I remember the day well. I was in my first church staff position as a youth and music pastor at First Assembly of God in Huron, South Dakota. My senior pastor asked me to come to his office and talk with him.

Being new to the ministry and eager to please, I welcomed the opportunity to chat. We discussed how things were going for me in my ministry. He asked questions, and I gave him answers that reflected my excitement.

I am not sure whether he thought I did not understand the need to take risks or I did not understand his leadership style, but I will never forget what he told me and how I felt as a result.

My pastor looked at me with an intense, firm, yet compassionate gaze, and said, “Dennis, I want you to make three big mistakes every month you are here.”

At first I thought I had misunderstood him, and asked, “What did you say?”

He repeated his words again, this time with a smile. “I want you to make three mistakes every month.”

I could not believe it.

“You want me to make three mistakes every month?” I asked. “I thought you brought me here to be successful, to be effective in reaching youth, and to help them grow in their relationship with the Lord and with each other.”

“I did,” he replied. “I do want you to be effective in your ministry.”

Pastors need the freedom to fail to learn to be successful in what God has called them to be and do.

“Then why do you want me to make mistakes?” I asked.

I will never forget his answer because it has helped me through 31 years of ministry.

“I want you to be successful in ministry,” he said. “To do that you will need to stretch yourself, dream new dreams, think new ideas, and try new things. Some of your new dreams and ideas will work; some will not. I want you to have the freedom to fail.”

“You mean it’s OK to fail at some things?” I asked.

“Yes,” he confidently answered. “I have, and you will too.”

I cannot describe the feeling of relief that came over me. I could fail and my pastor would not be upset with me.

From that day, until years later when God moved me to another ministry location, I not only felt his support for me and my ministry, but I also felt I had a pastor who understood my desire to succeed and my fear of failure. He gave me permission to fail so I could learn to succeed.

I began to realize that failure does not mean I am a failure. I began to understand that effectiveness in ministry does not mean everything I do will be successful.

Failure sometimes shows that an idea, plan or way of doing ministry is not always the best way, and inspires people to find more effective methods.

I do not know any pastor who wants to fail in the ministry God has given him. No one desires to be known as a failure. Pastors desire to be successful in fulfilling their ministry pursuits.

What I did not know, until my pastor helped me understand, was that pastors need the freedom to fail to learn to be successful in what God has called them to be and do.

As a leader, ask yourself:

• Do I give my staff the freedom to fail?
• How do I react when someone under me fails?
• Do they have permission from me to make mistakes without experiencing my wrath or extreme disappointment?
• Do I realize that if I do not give them permission to fail, their mistakes may cause them to distance themselves from me, or even limit their desire to try again?

Failure is not something we want, but something we need the freedom to experience.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2007 Enrichment Journal.