Moving From Survivalist to Convictional Leadership

If you’ve been at the same church for several years…long enough to truly love the people, know the stories, and endure seasons of both joy and pain, you may find yourself at a crossroad of sorts. The church hasn’t collapsed, but it isn’t moving forward either…at least not in the way you wish it were. Attendance is flat or slowly shrinking. Energy and passion are wearing thin. Hope feels fragile, and every Sunday feels the same.

Suddenly, a question quietly surfaces in your heart: Do I continue to just maintain things the way they are, or is it time for me to start leading differently…even if it costs me? Even if it’s hard?

This is when many pastors slip into survival mode without realizing it. Sermons get safer. Challenges become softer. Hard conversations get pushed out further. The goal becomes survival, not renewal…preservation, not transformation.

But this kind of survivalist leadership, over time, begins to wear a pastor down. You feel it! You find yourself managing decline instead of leading and shepherding toward health and growth. The focus becomes protecting the church from pain and death rather than leading it toward joy and life. And slowly, fear, not faith, begins to set the tone for both the pastor and the people.

Convictional leadership, on the other hand, calls you (and the congregation) back to deeper trust and hope-filled faith in the Lord and His Word. This kind of leadership doesn’t ask, “What will keep this church comfortable?” but rather, “What does obedience require of me (and us) at this time?” Convictional pastors remember that faithfulness in a plateaued or declining church is measured by alignment with God’s Word and mission, not by how smoothly the institution runs or whether everyone in the pews is happy and at ease.

Here’s the hard truth: if renewal is going to come, it will likely meet us on the other side of struggle and loss. No matter how well you try to love the flock, some people are going to leave. I have experienced this first-hand, and I know it hurts. But it is a normal and necessary part of revitalizing a church. Long-standing traditions will be challenged. Sacred cows will finally be named and confronted. While all of these things may hurt on some level, real, Spirit-empowered health will begin to take root. And the result? Over time, a new trajectory marked by fresh vision, hope, unity, and missional urgency will begin to transform the congregation.

Pastor, as others have said before, playing it safe is too risky. The Lord has called you, gifted you, and equipped you to lead! You can do this - by the power of the Spirit. Long-term faithfulness always requires courage. The most loving thing you may do for your church (and your own soul) is to stop leading from survival and start leading from conviction.

Five Steps to Move from Survivalist Leadership to Convictional Leadership

If you find yourself in survival mode and want to rediscover your conviction to lead, consider these five steps you can begin to implement this week.

#1. Re-focus on your calling, not the outcomes.

Do you remember when God called you to this church? Do you remember the vision and hope He gave you at the beginning? Take some time to prayerfully revisit why God placed you at this church in the first place. Humbly ask the Lord to give you fresh passion to love and lead this flock in the mission of Christ, reaching the lost and making fully devoted disciples of Jesus.

#2. Name reality…with God first, then with leaders.

It has been said, “Survival is driven by denial.” Conviction, on the other hand, is driven by truth. Spend intentional time asking the Lord to help you see and name reality, as difficult as it may be. Pray through what God reveals. Then, help other leaders see what He has shown you. Remember, decline isn’t failure. Dishonesty is. And failing to name and lean into reality, especially when it’s hard, compromises our faithfulness.

#3. Identify the fears and insecurities that may be shaping your decisions.

Ask yourself: What am I avoiding because I’m afraid of who I might lose or disappoint? Then submit those fears and insecurities to the Lord, refusing to let them drive the church’s mission and priorities. Again, the Lord has called you to lead with courageous conviction as a shepherd, especially when it is hard! This is what faithful leaders do. This is what loving leaders do. I promise you, the Lord will give you all the strength and courage you need to lead in this way. Just ask Him.

#4. Clarify the vision and mission again…and align everything to it.

In this season of your church’s life, don’t feel like you need to add more new programs to turn things around. Actually, now is a good time to simplify. Now is a good time to say “no” to some things. Of course, this may mean having some hard conversations with certain people, but it needs to happen. For the health and future of the church, it needs to happen. You have pastored this church for years now. You have worked hard to earn the trust of the congregation through faithful shepherding and care. The time to lead with conviction is now…not a few years from now. So, teach your people again why your church exists and what your church is called to do according to the Word. Clarify the vision and mission with zeal and joy! And get back to the basics of being a biblical church, doing the most important things and seeking to do them well for God’s glory.

#5. Lead with patient courage, not frantic urgency.

Convictional leadership is proactive, not reactive. For this reason, proceed deliberately and wisely. Pray deeply. Communicate clearly and often. And trust God with the results.

At the end of the day, rest in this truth: You don’t need to rescue the church. The church has a savior, and thankfully, it’s not you. Because you don’t bear the weight of saving the church, Jesus has freed you (and empowered you) to lead. So lead His people faithfully. Lead them with hope. Lead them with conviction.

Lead, pastor. In the power of the Spirit and under the authority of God’s Word, lead!