Senior Pastor Is Going to Burn Out Soon

Friday, June 22, 2018

Hey Fletch … Thank you for checking back on us. Our lead pastor is an amazing preacher and leader. However, we all fear he does too much. He is micromanaging the staff and working way too many hours. What can you suggest?

DRF—Your church is in a major growth phase. That is a wonderful place to be but it can be a wild ride for senior leadership.

When I wrote my dissertation, I cited one pastor who said that leading a mega-church was like “riding a wild tiger.” We are too scared to let go and too scared to hold on! Leadership is a wonderful and terrible place to be. So many people—really an entire village—depend on you.

Growth will stall if the senior leader or leaders are not empowering others. Sharing vision and delegating work to others is imperative. Micromanaging is a sign of not trusting the staff with the implementation of the vision. Encourage your pastor to take at least one full day off each week. God did when He created the world. That’s a great example to follow.

Ask how you can help implement the church vision. Ask the lead pastor to frequently explain the vision and how it should work out at the church. Then offer to take on specific tasks to implement that vision.

About the Author: David Fletcher

As an experienced pastor, Fletch knows church life. As a professor, he delivers insightful material. As a seasoned coach, he helps you grow. Dr. David Fletcher is often called "The Dean of Executive Pastors." Fletch was a pastor for 35 years in churches from 1,000-8,000 members, single and multisite, churches with mergers, camps, schools, apartments and cafés. He founded XPastor in 2003 and its 1,300 free articles from over 350 authors have become a principal resource for leaders in a complex church world.