If I had a dollar for every time I have heard someone declare that the solution to the issue before them is to get rid of a minister or ministry leader, I’d be wealthy. Same goes for clergy who cast about for a program to import or a magic ministry wand to wave over whatever challenge is before them.

The seasoned minister was addressing a group of young clergy about some of the lessons learned on the job. You know, the ones you can’t learn in graduate school or from a book. These are the ones that matter most.  

One of his most insightful moments was the day he realized that “the cavalry ain’t coming.”  

He said he grew up watching cowboy and western movies that always ended the same way.  

Someone would get into trouble, face a huge predicament (tied to a railroad track, surrounded by the enemy, trapped in some impossible situation) and at the height of the drama when all seemed lost, the cavalry would appear on the horizon, riding to the rescue at just the right moment to save the day.  

This veteran minister, with a wry smile, looked out into the faces of the green ministers and said: “You have to understand, the cavalry ain’t coming.”  

It’s been years since I first heard this powerful truth, and I constantly relearn it.

Recently, I’ve found myself regularly repeating some version of it to congregations and clergy as they awake to the scale and scope of the challenges before them.  

One of the first and appropriate responses to any challenge is to ask, “What can we do to solve this problem?”  

Not surprisingly, we rightfully look for the easiest and simplest solution first. If the car won’t start, we check the battery. If the light is out, we replace the bulb.  

In congregational life, some of the issues we face can be solved with a phone call or a reassuring word.  

However, most of the issues before us require more complex responses than simple ones. The hard truth is that there are no easy solutions to our complicated issues.  

As much as we would like to believe otherwise, the cavalry ain’t coming. No idea or person is going to magically show up and rescue you from your predicament.  

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