Comments on: Personality Driven Ministry – A Two Edged Sword

By: John UpChurch

John UpChurch — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Since I work for a ministry (web content/editing) that does skew toward personality reliance, I'm curious how you would recommend moving away from that trend. Obviously, I know there should be gradual movement toward the ministry name and away from the personality, but I've found internal resistance to this--as well as donor reliance on the name to generate excitement (opening emails, clicking links, time spent on the page).

I have been passing on some of your posts as "subtle" hints and also making recommendations to that effect, but so far, the name has been increasing on the website and not scaled back. I know, however, that this could be detrimental in the long run.

Do you have any suggestions for switching paradigms and for making a stronger case about the long-term impact?

By: chad fickett

chad fickett — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Phil,

I am interested to hear your answer to the last question by john, "do you have any suggestions for switching paradigms and for making a stronger case about the long-term impact?" I am interested because I am an administrator in an organization and I see this not only on a national level but also on a local level. I think we have shallow discipleship in our churches and therefore immature believers. Instead of coming to church because of an encounter they come because of chris. Obviously God uses each of us to bring someone but there has to be maturation to wean us off of the friend and build our faith.

God Bless

By: Phil

Phil — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Good questions from both of you. There’s no question that it’s very difficult to switch once you’ve started down the personality road. That’s been one of the strategies for Coral Ridge Ministries. After D. James Kennedy’s death, they’ve had enormous challenges changing the thinking of the donors. I also think TV is a personality driven medium – so with media – it’s especially tough. But it will never happen until the rest of the church or ministry programs are simply as good or better than the pastor or leader. A brand is not what YOU say it is, it’s what THEY say it is. It’s similar with a personality. Why do people come to the church? If the big reason is the pastor, then it will be tough to change. However, if your worship leader is in demand, or other programs are terrific, then there’s a possibility…

By: michael buckingham

michael buckingham — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don't know that you do change it but you prepare for a handing off of the torch. You slowly, and intentionally, begin to introduce a new flavor, new ingredient into the mix.

There does needs to be balance though. Lakewood is a good example, they would do well in looking at the example of Apple. Apple will continue to do well because their product is a great product. People love both the product and the leader. If they had only focused on the leader, they would have a serious problem today. A church like Lakewood would do well to look at their "product" and find ways for people to love the church and the leader. Because at the end of the day it needs to be about more than a man.

By: breaklight

breaklight — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think that it can be done and quite successfully. Please these are just some suggestions that I have regarding this. First of all it needs to be addressed from the foundational stages of the ministry or the business organisation to not build on the personality of the leader/s but on the mission/vision of the organisation – therefore allow a period of change after a set period of time e.g every 3 – 5/5 – 10 years and prepare for a transition of leadership and a new way/s to accomplish the mission/vision of the organisation. Secondly prepare leaders to be more transitional and to hold to positions of governance lightly especially where leading people’s lives is concerned. I think in many ministries especially in the previous two or three generations prior to the entry of this millennium, we have adopted an empire building mentality so that most founders of a ministry organisation want to remain in it till they die and before they let go, they groom their children for the thing they spent years building up whereas if the truth be known I think God would have had other plans for them but human nature kicks in because we hate being uncomfortable after the difficulty of building that ministry for so long, it finally becomes a self sustaining and now to move on to something else? I think this is where culture and tradition become a big problem because we now make it that what the society is doing is the standard of living – e.g. job for life. Thirdly many leaders should become more about building others up to take over (or release people in their congregation to do certain things independent of them) and try as much as possible to take a backseat role by allowing others to go forward. I think many in leadership have a teaching mentality rather than a training mentality. When you train/disciple/mentor the aim is to release them after a period of time to go on and do the work and continue what you may be doing so that you can do other things, whereas many churches think that the congregation are to spend the rest of their lives in the pews/seats serving only the leader/s vision in life and that is far from biblical truth. These are just some of my suggestions.