 (Translation by David Quiora - Replant Team, North American Mission Board)
Querido Don controlador , El declive de la iglesia crea un vacío Cuanto más tiempo ha estado en declive una iglesia, es menos probable que quede líderes fuertes y visionarios en los bancos. Lo intentaron. Hablaron. Ofrecieron ideas y energía. Pero fueron ignorados, resistidos o atacados. Finalmente, se fueron. A menudo se trata de líderes capaces en su vida profesional: personas que lideran equipos, resuelven problemas y toman decisiones todos los días. Luchan sus batallas en el trabajo. No quieren pelear con los mismos en la iglesia. Su expectativa es simple: los seguidores de Cristo deben unirse en torno a la misión, no especializarse en los menores. Así que se escabullen silenciosamente. Y cuando lo hacen, sucede algo crítico: el equilibrio de influencia cambia. El ascenso de los controladores Cuando los líderes sanos se van, los controladores se apresuran a llenar el vacío. No son visionarios; son guardianes de lo familiar. Bajo el noble estandarte de "proteger y preservar la iglesia", toman el control de los comités, los presupuestos y las decisiones, y se aferran a ese control por su vida. Lo llaman fidelidad. Pero en realidad es miedo. En verdad, lo que están preservando no es el evangelio, es comodidad y control. La mayoría de los miembros de una iglesia en declive no se resisten intencionalmente a la misión. Simplemente quieren un lugar seguro y predecible para adorar, estudiar su Biblia y disfrutar del compañerismo. Anhelan estabilidad. Pero con el tiempo, la comodidad se convierte en la misión. La gente nueva trae nuevas ideas. Las nuevas ideas traen cambios. Y el cambio se siente como una pérdida. Así que la iglesia ora por el crecimiento mientras rechaza silenciosamente las mismas cosas que podrían traerlo. El controlador espiritualizado El controlador más peligroso no es el ruidoso ni el obvio. Es el espiritual, la persona que oculta el control en un lenguaje piadoso. Dicen todas las cosas correctas:
Pero detrás de escena, manipulan, presionan y dirigen los resultados a su manera. Dominan las discusiones, influyen en los votos, zumban y agotan a los que quieren un diálogo significativo, despliegan el veto de bolsillo mientras socavan silenciosamente cualquier cosa que amenace su posición o traiga progreso. En una consulta reciente, conocí a un hombre así. Dijo todas las cosas correctas y sonó profundamente espiritual. Sin embargo, su comportamiento contó una historia diferente. Otro consultor que había trabajado con la misma iglesia me dijo claramente: "Esa iglesia nunca crecerá hasta que él quite las manos de todo o el Señor lo mueva". Esa no es una situación rara. Es una tragedia recurrente. Los controladores de complicidad de la Congregación solo prosperan porque la gente se lo permite. La mayoría de los miembros de la iglesia no son controladores, simplemente están cansados. Han visto conflictos antes y no quieren otra ronda. Así que permanecen en silencio. Se llevan bien. Pero el silencio es complicidad. Al no hacer nada, lo entregan todo. La congregación puede orar sinceramente por la renovación, pero la oración sin coraje y confrontación simplemente bautiza el status quo. El declive continúa, los líderes permanecen en silencio y el controlador sigue dirigiendo el barco, directamente hacia las rocas. Cuando solo Dios puede quitarlos Aveces, solo Dios puede quitar un controlador. Y lo hace, por convicción, por circunstancias o por moverlos a otra parte. Pero hasta que eso suceda, la iglesia permanece estancada.
Porque la misión de Jesús vale más que el sentido de control de cualquiera. Una última palabra para el " Don Controlador " Si ese eres tú, el que insiste en que solo quieres la voluntad de Dios mientras te aseguras de que todo salga como quieres, si crees que sabes más, si dices una cosa pero en realidad no lo dices en serio, es hora de arrepentirte, soltar tu control o vete de la iglesia. La iglesia de Dios no es tuya para administrarla. Es de El para liderar. Y a cada miembro cansado y líder tímido: dejen de permitir el control. Di la verdad. Avanza. La iglesia no necesita más controladores. Necesita más coraje. En pocas palabras: cuando los controladores gobiernan la iglesia, la misión muere. Cuando Cristo gobierna, la iglesia vive de nuevo. Cuando los controladores gobiernan la iglesia
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 Church Decline Creates a Vacuum
The longer a church has been in decline, the less likely it is to have strong, visionary leaders left in the pews. They tried. They spoke up. They offered ideas and energy. But they were ignored, resisted, or attacked. Eventually, they left. These are often capable leaders in their professional lives — people who lead teams, solve problems, and make decisions every day. They fight their battles at work. They don’t want to fight the same ones in church. Their expectation is simple: Christ-followers should unite around mission, not major on the minors. So they quietly slip away. And when they do, something critical happens — the balance of influence shifts. The Rise of the Controllers When healthy leaders exit, controllers rush in to fill the void. They’re not visionaries; they’re guardians of the familiar. Under the noble-sounding banner of “protecting and preserving the church,” they seize control of committees, budgets, and decisions — and they hold on to that control for dear life. They call it faithfulness. But it’s really fear. In truth, what they’re preserving isn’t the gospel — it’s comfort and control. Most members in a long-declining church aren’t intentionally resistant to mission. They simply want a safe and predictable place to worship, study their Bible, and enjoy fellowship. They long for stability. But over time, comfort becomes the mission. New people bring new ideas. New ideas bring change. And change feels like loss. So the church prays for growth while quietly rejecting the very things that could bring it. The Spiritualized Controller The most dangerous controller isn’t the loud or obvious one. It’s the spiritual one — the person who cloaks control in pious language. They say all the right things:
But behind the scenes, they manipulate, lobby, and steer outcomes their way. They dominate discussions, influence votes, they drone on and one exhausting those who want meaningful dialouge, they deploy the pocket veto all the while quietly undermining anything that threatens their position or brings progress. In a recent consultation, I met such a man. He said all the right things and sounded deeply spiritual. Yet his behavior told a different story. Another consultant who’d worked with the same church told me plainly: “That church will never grow until he either takes his hands off everything or the Lord moves him on.” That’s not a rare situation. It’s a recurring tragedy. The Congregation’s Complicity Controllers only thrive because people let them. Most church members aren’t controllers — they’re simply tired. They’ve seen conflict before and don’t want another round. So they stay silent. They go along to get along. But silence is complicity. By doing nothing, they hand over everything. The congregation may sincerely pray for renewal, but prayer without courage and confrontation simply baptizes the status quo. Decline continues, leaders stay silent, and the controller keeps steering the ship — right into the rocks. When Only God Can Remove Them Sometimes, only God can remove a controller. And He does — through conviction, through circumstance, or by moving them elsewhere. But until that happens, the church remains stuck.
It doesn’t have to be that way. God can and does revive His church — but revival always begins with repentance. Controllers must release their grip. Members must find their voice. And leaders must stand up and lead, even when it costs them. Because the mission of Jesus is worth more than anyone’s sense of control. A Final Word to “Mr. Controlly McControlerton” If that’s you — the one who insists you only want God’s will while ensuring everything still goes your way — if you believe you know better, if you say one thing but don't really mean it, it’s time to repent, release your grip or leave the church. God’s church isn’t yours to manage. It’s His to lead. And to every weary member and timid leader: stop enabling control. Speak truth. Lead forward. The church doesn’t need more controllers. It needs more courage. Bottom line: When controllers rule the church, the mission dies. When Christ rules, the church lives again.  When a pastor leaves, most churches feel the same pressure: “We’ve got to find someone—fast.” A search committee forms, a job listing is posted, and résumés, lots of them, begin to roll in. Committee members get overwhelmed, Candidates grow impatient. After some time, the church “calls” someone who seems promising, or who hasn’t already accepted another position, or at worst-both the would be pastor and the desperate congregation choose each other in a relationship that may be destined for failure from the jump. Too often, the honeymoon between Pastor and People begins to fade by year three. Conflict, burnout, or disillusionment set in. Another resignation follows. Possibly another Pastor leaves the ministry. For the Church comes a year of interim ministry, another year of searching, and before you know it—six years have passed, and the church is right back where it started, searching. And, likely this time with fewer and more frustrated people. This isn’t a rare occurrence. Research from the Jim Henry Leadership Institute (New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) places the average tenure of Southern Baptist pastors at about 3.5 to 4 years. In other words, many churches spend almost as much time recovering from a pastoral mismatch as they do being led by a pastor. It’s time to rethink our process. The Problem: Job Listings and Résumés Can’t Reveal Calling or Fit Posting a job listing and collecting résumés may work fine for hiring outside the church. But calling a pastor is not just an employment decision—it’s a spiritual discernment process. A résumé can tell you where someone has served, but not how they lead under pressure, how patient they will be with change resistant seniors, how fast they want to move, how they handle disagreement, or how they fit within a congregation’s culture and story. Likewise, a church’s website and bylaws might tell a candidate what the church does—but not what the people are really like, or what kind of health the body truly has. How and why their previous Pastor and the two or three before him left their post. A job posting won’t reveal how healthy or vibrant the congregation actually is or how many “controllers” or “gatekeepers” have navigated their way into positions of influence. A quick hire based on surface compatibility may bring short-term relief but long-term pain. Churches who rush the process, who are less transparent on the front end up with pastors who were never prepared for the church’s condition, and pastors find themselves in cultures that resist their leadership from day one. When the call process is reduced to an exchange of résumés, we risk bypassing the very thing the New Testament calls us to: spiritual discernment. The Necessity of Understanding a Church’s True Condition Before searching for a pastor, a church must take an honest look in the mirror:
If a church does not first understand its own condition, it can’t know what kind of pastoral leadership it needs. A church in conflict might require a patient healer. A plateaued church may need a visionary disciple-maker. A young congregation might need a stabilizing teacher. When a church seeks guidance and conducts a spiritual health assessment before launching a search, it begins to clarify its identity and readiness. That clarity helps ensure it calls not just a pastor, but the right pastor for this moment. The Danger of “Just Finding a Pastor” The pressure to “just find someone” is real. Members grow weary of transition. Attendance drifts. Giving declines. Leaders feel anxious. But haste in calling a pastor often leads to regret. Every rushed search carries hidden costs:
When churches allow urgency or fatigue to replace discernment, they trade temporary relief for long-term instability. “There’s a reason the Spirit led the church at Antioch to pray, fast, and wait before setting apart Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2–3). The call of a pastor is too sacred to be rushed, too important to not be really clear on the health of the congregation and the kind of Pastor it needs (but may not want.) The Cost of the Cycle: Lost Time and Lost Momentum Let’s do the math: If the average pastor serves 3–4 years, and each departure triggers:
When this happens, every 3-year tenure produces roughly a 6-year down cycle before stable ministry returns. That’s six years where energy, trust, and momentum are drained instead of built. Multiply that over a generation, and it’s easy to see why many churches plateau or decline despite sincere effort. A Healthier Way Forward The solution isn’t complicated, but it does require courage, patience and humility. A healthy call process includes:
When churches and pastors discern together rather than hire hastily, they create the conditions for lasting ministry fruit. A Word to Churches and Candidates
Thinking Beyond the Traditional Search A Better Way to Find a Pastor If the standard “post-and-pray” method isn’t working, it’s time to rethink where and how we look for pastoral leaders. Rather than relying solely on job postings and résumé submissions, churches can take a more relational and Spirit-led approach to discovering their next pastor. 1. Ask Your Denominational Leaders Associational Mission Strategists, State Convention Staff, and trusted denominational partners often know pastors, planters, or ministry leaders who are ready for a new assignment or who fit the kind of leader your church needs. These leaders see patterns across many congregations and can often recommend candidates who would never apply online but who might be a perfect fit. 2. Network with Healthy Churches Ask pastors of strong, healthy congregations if they have team members or associates who may be ready to step into a lead role. Churches that are developing leaders are often glad to see those leaders deployed into struggling or plateaued congregations where they can make an impact. 3. Seek Out Churches with Pastoral Residencies Many churches invest in training and preparing future pastors through residency programs. Reaching out to those congregations allows your search team to connect with candidates who have already been mentored, evaluated, and tested in real ministry environments. 4. Look Within Your Own Congregation Sometimes God is already raising up your next pastor from within your own fellowship. A faithful lay leader, staff member, or ministry volunteer may demonstrate spiritual maturity, character, and gifting that indicate a call to pastoral leadership. Don’t overlook those God has been preparing right under your roof. 5. Above All, Pray and Seek God’s Direction No process, search tool, or network replaces prayer. The call of a pastor is a sacred connection that only God can orchestrate. Ask Him to align hearts, reveal motives, and connect the right candidate and congregation at the right time. When churches pursue relationship over résumés, discernment over data, and prayer over pressure, they position themselves to find not just a pastor—but God’s pastor for their next chapter. The health of a church and the longevity of its pastor are not determined by who gets hired first, but by how deeply both parties listen to the Spirit before committing. A prayerful, honest process may take longer—but it bears fruit that lasts. “We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.” — Colossians 1:28–29  I talk with a lot of declining churches. They’ve seen better days — the sanctuary once full, the baptistry once stirred, the sound of kids running the halls replaced by the echo of silence. And now, after years of slow decline, the conversation turns toward hope:
“We need a new pastor.” But what they usually mean is:
The assumption is that decline is primarily a leadership style problem — that if they can just find the right kind of pastor, the church will start growing again. But here’s the truth: You don’t just need a new pastor. You need a Spirit-guided, biblically grounded, missionally minded shepherd who will lead you to follow Jesus, engage your community with the gospel, and make disciples — not just attenders. And that means something hard but hopeful: You need a pastor who will lead you to believe what you haven’t believed, surrender what you’ve clung to, and follow Christ more fully than you ever have before. The Pastor You Need Will Make You Uncomfortable. Let’s be honest — most churches in decline didn’t get there overnight, and they didn’t get there by accident. Decline is almost always spiritual before it’s numerical. It’s the slow drift from mission to maintenance, from gospel urgency to personal comfort. So the pastor you truly need will not exist to make you comfortable. He won’t just affirm what you already love. He’ll call you to repentance, challenge your assumptions, and confront your idols — because Jesus doesn’t build His church through comfort, but through the cross. A faithful pastor will remind you that following Jesus means dying to self, taking up your cross, and walking in obedience, even when it’s hard. That means there will be Sundays when you don’t “like” church. You might not like what you hear. You might feel convicted. You might be asked to give more, serve more, forgive more, and love more deeply than you ever have before. But those are the very marks of revival. Because God doesn’t send revival to the comfortable — He sends it to the surrendered. You Need a Shepherd Who Will Lead You to Follow Jesus Again. The church you long to become will not be reborn through clever programs or the perfect hire. It will be reborn through repentance and renewal — through the power of the Word of God, the work of the Spirit, and a people willing to be led. You need a pastor who will:
That kind of pastor will not simply be a chaplain to your preferences. He will be a shepherd to your souls — leading you into obedience, prayer, evangelism, and gospel-driven unity. The Real Question: Are You Willing to Be Led? Every church says they want a “good leader,” but few are willing to be led. It’s one thing to hire a pastor; it’s another to follow one. If you want God to bring life again, you must be willing to follow where He leads — even when it means:
The kind of pastor who can lead you there won’t always make you comfortable. But he will confront you to be more Christlike. And that’s what your church needs most. Hope for the Church That’s Willing Here’s the good news: Jesus loves His church — even the declining ones. He is still the Head, still the Builder, still the One who brings life from death. He raises up shepherds for His sheep, not to preserve what was, but to lead toward what can be — a renewed people, walking in obedience, proclaiming His gospel, and making disciples to the ends of the earth.
Because the church that dies to itself is the church Christ will raise again. |
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