The Evangelisation of the UK: LICC/Imagine Research (3 of 3)

This is the third in a series summarising the findings of LICC Imagine research 2003-2010. In this post we look at research conducted amongst leaders identifying the key issues they are facing as they look to equip the people for mission. Read the first and second posts.

Leadership toward Evangelisation
Connected to the question of the equipping of the people, explored in the last post, is the question of the equipping of the leaders, those who release the people into evangelism. A number of issues emerged from What the Leaders Said (2004) a consultation event with 150 Christian leaders, the Spring Harvest Apprentice ’09 survey (2009) and the Imagine Pilot Project (2007-10).

Overall, it is clear that: 1) leaders are struggling as much, if not in some cases more than, as their congregations to discover a way of living that manifests the difference the gospel can make, 2) the ‘pastor’-centric model of church actively mitigates against an equipping for mission (the role of leaders is limited to that of care-provider rather than equipper), 3) there is a perceived tension between the demands of keeping the church running and releasing members into life.

a) The Struggle of Paid Leadership
Leaders are displaying significant levels of struggle with home/work balance (68%), time pressure (66%), long hours (57%) and stress (47%). In addition, leaders are experiencing high levels of conflict (35%). In these areas leaders are struggling more than many in their congregations.

b) Coping Not Conquering
Pastors frequesntly identified their struggle with the fact that people like the security of being pastored and did not want to ‘get out into the world.’ Church was a place to help them cope, not ‘conquer’.

c) Pastors Need Resourcing
High levels of fatigue, guilt and discouragement mitigate against change.

d) Training
Leadership training has not necessarily equipped leaders to know how to set a direction towards whole-life Christian living, align their resources, or envision and equip their churches for disciple-making.

e) Programme Driven Mentality
Many leaders commented on how easy it was to become programme driven rather than mission driven, to look for security in church structures, programmes, plans and vision statements, and neglecting the capacity of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of ordinary Christians.

f) The Practical Enskilling of Leaders
Only 47% of people in any form of leadership capacity and 71% of paid leaders know how to lead someone to Christ. Only 41% of people in any form of leadership capacity and 65% of paid leaders know how to help someone grow as new believers.

g) Equipping for Life Not Recruiting for the Centre
The challenge of ‘keeping the show going’ is experienced in tension with the real need to equip people for life.