Wounded leadership: four-part editorial series

Some leaders have had to offer pastoral support to church members without being able to be with them amid their grief. Others have taken funeral services with only a handful of mourners. The majority have had to learn how to run church services online and try to keep the congregation together without any physical contact or face-to-face meetings. 

Many thought the pandemic would only last a couple of months, but with each week that passed came greater challenges and more sorrow.

I realise that some church leaders have fared well. They have managed to chart a way through the maze of lockdown, they’ve seen growth in church attendance, and they’re now looking forward to what the Lord might have next. And the next stage, whatever it will look like, fills them with energy and excitement. That is brilliant.

But, in my opinion, those who feel positive and full of encouragement and energy are in the minority. Many of the church leaders I have spoken with feel bruised and wounded after the past year. The pandemic has taken a lot of out them, leaving them tired and bewildered. 

Some may be considering how they can move forward into the next season. Some may be wondering whether they are of any use to the church. Others may feel as though they have nothing left to give. 

Seemingly impossible questions may well be asked at this time: How do I move on? What must I reflect on if I’m going to find energy and strength in these changing times? What might my leadership look like?

If this sounds like you, there is a way ahead. 

I recommend four areas for you to ponder on:

• Comparison
• Vulnerability
• Rest
• Waiting on God

Check out my reflections in the articles below.