Sutton Turner » Church Church Leadership Calling Executive Pastor Worship

One of the easiest ways an executive pastor can complement the lead pastor is by doing the things the lead pastor isn’t gifted to do.

“One of the most gifted Bible teachers alive today.” That’s what Pastor Mark is sometimes called. And he’s my pastor.

I am so blessed to work with him daily. The best part about our ministry partnership is that Pastor Mark and I don’t compete with one another—we complete each other based on our natural talents and spiritual gifts. Let me tell you: no one would ever describe me with the first sentence I wrote above. No one. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where is the lead pastor weak?

One of the easiest ways an executive pastor can complement the lead pastor is by doing the things the lead pastor isn’t gifted to do. The lead pastor needs to do the things that only he can do, and the executive pastor needs to do the things that he and the lead pastor can both do.

See, if both men can do the task, job, role, or meeting, then the executive pastor should do it. This is because there are many things that only the lead pastor can do, such as sermon prep, study, prayer, time with Jesus, researching for a book, meeting with mentors, etc.—all things that empower him to lead God’s people. If the executive pastor does the things that both of them can do, then the lead pastor is freed up to do the things that only he can do.

One of the easiest ways an executive pastor can complement the lead pastor is by doing the things the lead pastor isn’t gifted to do.

If he’s no good with numbers, your job is to manage the budget. If he can’t make it to every meeting because he needs time for sermon prep, then your job is to go to those meetings. Volunteer executive pastors probably won’t have time to take everything extraneous off of the lead pastor’s plate, so the first place to begin would be to help the lead pastor identify those priorities which need specialized attention.

More than any specific credentials an executive pastor might bring to the job, it’s important that his passions and interests complement the lead pastor. Whatever is draining for your lead pastor must be enjoyable to you. A lead pastor’s difficult work is an executive pastor’s joy. Even if that’s not 100 percent true all of the time, you love your lead pastor enough to take on the things he’s less equipped for, for the sake of the gospel. The highest and best use of his time is your objective. When the lead pastor is effective and on-target with his sermons and visionary leadership, the church thrives, and the message of Jesus moves forward.

If both men can do the task, job, role, or meeting, then the executive pastor should do it.

Be a leader, not just an assistant

It’s also important to remember the difference between an executive pastor and an executive assistant. “I have to view myself as a leader to do my job,” says Greg Hawkins, executive pastor at Willow Creek. “I’m not doing my job if I’m just an administrator.” An assistant helps the lead pastor do more; a second-in-charge overseer does more for the lead pastor.

When the lead pastor is effective and on-target with his sermons and visionary leadership, the church thrives.

In my life as an executive pastor, I have felt like a glorified assistant from time to time. To a certain extent, that’s OK. We must be humble and ready to serve in whatever capacity is most needed in the moment, whether the task is menial or complicated. But while an assistant accomplishes tasks for a lead pastor, a second-in-charge (2IC) allows the lead pastor to hand off major responsibilities entirely. An assistant mostly does work. A 2IC mostly leads others who do the work.

To a certain extent, it comes down to a matter of ownership and intentionality. Do you care about the church? Do you take responsibility for the work, even if you are doing it on someone else’s behalf? “Don’t look at yourself as number one’s errand runner,” Billy Hornsby advised in his book Success for the Second in Command. “You may be implementing someone else’s strategy, but treat it as your personal quest for success.”

 

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If you are interested in being trained and equipped further in ministry, consider applying to the Mars Hill Executive Pastor Residency Program.

 

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