14 Reasons Church Leaders Sometimes Coast

I don’t want to suggest that it happens often, but it does happen – some church leaders and staff members simply “coast” in their work and do little for God’s glory. Here are some reasons why this happens:

1. They serve alone. They serve in places where it’s just easy to minister alone (e.g., in a single staff church), and few people know what they’re doing day-to-day. It’s easy in those situations to stop pushing oneself.
2. They lack faith. For whatever reason, they’re struggling trusting God – so they don’t take many risks. Maintenance mode is the easiest mode to follow in those cases.
3. They’re simply exhausted. Ministry does wear out leaders, especially if they haven’t learned how to get rest. When you’re depleted, coasting may be the best you can do.
4. They lack accountability. No supervisor evaluates their work. Nobody questions what they do. They don’t have goals to meet, so they see no need to stretch themselves.
5. They’re lazy. I don’t know many lazy ministers, but I do know some. You probably do, too.
6. They’re in the process of moving. Few people know they’re talking to another church, but that process has re-directed their focus away from their daily work. It’s tough to cast vision when your eyes are on the next place.
7. They’ve been hurt. Yesterday’s wounds in church work can lead to apathy in the present.
8. They’re in the wrong seat on the bus. Their current role is neither their passion nor their calling. They’re doing the best they can do, but little intrinsic motivation drives them toward hard work.
9. They’re looking toward retirement. Decades of ministry have come and gone, and it’s time to think about stepping away. Once you make that decision, it’s difficult to press on with fervor for very long.
10. They’re dealing with private sin. Guilt and conviction are so great that it’s almost hard to even think about doing ministry.
11. Their home life is chaos. When your family is in disarray and every waking moment is focused on the pain, work becomes secondary.
12. They’re wrestling with their calling. They may not want to admit it yet, but they’re not sure God has called them to this task. Their questioning has led to a lack of leadership.
13. They think they’ve “arrived.” When you think this way, there’s no reason to expend excessive energy on work. You have nothing to prove if you believe you’re already the best.
14. Nobody around them models hard work. Occasionally, an entire staff takes on the personality of the primary leader. If that leader is coasting, others around him will do the same.

What other reasons come to mind for you? Do any of these reasons characterize your ministry?