Courageous Leadership
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9
God gave these words to Joshua as he set out to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. In fact, God repeats the phrase "be strong and courageous" three times in the first 9 verses of Joshua 1! I have sometimes wondered what Joshua must have thought as he received God's command. He had been one of twelve men sent to check out the land of Canaan. He had seen the fortified cities and fearsome warriors. He knew the difficulty of the struggle that lay ahead. Did he feel afraid? Did he feel inadequate? While we can't know all that was in his heart, we do know that God is preparing him for the task ahead by acknowledging that there will be challenges to be overcome and battles to be fought. God is letting Joshua know there will be times when he feels afraid and discouraged. But God is also preparing Joshua's heart by promising that he, the Lord, will be with him each step of the way.
While the challenges that we face as a church family are not to be compared with the challenges Joshua faced in conquering the Promised Land - we do find ourselves in a time that requires "courageous leadership!"
The leadership of FBCG, which includes both ministry staff and lay Boards, are facing two challenges that each will require courageous leadership in the months that lie ahead. The first challenge involves understanding and responding to all the feedback we have received through the Transforming Church Index survey and focus groups. It will require a certain kind of leadership courage to identify areas of our church life where we have failed or are weak; and it will take both wisdom and courage to created and implement the changes necessary - but we are committed, with God's help to do just that!
The second challenge we face revolves around the current economic crisis. The church is not immune to the economic forces of our culture! In the first two months of this fiscal year (which began on Sept. 1) we have fallen 11% behind budget. On the one hand, I believe it is extremely encouraging that even in the current economic atmosphere our church family continues to give and to give generously! On the other hand, we must be responsible as leaders to begin to prepare for the likelihood that our ministry and staffing budgets will need to be reduced significantly in response to lower levels of giving.
Here are a few things we are already beginning to consider:
- Trimming back all ministry department budgets - including staffing - by 10%
- Identifying another 5% that can be cut back at a future date
- Studying the impact of moving to a four-day work week
- Identifying more economical ways to accomplish the same or similar ministry events and purposes
- Communicating with the FBCG family frequently regarding our budget needs
- Focusing on more effective assimilation of new comers to FBCG so that they will be led to invest themselves in the mission and vision of FBCG
I want you as the FBCG family to know that we, as leaders, are not terrified or discouraged! But we are being challenged to lead courageously through these times. We covet your prayers as we head into a two-day retreat this weekend (Nov. 7-8) to begin to dig into the survey feedback. Let's trust together that the Lord has promised to lead us and to be with us - and that he will be glorified through this process!
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2 comments:
Thank you Brian and the courageous staff at FBCG. I pray for all of you this weekend who will be pouring over the surveys. I also pray that some new perhaps in-house ministries will possibly form. Where we can work together to save time and money. We are a big church with many blessed gifts. I'm sure there are endless possibilities to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. So many from our church have already implemented the barter system and I thank God for those who have helped us in the past.
Go For It!
In Him,
N. Harris
Thank you, Pastor Brian, and all the FBCG Staff, for your courageous and loving leadership. You not only talk the talk, but you also are walking an exemplary walk through these tough times for all of us to see and follow. As a nation we are experiencing a change in leadership as we also experience this severe economic challenge. Our national, state, and local leaders need prayer along with our church leaders. We in the pews need prayer as well. We are all struggling with a determined enemy. But, we also know that our God is much bigger, stronger, and more powerful than the enemy and He has promised never to leave us or forsake us and to supply ALL our needs out of His loving kindness. Thank you for your caring and supportive words.
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