Have you ever listened to someone play a piano that is completely out of tune? Remember the sound? Awful! Good notes do not even sound good when the piano is out of tune.  There are two solutions for solving this problem: the first is obvious, tune the piano; the second is not so realistic, get rid of the pianist.

In 1953 Rene Coty, the former president of France, stated, “It’s a pity to shoot the pianist when the piano is out of tune.” This is a relevant quote for churches and their leaders who are struggling in difficult times. Most leaders value developing strategic plans. The central question; “Have strategies, plans, mission statements, and value statements become window dressing or plaques that we hang on the wall?” If these plans, statements, or strategies do not function in our day-to-day church world, why jeopardize our reputation in our communities?

My experience has been that without functional direction a church may be in trouble. If nothing else you may find yourself in survival mode. That mode leads to cost-cutting of programs and personnel. Here is a question to ponder; “Is it possible that good quality people that we are attempting to reach are not staying because the real problem is a lack of sufficient direction and strategy that affects the daily life of the church? Are we guilty of getting rid of the pianist before we tune the piano?

Tuning Tips For Leaders

• The majority of leaders meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail. Be certain you have clear functional goals. One of the primary manifestations of being out of tune is that people and departments are not on the same page. If the church’s plans are inadequate or incomplete, the whole church will be confused.
• There is a direct correlation between low morale and defective planning and goal-setting in a church. Constantly communicating your goals is essential! Having a plan is important – communicating that plan is IMPERATIVE!
• It is a fact that when people know the plan of action, enterprise energy increases, even if the outside world looks dismal. People like to know what to expect. Knowledge provides motivation, camaraderie, and encourages them to put their shoulder to the wheel.
• As Pastor, you are the Master Tuner. Some pastors do not know their church is out of tune. Whether it is a lack of understanding, or ego, or pride, these leaders believe that everyone is on the same page with them even when others believe otherwise. When pastors are not receptive to the voices of others, problems are compounded.
• If the church is playing the wrong music, getting rid of all of the piano players will not make lasting improvements. It is important for pastors to have more than one source of information – one source is too narrow. Albert Einstein stated; “The consciousness that created the problem cannot be the same consciousness that solves it!”

The educated ear that sings in perfect pitch – The pastor must be the motivator of the plans that God stirs. The pastor leads from the “middle C” on a piano, attempting to keep harmony with his leading. When the leader gets out of pitch or constantly changing the song altogether, confusion is sure to be the result!