While watching the hated Yankees defeat the hapless Twins, one broadcaster noted the upbeat clubhouse chemistry of the Bronx Bombers. These Yankees are easy to coach, the announcer noted. Which led to an interesting question about the role and importance of a coach. Who determines the overall health and success of a team anyway — the players or the coach?
That question has an interesting parallel in church life. Typically, the senior pastor is viewed as the primary pace-setter and determinant for the health of the church. Churches are a reflection of their pastor, we say. Good pastors make good churches. But isn’t the opposite just as true? Doesn’t a healthy church contribute just as much to the growth and success of a pastor, as a healthy pastor contributes to the growth and success of a church? (By “healthy church” I mean a church that prays more than it nit-picks, actively serves, initiates ministry, is self-feeding, exercises grace, reaches out, is sensitive to the leading of God, holds its leadership accountable to Scripture, etc., etc.)
Now, a good coach can definitely make an average team better (think Mike Singletary with the 49ers). But a good team can also make an average coach look good (think Mike Brown and the Cleveland Cavs). So I’m guessing that both principles are true for the Church as well. A good pastor can help an “average church” articulate its vision, become more organized, serve the community, understand Scripture, forgive more, judge less, etc., etc. But in the same token, a healthy church can make an “average pastor” a better preacher, a better pray-er, more sensitive to God, more in love with their spouse, more diligent, etc., etc.
However, when most churches have problems, they tend to blame their pastors, not themselves.
Sure, at some point coaches are the problem and they need to be fired. But at other times, it’s the team that needs to look in the mirror. Likewise, instead of asking where we can find a better pastor, maybe we church-goers should start by asking how we can be a better church. For the health and success of a church has just as much to do with who’s sitting in the pews, as to who’s standing in the pulpit.
Love the analogy, Mike. I'd add that bad coaches can make good teams average. Case in point, Norv Turner and the San Diego Chargers.
In churches, at least the one I'm a part of, the differing element is that the ones being coached are also the ones doing the hiring. Consequently, the pastor who the people call is most likely a reflection of who they are. In our case, the pastor search is lead by our elders, so having a quality group of elders seems to me to be at the heart of a healthy church.
My church has had, I think, 4 pastors in our 50-year history. The last change came 10 years ago and from my observation, seemed to follow a procedure that gave us the pastor we wanted.
Ideally we will make our pastor better through our prayer support and encouragement, and he, the shepherd of the flock God has entrusted to him, will make us better by his faithful exposition of the Word.
Becky