Catalyst | The Leadership Filter for What’s Next in the Church
The Leadership Life of the Senior Pastor, Part 3
By Dan Reiland
Senior Pastor, when I wrote Shoulder to Shoulder, Strengthening Your Church by Supporting Your Pastor (Thomas Nelson), I was thinking of you. It can apply to all pastoral staff, but the core of the idea encompasses the role of the senior leader and raising up a church of strong, committed people.
I’d seen too many staff and members of a local congregation attempt to “fix” the pastor rather than come alongside and support him or her. I was determined to do something. Shoulder to Shoulder speaks into these issues in a positive and productive way with chapters like “I thought my pastor was supposed to support me,” “Champion your pastor’s humanity,” and “I’m not sure I even like my pastor.” (Other chapters deal with maturity of the believer with topics from serving to tithing.) The book is widely used today in various environments from small groups to church boards. By the way pastor, the intended readers of the book are the people who attend your church.
So, what is the point in all this? And what’s with the shameless plug of my book? The point is that the role of senior pastor is a difficult one. I’m not whining on your behalf, I know many jobs are difficult. But your role is unusual and greatly misunderstood. Hey, some people really do think pastors work one day a week!! It’s unbelievable. And for those that suspect you might work more, they have no idea what you do: everything from daily administration to financial issues, staff issues, board issues, sick people, new people, unhappy people, sermons to write, problems to solve, buildings to build, new technology to keep up with, IRS regulations to learn, worship style, children’s ministry, student ministry, political overtones, social justice, community involvement, prayer meetings, salvation, and of course the decision on the color of the new carpet. The church never sleeps and unfortunately, that is nearly the experience of the pastor as well.
