While pastors are called to shepherd their flocks with compassion and grace, the reality is that some church leaders can display unexpected moments of harshness or unkindness. What drives this puzzling behavior in those meant to exemplify Christ’s love? Chuck Lawless tackles this sensitive yet crucial topic head-on in his latest exploration of church dynamics, following his widely-shared piece on mean church members. Drawing from years of pastoral observation, he uncovers ten eye-opening reasons behind pastoral “meanness” – a rarely discussed aspect of church life.