Leader, Feeling Alone? Well ...

Do you at times in your leadership role at church, at work or at home feel isolated?

If this is you there is hope. You and I with others in a community can do something about this. I pray that you will read this blog then together with me and others become supportive voices in what can seem a wilderness.

Leaders need leaders!

I lead several teams plus lovingly coach Christian leaders to travel a journey from good to great! I have found for me and others, that leadership can be a lonely job. As a former pastor, the expectations were high; family life was a struggle and I needed support that was elusive. Finally, I reached out to another pastor who coached and walked with me through many challenges. I now have a beautiful Christian coach who challenges and stretches me. This is very special.

God is on my case about leaders supporting leaders. Will you imagine with me, a group of Christian leaders in a safe, confidential community, unburdening their hearts? How freeing would that be? Because leaders need other leaders! Would that be something you might be interested in? In today’s virtual world, getting together is very possible.

As a leader, what you would like to happen for you, to feel supported? I really would love to hear your heart and your story.

I am imagining that together we can potentially create a safe space and together build a community. Perhaps you would also like to share your thoughts with me about this possibility.

Let me look at some nuts and bolts now to qualify Christian leadership. My definition is any Christian in leadership – either in a secular or church environment. They need, what we all need. Just because a Pastor or leader looks like they have it all together, maybe they don't! Maybe their marriage or kids or health are challenged too. So just like anyone else, they/we need help when times are tough. Why? There is an enemy out there, looking to bring down anyone in a leading role!

If the enemy can bring down a leader, he will bring down not only a church but multiple families and numerous people in the workplace or community where these leaders operate. A church leader influences hundreds (or possibly even thousands) of people, who could be compromised in their faith. In the workplace, a leader who is a Christian, is being watched by the staff and if they fall, Christ takes a hit too. The attack; therefore, is fierce.

What do leaders need for their well-being? It’s called support. We all need flesh and blood people to be there for us. Most of all, Christian leaders.

My heart often asks of those standing there for others: Who is there for them? Who do they talk to? Does their denomination have supervision? And if they’re in the workforce, where do they go for loving, firm, gracious and honest unconditional support?

Perhaps it must be an outsider from their place of operation. I am assisting a client right now, a senior pastor, who fell from grace and as a result, lost his job and his ministry and now drives a bus. How sad to fall to that place. The support he has had has seemed limited, which is possibly why he went outside to get impartial and unconditional help. I trust I am God’s hands and feet for him at this difficult time.

Recent research in 2020, suggests that where there is spiritual support for leadership, then emotional well-being improves and leaders are more committed to their workplace, creating a better workplace/church for all. Traditionally, the therapeutic environment has not been open to discuss faith but it is necessary today, to have this be as natural as discussing other parts of a person’s life.

My response to you as a leader, if you are struggling right now:

Stay with the basics - prayer and the Word.

Get help – don’t be an island - beware of pride and control– these can be the enemy’s main levers & entry points. Reach out now! Let’s do something together with other leaders.

We all need someone to trust bringing truth in love, with non-judgemental and supportive accountability as we endeavour to be humble, authentic and open to God’s pruning.

If you are following a leader, please commit to pray for them. Show your support by a thank you card, phone call, gift, outing, encouraging word, appreciation or anything else you might come up with. A big one is don’t gossip or gang up on them. If you or I were in their place, would we do any better? Probably not.

‘Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives and follow the example of their faith.’ Hebrews 13:7 NLT

Please feel free to reach out to me through the Connect Tab so that I can join some dots because – LEADERS NEED LEADERS! Maybe together we can begin to virtually build a group of people in leadership that encourage, uplift, pray for, believe in and graciously speak truth in love, to move each of us from good to great!

God bless

Peta

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