Who does church leadership involve besides the pastor?
Church leadership centers in the pastor but does not stop there. It also involves his leadership of lay people, whether they are called elders or deacons. The congregation will rise no higher than that leadership takes them, so both pastor and lay leaders matter.
Les explains that a church will rise no higher than its leadership. That leadership naturally centers in the pastor, but it does not stop there. It also involves the pastor's leadership of lay people, whether they are called elders or deacons; the title is beside the point. The congregation will rise no higher than that leadership takes them. He applies the same principle to everyday relationships: we become like the people with whom we spend the most time. He recalls a politician's cliche, "If you're going to run with skunks, you're going to smell like them," illustrating how running with people of no integrity rubs off.