Lately, I have had an opportunity to pull back from all the busy activities of ministry and to simply stop, reflect, and think. I remember as if it were yesterday, sitting in Bible college hearing the tragic stories of pastoral burnouts and pastoral failures of men who burned like shooting stars. I look back even the past several years, I am reminded of friends I have personally known, who have fallen and how that can be so painful and hurtful to the body of Christ.

I have learned and grown from personal experience watching a few incredible leaders, and some, not-so-great leaders. They have taught me a lot of lessons about what-to-do and what-not-to-do in life and ministry.

Here are three lessons I've learned about leadership over the past 10 years.

1. The solo-leader

There's always one or two of these in every leadership team. The one who has the mentality that ministry is about himself/herself and is not able to serve the community well for its future?

Scripture says, "Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecc 4:9-10).

A solo-leader refuses to recruit to develop people and deploy others into the field. For this very reason, when solo leaders leave the team/organization, there's a huge void that brings the effectiveness of the whole as a body to the bottom of the chart quickly.

Pastor, you are not able to wear all the hats yourself and do all the ministry yourself. Not a celebrity culture of a personality-driven ministry, but the whole. For Christ the head of the church and the only solo leader the body needs (1 Cor 12:12-27; Eph 4:15-16; Col 1:18). The church is in need, but not from you alone.

Rely on others. Delegate the ministry. Shepherd a team of people.

Shared ministry rather than solo piloting can accomplish much more for God's kingdom. This can take longer and not the rapid fast growth result you will get. But by taking this healthy approach, this will take you and your ministry further without feeling burned out at the end.

2. The silo-leader

This often can happen in organizational structure, but also within a leader itself. Silo by definition is, "a system or department that is isolated from others."

Silo leaders do not allow accountability and are not able to have the check-and-balance with their time and treasure. Too often, silo leaders can suck the resources from the overall vision and the mission and derail the team from its original purpose.

As a result, there's confusion. Ultimately, this leads to frustration for the overall team as there's a disconnect from the organization. A silo-leader robs the ministry and divides the attention from the most important matters of the overall health of the organization. A silo leader lacks a biblical warrant and a structure of accountability.

Pastor, stop asking questions such as, "How does this impact my life?" but instead, "How does this impact us as a whole?"

That question perhaps will lead you as a leader to better play as a "team player" for the entire body.

3. The super-leader

With the recent rise of superhero movies all over the media, people naturally gravitate toward this ideology of having superhero leaders!

However, in reality, there's no such thing as super-leaders, are there? For if we all had to be honest, we are all broken, and we need a greater, truer, and stronger leader than amongst ourselves. Look at a fellow broken, sin-tainted sinner (Rom 3:23) by placing them on a pedestal is putting unrealistic expectations and can crush the spirit of the pastor/leader.

Pastor, you're trying to carry too much of a great load. You're not Superman. Make time to rest and recharge from the busy-work of all that is happening. Be human and show the real you. This will remind the body that you and I are utterly dependent on Christ's strength and need one another in ministry (1 Thess. 5:11; 1 Pet 4:10; Heb 13:16; 1 John 4:7).

So, ask these questions: What is my strength, and what is my weakness? Be transparent and honest as you come to the body in humility by saying, "I can no longer do this superstar show anymore. I am not Superman."

This will open up opportunities to disciple and train others, rather than simply creating an "audience" who are disengaged from the mission of God. By humbling ourselves from that spotlight, it will create an opportunity to disciple others for ministry, rather than doing all the ministry which simply robs the ministry from others.

Look to the supreme leader: Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, the supreme leader said, "I will build my church" (Matt 16:18).

I = pronouncement of Christ (Christ's church)

Will = promise of Christ (Christ's purpose)

Build = power of Christ (Christ's work)

My = possession of Christ (Christ's possession)

Church = people of Christ (Christ's bride)

From the beginning till the end, it is not our church, but it is Christ's church (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:12). The ministry of the church is not dependent upon you. We must remind ourselves that the church is Christ's and His alone (Eph 1:22).

Rest assured in the finished work of Christ (John 19:28-30). Even during the pandemic, all the riots, all the persecution around the world, Christ will still build His church! I echo the words of what R.C. Sproul said, "The church is not dead because it cannot die."

This world can at times cause fear and weariness, but the church is not in trouble for it rests in the finished work of Christ. The world can threaten religious liberty, the government can take away tax status, authorities can throw Christians in jail, but none can stop Christ building His church and His gospel to spread across the globe (Mark 16:15). Satan indeed cannot stop the church in its mission to preach the gospel to the nations.

Dr. Jonathan Hayashi earned his B.A. from Moody Bible Institute with a double concentration in Pastoral Ministry and Biblical Studies; a M.A., in Congregational Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary, and Doctorate of Educational Ministry in Biblical Counseling from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He presently serves on the Executive Committee at Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO) and serves on the Board of Trustees at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Senior Pastor at Northern Hills Baptist Church Holt, Missouri from 2020-2022. Learn More »