Last night we visited with Phil at small group. He still attends the church. He was evaluating the decisions of leadership. His analysis had to do with the failure to communicate the plan of staff reduction, and do what needed to be done directly (none of the deception). By deceiving the people they diminished their credibility. The leadership is now dealing with a smaller budget and a still shrinking congregation.
Their solution now is to hire a youth minister. They believe they need the demographic of families with teenage children. Phil was recognizing the children’s minister may be on the chopping block. The offerings cannot sustain another staff person.
So to recap. The elders fired the senior pastor, the pastor in charge of small group ministries, knew the music pastor would resign, and now are planning to reduce hours or fire the children’s pastor.
Somehow, they still think the problem is staffing and not themselves — the ones making the decisions of the church.
This congregation has been the same size for 30 years with problem after problem. They have not grown despite the city going from 30,00 to 150,000. Perhaps, just maybe the problem is the leadership?