Ministries, and specifically the local church, are facing difficult days.  For many, it was only heightened when the ministry or church turned onto the “Trump-Covid-2020 Political Highway.” They lost their focus, their calling and mission, and decided to turn onto a road that was something other than “Church Street.”

That turn has resulted in many ministry leaders and pastors facing significant problems and criticism.  Some problems are reflective of the prophetic course of events — as we approach the last days.  Other problems may have nothing to do with following the Lord or the Scriptures, but may be of their own doing.

Some leaders will attempt to manage the problems. Others will seek to solve them. 
You probably can’t do both at the same time.

I say that you probably can’t do both because trying to manage a sticky situation usually interferes with the solution.  It constantly compromises the solution. “Managing” is at odds with the resolution, in that it seeks to avoid what the solution – resolution requires.

The solution-resolution dictates that “this-or-that” be done, but as one seeks to manage the problem, doing the “this-or-that” is dismissed and/or avoided.

What you ought to do, what you need to do, what is so obviously right to do, is pushed aside by trying to manage the situation, by trying to resolve the problem without doing what the solution dictates!

More than likely, if we have any years of experience (or if we are married, if we have raised children, if we work in the competitive world of business), we have felt that pull of “managing a problem”  — figuring out a way out of a problem that makes it all easier, more palatable, less humiliating or embarrassing, better on the self-image, and/or less painful.

. . . . 

√ “Managing” puts the solution on top of the list, instead of people & relationships.

√ “Managing” looks for a way out, instead of going deeper in, instead of a willingness to find out what has actually taken place and our role in it.

√ “Managing” seeks to solve the wrong problem — that of addressing personal guilt and a softening the blow to the ego.

. . . . .

. . . . 

Some leaders will attempt to manage the problems. Others will seek to solve them. 
You probably can’t do both at the same time.