Jack and Suzy Welch, in BusinessWeek (Nov 17), cited three reasons Obama won. I already discussed the first two: clear vision and execution. Here's the third.

3. Friends in high places. "From the start, Obama had ­support from the media, which chose to downplay controversies involving him. Meanwhile, after the primaries, McCain began to take a beating."

Welch then talks about having the support of your board. "Every time you try to usher in change, some people will resist. They may fight you openly in meetings....But in the end, if your board has your back, defeat can be turned into victory. That's why you need to start any leadership initiative with your 'high-level friends' firmly by your side, convinced of the merits of your character and policies."

This, obviously, applies to pastors. Cultivate supporters. Don't just plunge into an initiative, convinced of its merits and that, therefore, everyone will just happily tag along. Lone Ranger preachers don't do well at any size of church.

"You may have winning ideas," Welch concludes, "but you need much more to win the game."

From my denominational perch, I've certainly seen many situations in which a pastor had the right ideas--a good vision for the church--but flopped in trying to implement it. Welch is saying that John McCain had good ideas, but that wasn't enough. Even Ron Paul and Dennis Kucenich had some good ideas, and they can rest content on the righteousness of their ideals.

But to bring about true change, you must be more than a one-trick pony.