| have known:

-the helplessness of having something to share with the congregation and no opportunity to do so until the passing of time dulls the excitement.

-the anxiety of watching decisions being made that I don't agree with, seeing how others may be hurt by them.

-the anguish of self-pity that tells me my contributions are going unnoticed as I see people giving all their appreciation to the pastor.

-the frustration of hearing from a secretary that a decision I made two days ago has been reversed.

And I'm not alone. Anyone who has ever served as a staff member of a church has known the same feelings. The staff member fills a unique position.

He leads without being the leader; he pastors without being the pastor.

While I was responsible for the administration of the church staff, a conflict that apparently had been brewing for months between two secretaries came to my attention. I sat down with them to talk through their differences. Over a half hour period each of them expressed the suspicions, ...