Supporting Pastors are Not ‘Chairs’, but Equals [guest post]
In the world of youth ministers, education pastors, and other associate pastors, there is a misconception that these supporting ministers are likened to ‘second chairs’ to their senior pastors. In an orchestra, second chairs play to the lead of the first chair. This analogy of associate pastors to second chairs is an inherently incomplete comparison rife with misguided assumptions about the role of the associate pastor in relation to a senior pastor.
Working on a church staff under a senior pastor can be a rewarding experience but also a ministry killer. After interviewing dozens of associate pastors and youth ministers, one clear indicator of longevity of church staff is how much of a micromanger the senior pastor is. Many senior pastors feel that since they are the “one in charge” that seniors must direct every decision of their staff. The years of experience that the senior pastor has accrued leads many seniors to think that they know everything about ministry.
The role of the associate pastor/minister is not primarily found in hierarchical relationship to the senior pastor. Many associate job descriptions contain some vague reference to the effect of “complete duties assigned by the senior pastor”. Sometimes that phrase is used to cover an array of anything and everything under the sun that the senior pastor wants. Associates need clear guidelines of their duties.
When a church and its leadership see associates pastors and youth ministries as playing second fiddle to the senior pastor it leads a congregation to view the role of supporting minister as role primarily centered on hierarchy. Associate pastor ministry is a calling, not a step on the vocational latter of ministry. Accepting a ministry position as an associate pastor should come out of a sense that God desires to use your gifts in a particular way. Ministers on staff should be seen equally but with different callings to support the mission of the church. One senior pastor that I interviewed refuses to introduce his youth pastor as, “This is my youth pastor….” but introduces the youth minister as “This is one of our church pastors…” This minor difference signals to the church that staff ministers are highly valued as equals.
Using the imagery of first and second chair pastors is wrongly focused on power dynamic instead of the God given calling that God has given to the ministers of the Gospel. In one of the final addresses of Jesus to his disciples, our Lord said: “I don’t call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue…” (John 15:15-16 – ESV)
Clearly, Jesus sought to go beyond a relationship with his disciples that was found in a first-second relationship. Jesus communicated to the world that his disciples were equal in calling. In order for the fruit to continue in church ministry, associate pastors, youth ministers, and other staff ministers must be viewed equal in calling to their senior pastors. Though there is a supervisory role that will always exist, church leadership must empower their associates by affirming their calling in this equal calling dynamic.
=========
Rev. Alan Rudnick is the senior pastor of The First Baptist Church of Ballston in Spa, NY and is the author of “The Work of the Associate Pastor” from Judson Press. You can connect with him on Twitter: @alanrud, Facebook: http://facebook.com/alanrudnick and through his website http://alanrudnick.org.
The post Supporting Pastors are Not ‘Chairs’, but Equals [guest post] appeared first on In this Corner of the World - TerryLinhart.com.
