In January 1911 two expeditions landed along the Ross Ice Shelf off Antarctica, each seeking to plant a flag at the South Pole first.

The best-equipped, best-led expedition to ever leave British shores was under the command of Captain Robert Falcon Scott.

Roald Amundsen and his Norwegian crew, on the other hand, began the expedition with half the resources of the English team. In fact, Amundsen set sail secretly at midnight, worried that his creditors would withdraw their support.

Amundsen and Scott were both courageous leaders. Yet one led men to success, the other to their deaths. Although pastoral leadership rarely produces such life-and-death drama, it does require a similar courage. But leaders of both expeditions and churches need more than courage. The stories of Scott and Amundsen afford some lessons to pastors seeking to lead their congregations.

Do the Right Kind of Homework

Recognizing the uniqueness of the Antarctic ecology, both Amundsen and Scott studied the region. Amundsen not ...