Responding to a Loss of Authority

There was a time in America when respect for pastors was extremely high. Pastors were considered pillars of the community, right up there with the town doctor.

How times have changed! While many respect clergy, some see them see pastors as charlatans and pariahs. One pastor friend talked about being at a party where someone asked him what he did for a living. The pastor winced recalling the exchange. “I wanted to say, ‘I work for a non-profit.’”

The waning respect for pastors is something Glenn Packiam has noticed too. In his recent article on the topic, he considers, “As Pastoral Credibility Erodes, How Can We Respond?” Also, check out Leading with Authority. This 28-page resource will help you gain a better understanding of your authority as a leader, and equip you with tools to lead with authority in your ministry.

Drew Dyck

Contributing Editor

Featured

CT Pastors

As Pastoral Credibility Erodes, How Can We Respond?

Perhaps God wants to reshape our view of authority.

Glenn Packiam

Leading with Authority

Lead with authentic spiritual authority in the role and place that God has called you.

John Ortberg, Kevin Miller, Adele Calhoun, and more

Setting Goals and Measuring Results

Create a culture in which team members establish objectives and reach them.

Gene Getz, Stuart Briscoe, Paul Johnson, and more

Discipleship

Building a Culture of Discipleship

Encourage your entire congregation to grow spiritually as a community.

Stuart Briscoe, Gordon MacDonald, Erwin McManus, and others

Discipling Teens

This resource is designed to help you go deeper as you build relationships with teenagers and help them grow in spiritual maturity.

Larry Lindquist, Rachel Willoughby, Doug Fields, and more

Discipling in a Digital Age

For better and for worse, technology has changed everything about the way we live—even, and perhaps especially, in the church. As a "digital native" generation rises into leadership and looks for discipleship and mentoring, they bring with them a new set of issues and challenges. This resource includes articles from seasoned ministry veterans that will help you guide and lead effectively amid digital distraction, hyper-connectedness, and social media savvy.

John Ortberg, Chris Maxwell, Michael Frost, and more

More from CT Pastors

How Black Holes Radiate God’s Glory

Q&A with Reasons to Believe astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink on collapsing stars, quantum gravity, why physics isn’t finished, and what that tells us about our creator.

Interview by Daniel Silliman

Public Theology

Biblical Exile Is Not About Losing Cultural Influence

Christians throughout the ages face exile—but not in the way we often think of it.

Russell Moore

Cover Story

Our Pulpits Are Full of Empty Preachers

Tens of thousands of pastors want to quit but haven’t. What has that done to them?

Kyle Rohane

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