Pastor Communication 8.26.21

The Most Common Reasons
Leaders Fail to Delegate

By Ron Edmondson
-August 13, 2021

Why We Neglect One of the Most Important Aspects of Leadership

Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to growth, low team morale, and not sustaining
momentum has to do with leaders who fail to delegate. I often call this dumping
delegation. Either they don’t know how, they don’t see the value or they simply don’t
want to, but it hurts their team’s potential.

And I think there are even deeper reasons for failing to delegate.

7 REASONS LEADERS FAIL TO DELEGATE

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1. They might appear to be doing less.

Some leaders struggle with giving assignments away for fear that people will think they
aren’t working as hard as they could be.(Pastors struggle with this one a lot.)

2. They fear losing authority.

This is a legitimate fear. Delegation, if it is done right, means they give up the right to
control every outcome.

3. They still have to be available, even when delegating.

Delegation doesn’t mean a leader can dump and run. They have to be available to
assist, advise and encourage. So, some leaders feel if they are going to be involved
anyway—they might as well do it themselves.

4. Someone might not do things the way they would.

Let’s be honest. This is huge, isn’t it? In my experience, those who have this as an
excuse usually also assume their way is always best. (And that one leads to the next
one.)

5. It might get done faster and better.

Okay, this one is certainly hard to admit. Faster is one thing, but better? What if they
think someone is a better leader than me? Delegation often exposes or grows a new
leader. How threatening could that be? (I know. It’s a pride issue. And, yes, all of us
leaders struggle with it at some level.)

6. Someone else might get credit.

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When the delegated task is complete the one who led the effort will hopefully be
recognized for their work. This will be recognition the leader would have previously
received.
7. They simply don’t know the value in delegation.

Frankly, in my opinion, this is the bigger issue. Some leaders have never seen a team
healthy enough where everyone has a role to play, everyone is a leader at some level,
and everyone gets credit.

http://ronedmondson.com

Ron Edmondson, a frequent contributor
to OutreachMagazine.com, is the former pastor of Immanuel
Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. He revitalized two
churches and planted two more.

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Small Church, Big Potential

By Ed Stetzer
-July 5, 2021

It’s the nature of God to use small things for his glory

In the American context we tend to view small things as insignificant. Scripture turns
that perspective on its head. In fact, the Bible repeatedly shows how God uses minor
things to make a large impact. Jesus used seemingly unimportant objects––like a
mustard seed or yeast––to demonstrate the potency of supposedly inconsequential
things.

A few years ago, I created a curriculum for my book Subversive Kingdom. The filming
for the curriculum was set in and around a castle in Ireland. In this setting, I talked about
kingdoms, and how God’s kingdom subverts the order and ideals of the world.

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The castle made for a great backdrop to talk about the kingdom. We also used biblical
examples like the mustard seed. I was supposed to hold the seed to the camera to
illustrate Jesus’ point about it and the kingdom, but there was a problem: Mustard seeds
are so small that they literally cannot be seen on camera.

Hidden Potential

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed that grows remarkably
expansive branches (Mark 4:30–34). He also compared the kingdom to yeast (Matt.
13:33), a kitchen staple used both in the New Testament times and today. Yeast looks
so insignificant sitting in the pantry that you might assume it’s nothing but dust—unless
you understand its value to baking.

There are at least three different ways we can look at Jesus’ teaching on both the
mustard seed and yeast. First, we realize such objects have very little weight or
density—and thus are negligible in size. Second, they are minor in terms of their relative
value, since both are so common and inexpensive. A small bag of yeast seems pretty
trivial when compared to a small bag of gold dust; a tiny diamond is far more costly than
a mustard seed. Both yeast and mustard seeds are quite insignificant from a size and
superficial value point of view. However, mustard seeds and yeast share a third
commonality, which is the very reason Jesus teaches about them: They both have a
momentous impact when activated. Their potential far exceeds their appearance.

Bigger Is Not Always Better

As Christians we shouldn’t apologize for small things. We recognize it is the nature of
God to use small things for his glory, and that he often employs people and things that
are overlooked by the world for kingdom impact. Large churches also understand this
by placing great emphasis on small groups, demonstrating the value of intimate
community and a recognition that community doesn’t happen in a large worship service
alone.

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Why then do we seem to consistently devalue the small and overly celebrate the large?
Ultimately, it is because we’ve become too driven by American ideas about church and
culture, and not enough by the gospel’s idea of the kingdom. Our culture is powered by
utilitarian ideals that lead to sayings like “Might makes right” and “Bigger is better.” Our
culture is motivated by an unrelenting desire for more. Such ideas value large over

small and much over little. If this influences the church, we end up viewing people less
as people made in God’s image and more like numbers on a spreadsheet.

Small Church, Great Impact

When we look at the small church with gospel eyes, we realize the great opportunity for
kingdom impact, because we recognize that God has a consistent pattern of using
things the world overlooks for his glory and honor. Jesus changed the world with a
dozen disciples, not with a massive army; the boy’s little basket of food was used to
feed thousands; and Gideon’s army was made intentionally small by the Lord. God
often uses the small and the overlooked to display his power.

At the same time, it’s important to note that being small is not a virtue by itself. Many
small things make no difference. However, some small things have great impact, like
the mustard seed or yeast. When they get into the ground or dough, they transform it. In
a similar way, the small church has the potential for great impact, but only when it goes
into the community to reach and transform it for the gospel.

The reality is, we need all kinds of churches. We should celebrate churches of varying
sizes, contexts and approaches. We must remember that the typical church, globally or
in North America, has fewer than 100 people in weekly attendance, but significant
gospel ministry is taking place.

I can think of many small churches in connection with the Wheaton College Billy
Graham Center’s Rural Matters Institute that make a significant impact in their
communities as they minister to people who are often forgotten by the world around

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them. And this is only in rural communities. Small churches are also found in urban
areas, many of which also are having great impact in their communities.

Whether it’s on the street corner in Chicago or in Red Deer, Alberta, when we see a
small church, we should not see it as insignificant, but as an opportunity for significant
gospel impact. We know this is how Jesus sees it, just like the yeast and the mustard
seed.

https://edstetzer.com/
Ed Stetzer, is the editor-in-chief of Outreach magazine, and a professor
and dean at Wheaton College where he also serves as executive director
of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. He has planted, revitalized,
and pastored churches, trained pastors and church planters on six
continents, and has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. He
currently serves as interim teaching pastor of Calvary Church in New York
City and teaching pastor at Highpoint Church in Naperville, Illinois. He is
also regional director for Lausanne North America, and is frequently cited
in, interviewed by and writes for news outlets such as USA Today and
CNN. He is the founding editor of The Gospel Project, and his national radio show, Ed Stetzer Live, airs
Saturdays on Moody Radio and affiliates

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