the Lord’s eyes, he must have true convictions about the principles of God's word. Convictions are what enables a minister to remain in a stable condition no matter what the circumstances and conditions are surrounding him. If leadership vacillates back and forth just to please people, if they change their belief system so they can be accepted, then they are not a pastor they are a compromiser.

Therefore, I agree that maturity is the greatest need of the American church. However, it will never reach this heightened state of perfection without sound pastoral leadership. Let’s make it a matter of prayer, that there be a revival of sound leadership back in the pulpits of America that will lead us victorious into the fight for people’s souls!