In the pursuit of becoming a great leader, Lance Ford found himself immersed in the fervor of the mid-90s Seeker church movement. However, his journey took an unexpected turn as he began to notice discrepancies between the teachings of Jesus and the prevailing leadership ethos. This realization led to his departure from the church he had founded, and a subsequent role at a prominent megachurch only solidified his conviction that a deeper issue permeated the church’s leadership structures. What he discovered will challenge everything you thought you knew about leadership in the church.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to grow your church at any cost, then you are not alone! The relentless focus on numbers and programs may be leaving you feeling spiritually depleted, despite the outward appearance of success. If you’re feeling like you have to put on a facade of perfection and always have all the answers, then you are not alone! The pursuit of a mega-church model may be causing you to neglect your own well-being and authenticity as a leader. If you’re feeling like you’re constantly comparing your church to others and never measuring up, then you are not alone! The endless cycle of competition and comparison in the pursuit of growth may be leading to burnout and a loss of true community within your congregation.
My special guest is Lance Ford.
Lance Ford, a well-established church leader and author, has made significant contributions to the faith community through his publications in recognized platforms like Christianity Today and Outreach magazine. With a distinguished career spanning over three decades, Lance has applied his expertise as a pastor and church planner to develop unique training systems utilized by network seminaries and leaders globally. Renowned for his insightful books, including “Unleader,” “The Starfish and the Spirit,” and “Missional Essentials,” Lance has demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the complexities within evangelical spaces. His latest work, “The Atlas Factor,” critically examines the inherent pitfalls of traditional church leadership models, offering valuable insights and practical wisdom for church leaders and pastors aiming to establish healthier and more authentic leadership structures. Lance’s extensive experience and authoritative perspective position him as a valuable resource for reshaping leadership dynamics within the faith community.
You’re not wrong with those little red flags. When you go to the scripture again, you start seeing it. – Lance Ford
In this episode, you will be able to:
- Embrace authentic and servant-hearted leadership in your faith community.
- Explore the pitfalls of the mega-church model and its impact on leadership.
- Learn to shift the focus of leadership to Jesus for a more genuine approach.
- Understand the disillusionment with the leadership industrial complex and its effects.
- Implement healthier leadership structures for a more sustainable and impactful church.
Cultivating healthier leadership structures
Creating healthier leadership structures within the church is a salient issue across different denominations and sizes of churches. Institutions can draw on Jesus Christ’s teachings for inspiration, fostering a balance of power that encourages servant-hearted leadership. By shifting leadership paradigms and prioritizing the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ, churches can cultivate healthier communities that better serve their congregations and embody the true spirit of Christianity.
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
- Join the Difference Maker community by visiting www.patreon.com/aWorldofDifference to access exclusive interviews and engage in deeper conversations with difference makers like Lance Ford.
- Purchase a copy of Lance Ford’s book, “The Atlas Factor,” to gain insight into toxic leadership systems and find hope for healthier faith communities. The book is available for purchase on various online platforms and in bookstores.
- Connect with Lance Ford for coaching, consulting, and training on church leadership and systems by visiting www.theatlasfactor.com or emailing info@theatlasfactor.com.
- Consider engaging in self-care practices to support your mental and emotional well-being, especially if the conversation has brought up challenging experiences or emotions. Take time to breathe, engage your senses, and prioritize your own health and well-being.
- Explore the free trial option for the Difference Maker community to access exclusive interviews, polls, and engage in conversations that can help you make a difference in your own unique way.
The majority are good. Even some of the worst abusers that we could name today, you look back at their history, you talk to the witnesses that were around in the early days. They started out good. – Lance Ford
The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:02 – Introducing the Podcast and Guest
00:01:52 – Lance’s Background and Book
00:04:10 – Aha Moment
00:11:08 – Root Causes of Leadership Issues
00:14:15 – Church as a Platform for Narcissism
00:16:38 – The Evolution of Leadership
00:23:17 – Abuse of Power in Churches
00:27:04 – Jesus’ Approach to Power
00:29:32 – Impact of the System on Whistleblowers
00:30:21 – The Atlas Factor
00:33:33 – The Importance of the Atlas Vertebra
00:35:06 – Paul’s Teachings on Leadership
00:36:57 – Challenging Traditional Leadership Models
00:39:55 – Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance
00:46:03 – A Call to Action and Finding Support
00:49:19 – Importance of Metaphor and Theology
00:50:05 – Lance’s Approach and Authenticity
00:51:46 – Recognizing Red Flags
00:52:47 – Lance’s Empathy and Straightforwardness
00:55:21 – Self-Care and Encouragement
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:02 – Introducing the Podcast and Guest
Lori introduces the podcast and the guest, Lance Ford. She highlights his background as a pastor, church planter, and author, and emphasizes his new book, “The Atlas Factor.”
00:01:52 – Lance’s Background and Book
Lance shares his background as a pastor and network director, and his journey of questioning leadership in the church. He discusses his previous book, “Unleader,” and how it led to the writing of “The Atlas Factor.”
00:04:10 – Aha Moment
Lori asks Lance about his moment of realization regarding the leadership culture in the church. Lance shares his experience of being on staff at a large church and witnessing questionable behavior from influential leaders, leading to his realization of the epidemic.
00:11:08 – Root Causes of Leadership Issues
Lori and Lance discuss the potential causes of the toxic leadership culture in the church. They touch on the attraction of power and influence in faith-based organizations and the potential draw for individuals with narcissistic tendencies.
00:14:15 – Church as a Platform for Narcissism
The conversation delves into the allure of the church as a platform for individuals with narcissistic tendencies to fulfill their desire for power and control. They explore the dynamics that enable and perpetuate such behavior within church leadership.
00:16:38 – The Evolution of Leadership
Lance discusses his surprise at the newness of the concept of leadership, as evidenced by its absence in older dictionaries. He highlights the industrial revolution’s impact on the development of modern leadership theories.
00:23:17 – Abuse of Power in Churches
Lori and Lance discuss the specific impact of the industrial revolution on church leadership and the resulting burnout culture. They emphasize the need to address systemic issues rather than just symptoms.
00:27:04 – Jesus’ Approach to Power
Lance delves into Jesus’ teachings on power and leadership, emphasizing the contrast between worldly power dynamics and the servant leadership model promoted by Jesus.
00:29:32 – Impact of the System on Whistleblowers
The conversation explores the detrimental effects of the current leadership system on whistleblowers and women, highlighting the toxic masculinity and patriarchal structures within the church.
00:30:21 – The Atlas Factor
Lance introduces the concept of the Atlas factor as a metaphor for the burden placed on church leaders to carry the weight of the world. He explores the idea of decentralized leadership and the need to shift the focus onto Jesus as the true head of the church.
00:33:33 – The Importance of the Atlas Vertebra
Lance Ford discusses the significance of the atlas vertebra, its role in connecting the brain to the body, and how misalignment can affect overall health.
00:35:06 – Paul’s Teachings on Leadership
Paul’s writings in Ephesians are discussed, emphasizing the importance of the body of Christ and the misuse of titles such as “head pastor” in modern leadership models.
00:36:57 – Challenging Traditional Leadership Models
Lance encourages readers to re-examine their understanding of leadership by reading the Bible with fresh eyes and questioning the prevailing church growth and leadership models.
00:39:55 – Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance
The conversation delves into the challenges of navigating cognitive dissonance within the church, addressing the disconnect between what should be happening and what actually occurs in many church settings.
00:46:03 – A Call to Action and Finding Support
Lance offers support to those who have experienced abuse within the church, providing hope and practical resources for individuals and communities seeking positive change. He also shares his contact information for further assistance.
00:49:19 – Importance of Metaphor and Theology
Lance Ford discusses the significance of the metaphor of the Atlas factor and theological implications. He emphasizes the need for people to know they are not alone in dealing with toxic faith environments.
00:50:05 – Lance’s Approach and Authenticity
Lori praises Lance’s research synthesis and caring nature. She highlights his ability to give language to issues and communicate in a caring and loving manner. Lance’s authenticity in addressing hard truths is also commended.
00:51:46 – Recognizing Red Flags
Lori emphasizes the importance of recognizing red flags in toxic faith environments. She encourages listeners to pick up Lance’s book, “The Atlas Factor,” to gain insight into unhealthy church dynamics and toxic leadership.
00:52:47 – Lance’s Empathy and Straightforwardness
Lori appreciates Lance’s empathy towards marginalized individuals and his ability to synthesize information. She commends his straightforward yet caring approach in addressing toxic faith environments and interactions with people.
00:55:21 – Self-Care and Encouragement
Lori encourages listeners to engage in self-care and mindfulness after listening to the podcast. She affirms the value and worth of the audience, urging them to take care of themselves as they continue making a difference in the world.
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
1. Seek to understand the author’s intent.
If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
2. Seek to make your own voice heard.
We deeply desire and value the voice and perspective of our readers. However you may react to an article we publish or a fellow commenter, we encourage you to set forth that reaction is the most constructive way possible. Use your voice and perspective to move conversation forward rather than shut it down.
3. Share your story.
One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
In view of those suggestions for shaping conversation on our site and in an effort to curate a hospitable space of open conversation, Missio Alliance may delete comments and/or ban users who show no regard for constructive engagement, especially those whose comments are easily construed as trolling, threatening, or abusive.