Why Good Pastors Make Bad DecisionsSample

Day 3: When Jesus's Leaders Refused to Decide

The apostles just made the most counter-intuitive leadership decision in church history. When faced with a legitimate ministry need, they refused to handle it personally.

These weren't lazy leaders. But they understood something that would revolutionize the church: Not every decision needs to be made by the senior leader.

The Three Types of Pastoral Decisions

The apostles discovered what Moses and Solomon learned: effective ministry requires knowing which decisions are yours to make and which aren't. Here's the framework:

Type 1: Spiritual Direction Decisions (You decide)

• Vision and mission alignment;
• Biblical interpretation and teaching direction;
• Major spiritual initiatives.

Type 2: Ministry Operations Decisions (You delegate)

• Budget allocations and financial management;
• Staff hiring and organizational structure;
• Program logistics and event planning.

Type 3: People Care Decisions (You collaborate)

• Conflict resolution requiring pastoral authority;
• Discipline issues with spiritual implications;
• Crisis situations needing both wisdom and care.

Here's what stops most pastors: Delegation feels like abandoning your calling. We think if we're not making every decision, we're not leading. But look at the result in Acts 6:7 NIV: "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."

When the apostles focused on their unique calling and delegated operational decisions, the ministry exploded with growth.

Your Next Step

This week, identify one Type 2 decision you're currently making that someone else could handle. Find a qualified person, give them clear authority, and let them make the call.

Moses learned it from Jethro. Solomon requested it from God. The apostles built it into church DNA. Now it's your turn to lead with both spiritual authority and practical wisdom.

Let's pray: God, show me what decisions I need to release and what decisions I need to own. Give me courage to trust others so I can focus on my unique calling. Help me build systems that multiply ministry instead of limiting it.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

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