It's amazing to see people in San Diego react to rain...we can become whiny, angry and sullen. We act like babies who aren't getting our way fast enough. Sometimes we react to ministry "rain" like that, too. But in dealing with challenges in our ministry, we need to act like a leader.

How do leaders react to challenges? I think there are a number of characteristics that define a leaders reaction, including:

• Measure your reaction - you are the leader and, like it or not, you are being watched. Under or over-reaction could exacerbate the problem, alienate people, or undermine your ability to deal with the challenge properly.
• Distance yourself - most challenges don't need to be addressed immediately. Our natural tendency, though, is to want to get it dealt with. Sometimes (most of the time!) it's better to distance ourselves, calm down and think before we make any effort to solve a problem. When we do this, often times we realize the challenge isn't as great as we thought.
• Get the facts - you cannot make a wise decision or be confident in moving in any direction without first getting as many facts as possible. If it's a "people problem", make sure you know both sides as well as you can before addressing the issue. If it's a "program problem", make sure you understand where you've been, why you (or others) want change, and what the ramifications are before making that change. This step involves talking with others and getting valuable input from those who are dealing with the issue or have dealt with the issue (like other leaders who've been in your shoes).
• Make a response - once you've done all you can to see the big picture, move forward with addressing whatever the challenge may be.
• Be patient - dealing with challenges involves change, and change is rarely easily accepted. You might have to remove a volunteer - someone is going to be offended and not like what you've don, perhaps even gossip about it. You might have to make a program change - the people involved in the program may not like it because they haven't caught the vision for what's new. You might have to deal with a "high maintenance" staff or volunteer - they probably won't like you holding them accountable to have correct attitudes and serving others.

Whatever the "rain" might look like in your ministry, be sure to act like a leader and deal with it properly.