These are the rough notes I used for my workshop on 'Effective Ministry as a Staff Pastor' at the national leaders conference. I originally planned something much different, but decided that I wanted to speak more from the heart than give lots of 'how to' tips and strategies.
FOR THOSE JUST GETTING STARTED IN MINISTRY...
Decide whether you’re called to full-time pastoral ministry. Not everyone is!
Know that there are other ways to serve God than full-time pastoral ministry. There are other good things you can do: you can write books, teach, be a motivational speaker, run a corporation. You can be a doctor, counselor, wealthy philanthropist…
Be sure you can make money in other ways!
Figure out really early whom you’re serving and why. Be completely honest with yourself.
Count the cost (Hope to marry? have kids? Buy a home?) There are implications.
Having said that: full-time pastoral ministry is a privilege. It’s a wonderful way to earn a living. It’s fascinating, challenging, stimulating, rewarding
WORKING FOR A SENIOR PASTOR
When assessing a potential senior pastor to work for, remember that the most important thing is their character (integrity, honesty, godliness), not their giftedness. Other things can be worked around.
Don’t work for a senior pastor whom you don’t personally like. You’re going to spend a considerable amount of time with this person. (not necessarily best friend material, but have to at least like them).
Make sure your senior pastor is someone who will support you and go to bat for you. Is he or she invested in you (e.g. time)?
How does the senior pastor care for those already working for them? How does he/she care for his/her family? Are they dysfunctional?
PRACTICAL STUFF FOR EARLY ON:
Get a detailed written job description and tack it up on your wall.
Full-time pastoral ministry is a job. Insist on regular performance evaluations. Ask questions about your salary and benefits. Get it in writing.
Full-time pastoral ministry is different than other jobs. Not a professional-client relationship. Higher standards of integrity. Greater expectations.
Get as much training as you can. Read books, go to conferences (including non-Vineyard), talk to other pastors.
Consider education: seminary, VLI, VBI, etc.
Start to figure out if you want to be a specialist (long-term associate, etc.) or a generalist (senior pastor). Don’t have to decide right away.
After a couple of years, ask for a few brutally honest assessments from those who know you and have seen you in action.
THINGS YOU'LL DISCOVER:
People who work for a church are sinners too.
There will be some disillusionment during your first years. That’s because you’re probably an idealist and/or a romantic.
Being in full-time ministry does not help your spiritual life.
Your motivations for going into ministry weren’t all good. Maybe not even mostly good. That doesn’t mean you weren’t called. Be real about it.
Ambition is OK. God wants and needs ambitious people. Be ambitious for good things. Confess and repent of ungodly ambitions.
Your senior pastor will not live up to some of your expectations. This is especially true if there is an age gap and you’re looking for a perfect mentor (father figure).
Full-time ministry is a job. You have paperwork, meetings, bureaucracy, boring stuff.
PRACTICAL ADVICE:
Keep your relationship with Jesus at the center. Don’t put your senior pastor, your spouse, your career, there.
Learn spiritual disciplines that work for you. Don’t give up.
Learn to be assertive. Speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Ask for what you need. Get things off your chest (but don’t dump).
Develop intimate friendships with other men. [acquaintance—companion—intimate friend] Go outside the church if necessary. Have accountability.
Keep envy and jealousy in check. This is not a zero-sum game. God is in charge.
(James 4:10) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
(1Pet. 5:6) Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.)
Cherish your family.
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10 years ago
2 comments:
perfect. if i ever get lucky enough to work with an associate, this will be required reading.
i love this - wish i could have been there at the conference. this is definitely from the heart stuff and really makes sense...everyone who works for a church should have to read it.
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