Scott McClellan, writer/editor at Echohub and author of the forthcoming book Tell Me a Story (2013), recently challenged church leaders to live into their roles by doing more than simply providing the religious goods and services requested by the majority of their parishioners (consumers). His blog post was inspired by a story about Olive Garden that suggested the casual dining chain’s leadership wants to but has been unable to improve their offerings because any “attempts at better food are thwarted by the staunchly dimwitted palettes of its patrons.” In other words, they feel compelled to keep giving customers what they want whether or not it is any good.
So What?
Church leadership must always be something more than providing what most people (or the loudest people) say they want.
- How do you define effective church leadership?
- What is the most helpful advice you have ever received for learning to be a visionary leader rather than merely a manager of delivering the goods, services, and opportunities people say they want?