(The third in a series of posts by Dr. Merritt on pastoral leadership)  

A pastor's leadership is both public and private. Public leadership is not management. The key to leading others is to recognize the difference between leading and managing. There is a huge difference. The reason why many pastors are not effective leaders is because they are actually managing rather than leading.

  • Leadership is doing the right things.

  • Management is doing things right.

  • Leadership asks: “What do I want to accomplish?”

  • Management asks: “How can I best accomplish it?”

  • Leadership can never be delegated.

  • Management must always be delegated.

  • Leadership takes risks.

  • Management minimizes risks.

The single greatest platform the pastor has to lead is the "platform".  In other words--the pulpit. The effective pastor must learn to use both the Scriptures and his sermons to lead his people. The pastor should do ninety-five percent of his counseling in his preaching. 

-----------------------

Dr. James Merritt is Senior Pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, GA, and host of Touching Lives, a broadcast ministry carrying the Gospel to all 50 United States and more than 120 countries worldwide.