Grieving is part of Leading
There is so much unrest in our hearts and minds. It has been a year since our country has been put on lockdown. However, even without vigorous mass testing, the curve is only steadily rising rather than being flattened.
Sadly, as servant-leaders, it would seem that we have all reached the point where we feel like we are in a losing battle. We feel drained after trying to remain empathetic to the plights of the underprivileged, and we feel guilty about trying to block out the disappointing news with regards to our local politics. Now we are all silently, painfully crying, “Isn’t this suffering enough? When will it all end?”
Grieving is not a sign of having weak faith. We should allow ourselves to acknowledge our sorrows and feel it in all its entirety. We try to take all of the responsibility for things we cannot control, which is not how leadership is supposed to be. Only when we realize and accept that we are nothing without the grace and love of God can we get back up and serve to lead solely for His glory repeatedly. We must slow down, take the time to surrender to God and trust Him wholly and unceasingly.
So, dear servant-leader, do not be afraid to take your time to grieve.
Here are a few devotions from ATS:
- Choose Faith Over Fear – https://mailchi.mp/763bfb6883f9/choosefaithoverfear-3188773
- Hope and COVID-19 – https://mailchi.mp/8a249ba26706/hopeandcovid19
- Be Still and Know That I Am God – https://mailchi.mp/f5854f933b78/bestillandknowthatiamgod-3246929
- God’s Sabbath for a Redeemed World – https://mailchi.mp/04c0a78976fb/godssabbathforaredeemedworld-3250445
- A Cry in the Night – https://mailchi.mp/83ecf20586da/acryinthenight-3252309
- Loving Your Neighbor – https://mailchi.mp/bd83701bd158/lovingyourneighbor-3254141
- The Caring Samaritan – https://mailchi.mp/179e1b72227c/thecaringsamaritan
- The Last Enemy – https://mailchi.mp/9bfbb69bbb57/thelastenemy
- When Things Fall Apart – https://mailchi.mp/cdc7d02c248b/whenthingsfallapart
- Christ’s Ascension and Setting Our Mind on “Things Above” – https://mailchi.mp/61418247807c/ascensionday
Reflections on Church Leadership:
- Resilient Church Leadership – https://resilientchurchleadership.com/
- Coronavirus and the Church – https://coronavirusandthechurch.com/
- A Theological Reflection on the Coronavirus by Dr. Timothy Tennent – https://asburyseminary.edu/students/chapel/archive/?service=20200317&campus=ky
- Lessons from Moses: Pastor, You are Not Alone! – https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/april/lessons-from-moses-pastor-you-are-not-alone.html
- Christians Should “Rest” During the COVID-19 Shutdown – https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/march/christians-should-rest-during-covid-19-shutdown.html
- On Christians Spreading Coronavirus Conspiracies; Gullibility is not a Spiritual Gift – https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/april/christians-and-corona-conspiracies.html?utm_source=edstetzer&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=27602107&utm_content=708382960&utm_campaign=email
- Eight Lessons Learned in Responding to Crisis – https://be.thechurch.digital/blog/eight-lessons-learned-in-responding-to-crisis
- To Impact People in the Coronavirus Season, We Need to Understand Them – https://be.thechurch.digital/blog/navigating-people-during-this-time
- How Should Colleges Prepare for a Post-Pandemic World? – https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Should-Colleges-Prepare/248507?key=wD5N8zUKkQDLHNwlH_yTVi5JVvzzbHCumFjuMgScWIPaxjHurlMfti5ro-HLs4gXM1g5VXZ1QnkwNU1LOHktWkNTVThod2p3YkNpVF9UNEpFNnhMY2hDQUdiWQ&fbclid=IwAR1_EdEOQH7AXMIHz7Oslq8FwVhOJDI4pxWxMWw909_pXNC3NNUf-8g_Yhc
- A Free Guide to Reopening Your Church (When the Time is Right) – https://moody.actonsoftware.com/acton/rif/8780/s-083a-2005/-/l-04b6:7996/l-04b6/showPreparedMessage?sid=TV2:btn5iiisc
- What Going Back to Church Will Look Like for Some Churches – https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/375455-what-going-back-to-church-will-look-like-for-some-churches.html
- Overcoming the Fear of Failing During a Crisis – https://outreachmagazine.com/resources/55134-overcoming-the-fear-of-failing-during-a-crisis.html?utm_source=omag-om-daily-nl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=om-daily-nlMay%209th,%202020&maropost_id=712981605
- How COVID-19 Is Shaping the Future of the Church – https://outreachmagazine.com/features/leadership/53817-how-covid-19-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-church.html?utm_source=omag-om-daily-nl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=om-daily-nlMay%209th,%202020&maropost_id=712981605
- How to Deal With Your COVID-19 Worries – https://outreachmagazine.com/features/discipleship/55016-how-to-deal-with-your-covid-19-worries.html?utm_source=omag-om-daily-nl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=button&utm_campaign=om-daily-nlMay%209th,%202020&maropost_id=712981605
- Keep People Engaged Online – What’s the Secret? – https://churchleaders.com/ministry-tech-leaders/374681-keep-people-engaged-online.html?utm_source=msv-nlMay%204th,%202020&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text-link&utm_campaign=msv-nl&maropost_id=712981605&mpweb=256-8837459-712981605
- WATCH: Flatirons Community Church Pastor on Why He Needs a Break – https://churchleaders.com/pastors/videos-for-pastors/352525-flatirons-community-church-burnout.html?utm_source=msv-nlMay%204th,%202020&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text-link&utm_campaign=msv-nl&maropost_id=712981605&mpweb=256-8837459-712981605
- COVID-19 and a Pastor’s Concern for Our Mental Health – https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/375080-covid-19-and-a-pastors-concern-for-our-mental-health.html?utm_source=msv-nlMay%204th,%202020&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text-link&utm_campaign=msv-nl&maropost_id=712981605&mpweb=256-8837459-712981605
- Grieving is Leading – https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2020/april-web-exclusives/grieving-is-leading-coronavirus.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=eblast&utm_campaign=covid-19-eblast-2020
- 20 Prayers to Pray During this Pandemic – https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/march-web-only/covid-19-coronavirus-20-prayers-to-pray-during-pandemic.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=eblast&utm_campaign=covid-19-eblast-2020
- ‘Is my anxiety normal?’: How Covid-19 may affect mental health – http://inqm.news/aczq?fbclid=IwAR2zU–wOmSAmhdyM1H0gPOnW_ay7eaaERFNZEvQajG-tQ4Br3GpiZRZQGY
- Fighting Loneliness in the Coronavirus Outbreak – https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/fighting-loneliness-in-the-coronavirus-outbreak
Free eBooks for download
- The Guide to Successful Church Engagement in the Digital Age – https://www.christianitytoday.com/lyris/eblast/archives/2020/bcl-echurch-042120.html
- Excerpt from Biblical Insight to Tough Questions, Vol. 5 – https://email.denisonministries.org/our-latest-book?ecid=ACsprvveWu8VdyKfJedEw1Yw_HF0dtlbwnPY_8yI4bpPbIVz3TQ8SH1gY-NIfOP-BS9PD-vKpege&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86418198&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-903oApoZymUVJGrVC0twpODU0F8yLqIXqBa4LRI4vEHlFQALOrNzZoRFRAMpWOVAGYEr-yOnLEPBhSOdq9AhqBCLk8EA&_hsmi=86418198
- Free e-books for help & hope by Moody Publishers – https://moody.actonsoftware.com/acton/rif/8780/s-083a-2005/-/l-04b6:7996/l-04b6/showPreparedMessage?sid=TV2:btn5iiisc
For Online Preaching
- 5 Tips for Preaching to the Camera (https://www.propreacher.com/preaching-to-a-camera/)
- Shoot Engaging Videos on Your Phone (https://open.life.church/training/802-shoot-engaging-videos-on-your-phone?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86872483&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gmyMkol-XbCQsHfpRV9AZ5sAq–ZzdiEb50kC1lAssKaX_eeP5-6EZLxy_a-orxJOoYxyT46k56LivS8PJJDaMIhdFA&_hsmi=86872483)
- Three Cs of Communication (https://open.life.church/training/589-three-cs-of-communication?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86872483&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gmyMkol-XbCQsHfpRV9AZ5sAq–ZzdiEb50kC1lAssKaX_eeP5-6EZLxy_a-orxJOoYxyT46k56LivS8PJJDaMIhdFA&_hsmi=86872483)
- 4 Ways to Engage and Online Audience (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UFie1FXyRI&t=5s&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86872483&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gmyMkol-XbCQsHfpRV9AZ5sAq–ZzdiEb50kC1lAssKaX_eeP5-6EZLxy_a-orxJOoYxyT46k56LivS8PJJDaMIhdFA&_hsmi=86872483)
- Facebook Live: Time to Innovate (https://open.life.church/training/787-facebook-live-time-to-innovate?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=86872483&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gmyMkol-XbCQsHfpRV9AZ5sAq–ZzdiEb50kC1lAssKaX_eeP5-6EZLxy_a-orxJOoYxyT46k56LivS8PJJDaMIhdFA&_hsmi=86872483)
- Zondervan Academic MasterLectures App for IOS (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1454555188) and Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.masterlectures)
- Introductions to the Books of the Bible: The Writings (https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/series/introductions-to-the-books-of-the-bible/)