From First Chair to Second Fiddle | LeadershipJournal.net

Approaching our graduation from seminary, my husband and I took the pastor of our church to lunch and asked if he had any advice as we prepared to start our ministry journey.

Nick's wise words have never left us. Yet while many in ministry would profess agreement with his advice, we live in a culture that expects upward progress. And in pastoral ministry, that climb leads to the senior pastorate.

In some churches, only the top dog is even referred to as "pastor." After several years on ministry staff as an associate, my husband received his first opportunity to preach to the entire congregation. When we got home after the service, we found a message on our answering machine: "That was such a great sermon, I was wondering: have you ever thought about being a pastor?"

The senior pastor role is typically equated with the greatest opportunity for authority and impact. But is it?

A recent online poll by a major newspaper found that, in the business world at least, an overwhelming 75 percent of respondents did not want to be the boss in their work setting.

Here are the stories of three ministry leaders who had a taste of life at the top but realized that not only did they not want to be the boss, they were actually better suited for a supporting role. As a result, they took a step down the ladder, and ended up where they felt God wanted them.

Why Not the Top?

While Tom Lamkin, Rick Thoman, and Tom Curtright each followed a different path back to an associate role, several themes emerged in their stories. These themes can serve as clues for other ministry leaders who may be wondering about the role most suitable for them.

Gifting. Not everyone called into ministry is gifted for the senior pastor role. Leaders who are gifted more specifically rather than generally, or who have a passion for a certain life-stage or type of ministry, will often thrive in a staff setting where they can minister more specifically out of their strengths and passions.

Personality. Similar to the issue of giftedness, some individuals find they do not possess the personality most often associated with the "lead dog" role. Instead, these individuals shun or even avoid the driver's seat, preferring to seat themselves in a supporting role on the bus.

Calling. Some leaders have never even sensed a nudging toward a senior pastor position. Others, however, realize their true calling only after trying unsuccessfully to fill shoes that have been designed for someone else.

Contentment. Everyone, even senior pastors, will find their career trajectory plateauing at some point. "Bigger and better" positions don't keep appearing. Contentment is not found on the next rung of the career ladder.

Influence. While the first chair is typically viewed as the seat with the most influence to create and cast vision, associates can have equal impact in terms of actual influence and day-to-day relationships. John Maxwell's book, The 360 Degree Leader, is an excellent in-depth look at how individuals can have significant impact on an organization even when they aren't first chair.

While eager to dive into full-time ministry immediately after seminary, Tom Curtright looked around him and saw fellow seminarians searching for a year or more before finding positions in existing churches.

"I thought, Do I want to search and search for a year to try and find a job, or do I want to just get started?" Curtright recalls. "One of the best avenues into my denomination was church planting. Maybe this wasn't a wise decision, but I opted to just get going."