Leading Your Church Through the Pandemic
Strong leadership can seem an unnecessary luxury in times of peace and plenty. When things are cruising along, we’re drawn to leaders who can entertain and tickle our fancies rather than those who are “boring” but steady. Lulled to sleep by the illusion that nothing bad can happen, folks push their leaders to play it fast and loose, to play games of chance with trusted institutions and assets – because these games don’t feel risky to us at all.
The Costa Concordia cruise ship perfectly epitomizes what reckless attitudes about leadership can produce. On January 13, 2012, the Italian ocean liner set sail for a seven-day cruise. The ship had taken on 3,200 passengers in addition to 1,000 crew members.
That first night, Captain Francesco Schettino was so confident in his knowledge of the waters off Tuscany that he turned off the alarm systems and set about to perform a “sail-by salute” past a small island. During the maneuver, the ship struck a reef, ripping open its hull. The Concordia was destroyed, and 32 passengers perished.
Investigators later discovered that Captain Schettino had brought his Moldavian mistress aboard (unticketed) and was showing off in front of her. He was a known daredevil with a penchant for insubordination. As the boat sank, he abandoned the ship without waiting for all passengers to be rescued. The Italian courts eventually found Schettino guilty of manslaughter, and the Italian media pilloried him as the cowardly captain of calamity.
Stanley McChrystal is a retired Army general. He commanded the Joint Special Operations Command in the 2000s and later led all NATO forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal recognized some major flaws in the military’s decision-making system, and his changes transformed how special forces operated. He has since written and spoken extensively about leadership. Military concepts don’t always translate well to other fields, but McChrystal has found wide footing in his retirement. He co-authored a book in 2015, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, in which he argued that we have to think differently about leadership and teamwork in today’s rapidly changing world.
Just this week (March 23), McChrystal and his co-author Chris Fussell wrote a widely-read op-ed in the New York Times titled, “What 9/11 Taught Us about Leadership in a Crisis.” They listed four attributes of leadership that I wish to appropriate and reinterpret for churches in the midst of this pandemic.
“First, don’t hunker down.” What’s the number-one rule for leaders in times of crisis? Be visible. Let people know that you haven’t abandoned the ship, that you are active and engaged. A lack of information leads to speculation. When church members don’t see or hear from their leaders, they assume the worst. It’s human nature to fear and doubt, so don’t hunker down.
“Second, demonstrate candor.” People are remarkably resilient and even able to cope with bad news – if their leaders get on board the reality train and communicate the truth. Although some church people are no doubt enjoying a few Sundays of “watching church” in their pajamas, they will soon miss the physical interactions. Unless leaders carefully understand this pandemic and explain why we must all stay home, then our church members will begin to doubt their own leaders. Own the reality of this pandemic and be candid about it.
“Third, give up more authority than feels natural.” In a crisis, it’s tempting for a leader to grab the reins or the microphone and insist on being the gatekeeper for every decision. In a church, it’s crucial to give power away. Ask elders to shepherd. Let ministry leaders make key decisions. Disseminate information but then empower members to take initiative where possible. Quick communication is key here, as is the ability to non-anxiously allow others to do their part.
“Finally, be more compassionate than you think you need to be.” This has been one of the hardest lessons for me to learn in ministry. Some people don’t act worthy of compassion. Their own inner anxiety causes them to act out in ways that are obstinate and incalcitrant. We as leaders must find ways to talk, listen, and encourage, using every means available. And since we cannot rely on reading people’s body language and faces during this shutdown, we need to take extra care to show loads of grace in our communication.
This global pandemic doesn’t have to wreck your church, but it will reveal your church’s latent leadership strengths or weaknesses. If your church has opted for the kind of free-wheeling, showboating leaders like the captain of the Costa Concordia, you will pay a high price in this season. But if you have chosen leaders who can maintain their composure while leading with compassion, your church may emerge from this crisis even stronger than before.
