Turnaround pastors are “different.” Sometimes it seems that rather than marching to everyone else’s drummer, they’re lurching frantically from one spinning plate to the next.

But don’t be fooled. Their ability to shift attention and their appetite for novelty may seem undisciplined and unfocused. Their madness has a method!

Spinning the Plates of Change

This unusual way that turnaround pastors¹ respond to restlessness, distraction, and the unexpected is one of the unique traits our research has identified. It is more than an idiosyncracy, it is a hallmark that distinguishes them from their nonturnaround colleagues.²

Think about it in this way. Pastoral ministry largely (but not entirely) consists orchestrating the relationship between God and the people in his church. God may surprise us at any time, without warning. People will surprise us! This all takes place in the midst of an evolving culture that is drifting away from a biblical worldview, like a hapless swimmer carried to sea by a rip current.

So yes, successful ministry – almost by definition! – requires the ability to deal with interruptions, adjust program priorities on the fly, and thrive on constant change. Pastors who can keep all the plates spinning and not lose sight of the objective lead in ways that move their churches to renewal. Pastors who resent or resist these diversions tend to maintain their churches in states of equilibrium. This skill is seen in a variety of leadership behaviors:

• The ease with which a pastor shifts ministry priorities in light of new opportunities
• Whether a pastor is patient or disoriented by interruptions and emergencies
• How a pastor responds to distractions to capitalize on immediate wins but still finish the task list

Distinctions around Change

Turnaround pastors have a greater tolerance for the unexpected. They are more adept at and comfortable with leadership behaviors that foster growth (while their nonturnaround colleagues are more comfortable with behaviors that maintain equilibrium). As a general rule, turnaround pastors

• Are responsive and attentive to the unexpected.
• Are easily interested in new ideas.
• Relish starting new things.
• Take the lead on initiating change.
• Adapt easily to variety.

Nonturnaround pastors, in contrast, are more comfortable with a predictable environment. They often get “rattled” when something unexpected happens. Nonturnaround pastors typically

• Prefer to focus on the task at hand.
• Are hard to distract.
• Persevere with long range projects.
• May seem lost in the project that has their attention.

Best Practices for Change

The chances are 80% or greater that you’re more of a slow-but-steady rather than a spin-the-plates type of pastor. If so, there are a few disciplines you could cultivate that will help you lead more effectively in the face of change.

1. Spiritual discipline: Begin each day by offering it to God, acknowledging that he governs every event for his own purposes, and that he may do so without first consulting you!
2. Personal observation: Notice your initial reaction when something unexpected happens to interrupt your work, be it an unwelcome visitor at the office door, an unexpected emergency at home, an untimely death in the congregation, or that phone call you don’t want to answer. Ask yourself, “Why does this bother me? Is my plan for the day more important than what God may have in the moment?”
3. Calendar discipline: Chances are that you, like most of us, overestimate what you can accomplish in one day and underestimate what you can accomplish in a week or a month. Make it a practice to reduce your daily task list to no more than five items. If you get them done, great, move on to a new list! But if you don’t, recognize that tomorrow will show up on time.
4. Develop a new habit: Make it a point to introduce a new variable into your daily routine, and do so every day. Try a different coffee shop in the morning; use a different word processor for sermon prep; read a new website; take lunch at a different hour.
5. Journal: At the end of every day, take a few moments to reflect and record those unexpected moments, how you responded, and what actions you took.

The objective is to learn to keep an eye up while you’ve got your head down. When you’re intently focused on that task, be sure to scan the room for another plate that needs spinning.

Change isn’t your enemey, pastor, it is a way of life. Effective turnaround leaders learn to welcome it.

Notes

1. A “turnaround pastor” is one whom God seems to have naturally hardwired with the ability to bring renewal and conversion growth to stagnant and declining churches. About 15% of those in pastoral ministry fall into this category.
2. Our upcoming book, Pastor Unique, which discloses our research, is on track to be released in May.

Resources

• Before You Lead Your Church Through Change, Rick Warren
• Change Management: Tools Every Pastor Needs, Bud Brown
• Leading Your Church to Change, Chuck Warnock