It was Outwit. Outlast. Outplay from day one. The newly elected Church Chairman and I lived on different planets. We were light years apart on our views of leadership, preaching, and worship. I was a visionary flying at 40,000’. He was a bean-counter, stuck in the weeds. During weekdays, he hung out at the local courthouse, putting bad guys behind bars. On nights and weekends, he hovered over the church like a helicopter searching for fugitives. During our first board meeting together, he staked out his position with bold clarity: “Reverend, this is my church. It’s the only church I’ve ever known. Pastors will come and go, but I’ll be here long after you’re gone.”  It was a shot across the bow. Nothing amiss was going to happen under his watch...

Steve and Becky Harling are veteran church ministry leaders, authors and speakers. Certified by the John Maxwell Team the Harling’s have served as Pastors both nationally and internationally. www.harlingleadership.com