I have been in a position of leadership in several churches over the years.  I have, in retrospect, have come close to a leadership style which may well be called micromanagement or for simplicity sake MMP.  As a MMP (MicroManagement Pastor)  I could not leave things to others.  I had to put my two cents into everything.  And it was exhausting. In one church it led to my resignation because I just could not do it anymore.  The church was in a building program and I had to be there pounding nails with everyone else.  I had the ill and infirmed to visit.  I had three messages a week to prepare.  I had to put the board agenda, compose a newsletter, mock up the bulletin and go fetch the flowers for service.  Songs had to be picked out.  And on and on and on.  I wanted to control the minutia and the total.

I have yet to find anyone who likes a MMP; not even the MMP himself.  There are those who need close oversight and crave for direction but ultimately hate it.  The reason why it is so hated is that is just annoying. It’s overbearing. A MMP among Christian leaders reflects poorly on our faith and the gospel. It doesn’t work, and that’s mainly because it’s not the way God designed things to work.

To try and lead this way is a failure to lead.  It is just the far wrong end of the stick.  True leaders, whether in business, church or any other environment, should be empowering.  True leaders should set others up to succeed.  It is providing the tools for excellence.  When leadership in a church bears all the burden of success or failure, that leaders undermine all those that are being led.  It takes away their opportunities to shine and never shows them a way forward. Instead of raising up new talent and new leaders it suppresses both and limits everyone’s effectiveness.

President Truman had a plaque on his desk; “THE BUCK STOPS HERE.” There has to be a place where the life of the church guided.   Micromanagers don’t realize they are making life harder for others. These MMPs cannot or will not see the damage they are causing. They don’t see the damage they are causing to themselves. By taking on all the burden of work instead of empowering others to do it well, a MMP is stockpiling stress and burden. If the inclination is to do all the work instead of helping others do it then maybe being in a position of leadership is the wrong fit.

I believe God has uniquely gifted every person. Leaders are tasked with seeing those gifts, feeding them, and giving people room to use them.  It is not seeing what needs to be done and trying to fit someone into it. It is not creating a graph of the jobs of the church and squeezing someone into each vacant spot.  I would rather have Godly filled and talented people do what they are meant to do than one hundred people doing something because of my perception of a need. It is God’s job provide gifts and the Christian’s job to use those gifts for the furtherance of the church.  MMPs either cannot or will not do this. They see people as tools to be moved as chess pieces or foolish sheep to be shepherded. They cannot recognize that the people under them may be better at certain tasks and responsibilities and that this is a good thing! Those serving under a micromanager cannot reach the potential God has imbued them with until they are free to use their gifts. Micromanagers stand in their way.

It boils down to a trust issue.  If the leader can’t trust people to do what they have been empowered for and gifted to do, it is not just a point of view toward people.  It is a lack of trust in God. The MMP reflects a lack of grace.  It is a headstrong disconnected view of God’s grace and mercy.  Grace and mercy in the church is allowing someone to do the best possible.  It is not an expectation of perfection.  Grace is giving responsibility and space to those who are flawed and might well fail.  When a leader can’t give any leeway to try new things or take some risks it is a lack of grace. However, when leaders show that aspect of grace, people under them feel both safe and free to pursue great things. Grace allows bigger things to be accomplished where the MMP crushes them.

What do you think?  Leave a comment.