Coming back from vacation should mean easing back into rhythm—but instead, I walked into six or seven different crises. Different churches, different situations, but the same underlying reality: people are angry. Boards are tense. Congregational conversations escalate fast. Social media outrage doesn’t stay online—it walks right into Sunday morning. So, what’s really going on? And more importantly, how do we pastor faithfully in a moment like this without becoming reactive ourselves?

The Formative Power of Media

• News media monetizes outrage.
• Many people are discipled more by cable news and social media than Scripture.

Why Congregational Anger is Rising

• Discipleship Failure – Signs of shallow discipleship:
• Political identity eclipses baptismal identity.
• Low emotional regulation.
• Confusing conviction with hostility.
• Inability to disagree without rupture.
• A War in the Heavenlies
• The devil is a distractor and an aborter. Refuse to play his game.
• Become aware of the battle in the spiritual realm.

What Can a Leader Do?

• Lead like Jesus – John 13:3–4
• Self-differentiated leaders:
• Lead from their identity.
• Refuse to mirror emotional reactivity.
• They understand influence vs. authority
• Follow best practices:
  • Lower the Temperature.
  • Teach Media Discernment as part of discipleship.
  • Model and teach identity – Luke 3:21-22
  • Model and teach the fruit of the Spirit (especially gentleness and self-control).
  • Lead your board well.

3 Closing thoughts:

• Anger is contagious. So is calm.
• The church has always existed in anxious times.
• Our call is not to partisanship . . . but occasionally we’re called to speak prophetically. Know the difference.