In his classic spoken-word recording, Lead the Field, Earl Nightingale said, “If you want to be successful in life and you have no role models, look at what the majority of people are doing and do the opposite.  The majority is always wrong.”

When it comes to being a pastor, I couldn’t agree more.  If you want to grow a healthy church and have a happy personal life, one of the best things you can do is to look at what the majority of pastors are doing and do the opposite.  In other words, decide to go renegade.

What exactly is a renegade pastor?  A renegade is someone who has abandoned average in favor of excellence.  He is a rebel with a purpose— someone who rises up against resistance, mediocrity, and conformity.  A renegade is not a lawbreaker.  He’s is not contrarian for contrarianism’s sake.  He is not looking for a fight with other church leaders, but with the devil himself.  He’s not critical or cynical, but analytical in his thinking about what works in life and ministry and what doesn’t.  

A renegade pastor is obedient to the Word of God and passionately abandoned for the Kingdom.  He has made a decision to step out of the status quo and get back to the business of reflecting God’s glory in every aspect of his life.

On an individual level, the renegade pastor is someone who lives in a state of faithful pro-activity.  The renegade pastor is a hard worker, but he knows how to work efficiently and manage his time for maximum benefit.  He has quality relationships with his spouse, his children, and his close friends.  They don’t feel cheated by the church.

A renegade understands the importance of personal growth, so he is always learning.  He knows how to identify godly goals and pursue them.

And, unlike the average pastor, the renegade has peace about his life and work.  He experiences the fulfillment that comes with the role God has called him to. 

So how do you bridge the gap between being average and going renegade?  The answer is in the commitments you choose to make.  

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

P.S.  You’ll have the opportunity to explore these commitments and issues of personal and professional growth in my BRAND NEW book, The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry.

I’ve arranged for the NEXT 188 Senior Pastors like you to get my new book for ONLY ONE DOLLAR.  The book also comes with a two-month FREE test drive of my Renegade Pastors Network.

Yes, you can be one of the first people to get the actual 168-page hardcover book for only ONE DOLLAR (this is not an e-book). I will mail it to you priority mail – no additional shipping costs. 

Just CLICK HERE to receive your BRAND NEW The Renegade Pastor hardcover book for just $1 (regularly $19.95!) No shipping costs! PLUS get TWO FREE MONTHS of The Renegade Pastors Network (additional $198.00 value!). With bonuses, total value of this opportunity is $1,012.22!

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

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.