Surviving in a Dysfunctional Organization

Joe Smith walked into his first interview with hope. The leadership team of a faith-based organization welcomed him warmly. They spoke of Christlike values and a heart for transforming lives through God’s Word. Their words carried conviction, and when they offered him a role “with open hands,” Joe believed he was stepping into something fruitful—a place where collaboration, service, and authentic faith would flourish.

But within a year, cracks appeared.

Joe could see that what was promised and what was practiced were two very different things. Collaboration gave way to leadership bottlenecks. Transparency was hidden behind self-preservation. Leaders who spoke of shared values filtered decisions through defensiveness and preferential biases. Processes shifted depending on political pressure, leaving teammates confused and frustrated.

Joe noticed the dysfunction wasn’t only organizational—it was deeply personal. Broken leaders carried serious moral compromises and spiritual struggles. Leaders used control as a shield. He was reminded of God’s description of mankind, “Man did what was right in their own eyes.”  Judges 17:6 & 21:25  

Yet in the middle of the mess, Joe himself, if he was honest, recognized he wrestled with selfishness and self-preservation within the organizational walls.  Somehow, God was still at work within him and the organization. Prayers were spoken. Small acts of care surfaced. Even through cracks of dysfunction, the Spirit pressed forward.

And Joe learned lessons he never expected.

1) He discovered that his safety did not rest in the approval of leaders, but in Christ alone.
2) He realized he didn’t need to fight back, prove himself, or defend his worth.
3) He found freedom in calmly responding to accusations and surrendering anxious thoughts at the cross.
4) And he came to trust that the Holy Spirit would supply what he needed in tense moments.

Joe walked in expecting a integrity and faithful expressions of Christian values. Instead, he found imperfection wrapped in religious words. But in that imperfection, he learned a deeper truth:

Faithfulness is not measured by the integrity of the system around us—it is measured through being surrendered to God, focused on Jesus as his anchor, when the system and people falter.

“The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27