"Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife" (Proverbs 17:1, HCSB).
Every pastor encounters leadership opportunities in a variety of circumstances on a daily basis. Making clear leadership decisions can be difficult and yet exercised with grace, if the pastor is a gracious and wise man. At other times leadership decisions may be of the catch-22 variety. Someone will be upset whatever course the pastor takes. It is the wise pastor who can lead while maintaining peace in the church.
In a 2012 article from sbclife.net, Chris Turner offers some statistics from the nation's largest Protestant denomination about the issue of forced termination of ministers. Topping the list for the cause of termination is "control" - who's going to be in control of church operation? At nearly twice the rate of other termination causes, leadership control remains a problem in the church.
No doubt some pastors are to be blamed for control problems. In other situations, a group within a church body may feel it has a mandate from God to oversee the church and staff. I have known such a group. You may have known them as well. If you are currently a candidate for a pastor search committee, try to discover whether or not an individual or group is controlling the church. If so, a representative of that faction will likely sit on the committee that will interview you. Ask questions of the committee that will reveal how things get done in the church. Try to uncover where the pockets of influence rest. Even if you still believe God wants you to serve as their pastor, you will at least arrive on the field with the information you need to make wise decisions.
If you are the pastor and the control freak (excuse me, I meant to say "the person with control issues"), let me encourage you to consider what being a leader is supposed to look like.
A leader is not a "pusher," one who sets his mind on the program he wants to follow and then pushes the congregation to accomplish that goal. A pusher will be constantly embroiled in conflict. Other staff members will be fired or resign. Volunteers will step down from their leadership positions. Yes, they can be replaced, but the loss of faithful leadership is hurtful and may influence others to leave as well.
A leader is not a "puller," one who pulls the congregation along, asking little of them. He can be a one-man-show who works long hours and takes part in everything. He doesn't try as much to get the laity to do what he wants, but he maps out his own course and urges others to refrain from hindering him. "Lead, follow, or get out of the way!" is his motto.
A leader is one who realizes his assignment from God is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. He doesn't keep in mind what kind of church he wants to develop as much as the discipleship of the sheep God has assigned to his care. This doesn't mean he won't try to accomplish great things for God. But he will do so with the help of people who want to follow, rather than pushing or pulling them along the way.
A leader is one who establishes love and care for his congregation so that he becomes the leader by acceptance, not merely by definition. His people believe he has their highest good at heart as he urges them forward. They feel their pastor is a genuine man of God leading them by his practice of the word of God into a closer relationship with God.
Faithfulness to God is a leader's primary objective. It may not bring you great recognition or praise from your denomination's elite, but it will allow you legitimate leadership and a faithful pastorate, loved by many and remembered for life.