5 Ways Pastors Can Avoid Losing Their Way
At some point, you have likely sung the words, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love…”[1] Though the soothing melody softens the blow, it’s a frighteningly true statement for Christ-followers—especially those in leadership.
In fact, one study of Christian leaders found that only 1 in 3 finish well.[2]
Aware of our own propensity to wander, we researched what causes leaders to lose their way. Although strong currents pull us away from a faithful finish, we identified five essential practices of leaders who remain steadfast and mission true for a lifetime.
- Acknowledge your propensity to wander.
Leaders who think they aren’t vulnerable to losing their way won’t be aware of the subtle but significant impact of small compromises. When they hear of others’ falls or drift, they might think “How could they let that happen?” rather than, “How can I make sure the same doesn’t happen to me?”
Humble introspection is required to ask where, not if, we, too, are slowly drifting.
- Focus on who you are, not what you do.
Henri Nouwen wrote that we inhabit “a world constantly trying to convince us that the burden is on us to prove that we are worthy of being loved.”[3] In our quest to earn what God says we inherently possess, we too often run roughshod over relationships, failing to love God and others well. Our first effort must be to reframe our way of thinking, to recognize that entirely apart from our achievements, aspirations, and machinations, we are the beloved of God, who absolutely delights in his children.
- Slow down.
When the life of a leader is rushed, it’s hard to see when and where we’ve gotten off course. We become so preoccupied with doing that we fail to pause and ask if the things we’re doing are aligned with our mission. Speed limits our vision, depriving us of the ability to see beyond the immediate future and beyond ourselves to those around us.
Avoiding drift requires a change of pace: a time and place to regularly pause, consider, and take stock. We won’t know that we’re veering off course unless we slow down enough to look up and check our location.
- Pray and obey.
Pastors who finish well prioritize prayer—not as a last resort, but as a non-negotiable first priority. Prayer is an essential guardrail that recenters us and reminds us who we are and who God is. Amid the immense pressures of pastoral leadership, mission true pastors pray and remember, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29).
- Keep others close.
On a safari tour in Akagera National Park, Rwanda, our guide pointed to a lone gazelle grazing and asked, “Do you know what that is called?”
“Gazelle!” someone helpfully offered.
“Dinner,” he replied.
1 Peter 5:8 warns that our enemy “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” And isolation makes us vulnerable. Leaders who drift often do so quietly, without notice, because they lack close relationships with others willing to ask hard questions or offer correction.
We need more than companions; we need friends who know us deeply and will speak the truth for the sake of our souls.
Who knows you fully? The Johari Window, developed by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, helps us see that we all have a “hidden area”—known to ourselves but undisclosed to others. Any growth in this area is a warning sign to pause, ask difficult questions, and invite trusted friends into the conversation.
If you’re ready to take practical steps toward finishing well, we’ve created a set of free tools to help you reflect, recalibrate, and refresh your leadership journey. Access the free resources at howleaderslosetheirway.com—and press on toward a faithful finish.
[1] Robert Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” 1758, https://hymnary.org
/text/come_thou_fount_of_every_blessing.
[2] J. Robert Clinton, “Listen Up Leaders!” (Barnabas Publishers, 1989), 7, https://
clintonleadership.com/resources/complimentary/ListenUpLeaders.pdf. Not all the
leaders Clinton identified were described in enough detail to be evaluated, but of
those who were, only about 30 percent finished well by Clinton’s definition. Although
Clinton conducted his research decades ago, there’s no reason to believe that what
has been true for millennia has changed in recent years.
[3] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World (New
York: Crossroad, 1992), 129.
Peter Greer and Jill Heisey are co-authors of How Leaders Lose Their Way, available September 16 from IVP.
Peter Greer is president and CEO of HOPE International, a global nonprofit working to alleviate physical and spiritual poverty in 29 countries around the world. Peter’s favorite part of his role is spending time with the remarkable entrepreneurs HOPE serves. A graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School, Peter has co-authored over 15 books, including Lead with Prayer, Mission Drift, Rooting for Rivals, and How Leaders Lose Their Way. While his sports loyalties remain in New England, he lives with his wife, Laurel, and their four children in Lancaster, PA.
Jill Heisey is a writer who is passionate about helping leaders and nonprofits share their stories. She has collaborated on the books Lead with Prayer, Rooting for Rivals, and The Gift of Disillusionment; written the children’s book Keza Paints a Bright Future; and authored articles featured on Christianity Today’s Better Samaritan blog. Jill graduated from Messiah University with degrees in politics and Spanish and resides outside Washington, DC, with her husband, Bryan, and their two daughters.
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