Don’t Let Bad Methods Undermine Good Theology

Have you been struggling in your church, but can’t understand why? Maybe you’re doing what you believe God is calling you to do and you’re taking wise counsel from others, but there doesn’t seem to be any progress made? This post might be for you. I’ve been travelling and talking with a lot of church leaders over the past few years. In that time, I’ve seen four very distinct kinds of pastors: 1. Those who do the right thing in the right way 2. Those who do the right thing in the wrong way 3. Those who do the wrong thing in the right way 4. Those who do the wrong thing in the wrong way Only one of those combinations produces a healthy church. Let’s take a look at all four and see what happens with each one. They’re not as obvious as you might think.

April 2, 2018

by Karl Vaters

There are four very distinct kinds of pastors:

1. Those who do the right thing in the right way

2. Those who do the right thing in the wrong way

3. Those who do the wrong thing in the right way

4. Those who do the wrong thing in the wrong way

Only one of those combinations opens the door for a healthy church. Let’s take a look at all four and see what happens with each one. They’re not as obvious as you might think.

Author

Karl Vaters

Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast,The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

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