Leadership Isn't About Being Liked

If you're in church leadership and everyone likes you, you're probably compromising somewhere.

I don't mean you should try to be difficult or contentious. But I do mean that faithful leadership will inevitably make some people uncomfortable. Truth has that effect.

Jesus didn't come to make people comfortable. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. John 6:66 says: From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. He preached hard truths. He called out sin. He demanded repentance. And people crucified Him for it.

If the Son of God couldn't please everyone, what makes you think you can?

Too many pastors today are more concerned with keeping their congregations happy than keeping them holy. They preach what people want to hear instead of what they need to hear. They avoid controversial topics because they don't want to lose members or money.

That's not leadership. That's cowardice.

Paul told Timothy to preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2). Notice what's missing from that list? "Make sure everyone feels good about themselves."

Leadership means standing firm when people want you to move. It means preaching truth when lies are more popular. It means loving people enough to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.

Yes, you'll lose people. Yes, people will blame you for it. Yes, people will talk about you instead of to you about it. That's the cost of faithful ministry.

But here's what you'll gain: a clear conscience, God's approval, and a church that's actually being sanctified instead of coddled.

Stop trying to be liked. Start trying to be faithful.

God will handle the rest.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.