Dr Paul Allen

Triage for Embattled Pastors or leaders I suppose you could say that what I’m suggesting here is a kind of triage for an embattled pastor. In other words, What are the questions that we should ask when there is short-term or long-term criticism of our ministry? And it really could apply to others as well, besides pastors, who are in various kinds of callings and feel themselves barraged with critical responses to their efforts. What are the questions that will help us know how to respond and whether the criticisms are an indication that we should not be serving in this place, or in this way, anymore? 1. Are the criticisms true? Or what parts of them are true, and what parts are untrue or exaggerated? And here we’re going to need not only biblically informed self-knowledge, humble self-knowledge, which is really important in the ministry, but the wisdom of those who know us best, which would include our spouse (hopefully), wise colleagues that we trust — people who can help us sort thro...

It is inevitable that pastors and other church leaders will face criticism. Some critics will be well-intentioned while others will be bent on destruction; some will be attempting to do the right thing (even if in a ham-fisted way) while others will be attempting to wreak havoc. Yet the prideful and troubling temptation can be to treat them all the same. In his book The Heart of the Preacher, Rick Reed lists four common critics and offers appropriate and constructive ways to respond to each of them. Anonymous critics shoot from the shadows. They place unsigned notes in the offering plate or send letters with no signature or return address. (What to do about them: “If someone is unwilling to own up to his or her critique, I don’t feel obligated to give it much weight. In fact, a scathing, unsigned letter may best remain unread. Another option involves giving the letter to an ally to read. This allows someone you trust to filter the criticism and distil any valid comments.) Analy...

Proverbs 17:10 : “A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.” So how do we receive rebuke as a wise man seeking greater wisdom?  How do  you deal with personal criticisms from others? How do you process them, learn from them, and determine which ones are accurate and which ones are not?” www.hopecollege.com That question, of course, is all the more relevant in a day of social media . You not only have a few dozen people in your family and church or neighborhood or network at work who might criticize you, and you can deal with face to face, but you have a few million people who might get wind of your opinion on Twitter or Facebook or a blog or wherever you happen to be talking. They might get wind of your opinion and call you the vilest names in the world. In one sense, this world of social media is unrealistic because we simply can’t deal seriously with thousands of opinions about ourselves. And yet, on the other hand, t...