9 Qualities for Finishing Well

I recently talked with Gary Fenton, pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. He has observed, as he says, “effective pastors bumping against age 50 and even some in smiling distance of 60. There is still fire in their bones. They are not just surviving; they’re thriving.” He visited with several and discovered nine common traits:

1. They believe in the church. Most fire-in-the-bones pastors have experienced a conversion; they genuinely believe the local church is the body of Christ. They really believe the church is their ministry—not just the place their ministry happens.
2. They’d rather be respected than liked. They are not mean-spirited. But their need to be liked is less than their desire to be respected.
3. They see humor in things. It is not that these leaders tell jokes; they see humor in what they do and in their ministry settings.
4. Their focus is local. Successful mid-lifers are often isolated from others in their denomination; they often take more interest in the work God has given them in their locale.
5. They’re effective with men. They understand the language of men and the male issues of life. Yet these pastors do not appear to be male chauvinists. Although they come from both sides of the women-in-ministry issue, none seemed fearful of the increasing role of women in the church.
6. They steer clear of political issues. Successful mid-lifers are involved with local people but not local politics. They seem cynical about the political process but not about individual politicians.
7. They assume the best. They place enormous trust in their lay people and staff. They trust people, though not human nature. They seem to believe the church leadership wants what is best.
8. They are secure. The aging process does not seem to grieve effective second-halfers. In fact, there seems to be a release in growing old. Their interest in maintaining health is not for the sake of youthful appearance but productivity.
9. They are optimists. They do not believe the current culture wars are Armageddon. Of course, these leaders are concerned about society, but they’re not wringing their hands. Effective older pastors have many stories of people who have come to know the forgiving, life-changing grace of God.

—David L. GoetzAssociate Editor, Leadership

1996 Christianity Today/LEADERSHIP Journal