Today’s guest post is from Josh Evans, family pastor of the Oakleaf campus of Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL.  

If you want your church to continue growing in today’s culture, this blog post is for you.

There are tons of statistics of churches across the world that prove how difficult it is to grow a church in today’s culture. We see statistics of the large number of college students leaving the church. Put these two ideas together, and the hope of growing a church is ultra slim. From what I have seen and observed, the pastor is a key component to the growth of the church. I want to share a few traits and characteristics of pastors pastoring growing churches.

• They are Spirit Led – This is the most important characteristic. I have seen to many pastors who are people led. This means that their decision-making is totally up to how it will please or displease the people. Now, this is a huge part of pastoring. I recognize that, but if you allow the people to trump the spirit, do not expect your church to grow.
• They are Visionaries – Know where you are going, pastors. If I asked you where are you headed and how are you going to get there, have an answer for that! Most pastors don’t have an answer to this question, and their church is likely not growing. Be a visionary and regularly be a vision caster to the people you are leading.
• They are Learners – Never stop learning. The best leaders of churches do not stop learning. They are constantly reading, writing, and growing themselves. Pastors, you never reach a point where you have all of the answers. You have to continue growing yourself before you can grow others. Lead yourself before you can lead others.

Click here to read the full article.

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S. – The best leaders are learners – and this applies to ministry as well. Join me in a community of pastors who are focused on abandoning average in every area of their life and ministry. It’s an opportunity for you to grow as a leader and maximize your God-given potential. Click here to learn more about taking a two-month test drive for just $1.00!

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About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.