I have worked as pastor, consultant, and friend to congregations for over forty years. I have watched them endure bad pastors and punish good pastors. Some congregations seem to invite conflict and others have developed the skill of passive aggression to a fine art. Other congregations respond even to incompetent and narcissistic pastors with a firm but loving hand. Some encourage the pastor to challenge them to grow in faith while others resist the pastor at every turn.
If your congregation would seriously listen to five questions, what would you want someone to ask them? While not to a specific congregation, out of my experience, here are five questions I would offer to stimulate your thinking. (However, it would be a good exercise for you to write out your own for your specific congregation.)
1. What do you think God’s vision is for this particular congregation?
2. What areas of spiritual growth are most important and what should we expect of members as they share this journey?
3. What do you think should be the central question that all members should be asking when they are dealing with difficult issues–either internally or externally?
4. What do you hope most outsiders would see when they view this congregation and its witness to faith?
5. How can you prioritize the use of the pastor’s energies so that s/he can be God’s instrument towards spiritual growth and maturity for this congregation?
I’m not totally satisfied with those five questions, but I hope they will stimulate you to think about what a congregation called by God should be asking. I’d like to hear some of your responses.
