Liking Life under the Senior Pastor

This list was born in the fire of experience.

Within the first six months of my pastoral ministry, I came across an intriguing list entitled, “Twenty Don’ts for Young Pastors,” by Daniel F. Roth. He had written them on the flyleaf of a book discovered after his death. The don’ts were listed alone, with no illustrations, no esoteric, theological concepts, no long discussions. But the list was so practical that I couldn’t help but think that he had learned them the hard way—through experience.

Today we have an entirely new breed of young pastors, who often serve on the staff of a large church. Though their titles may vary, these staff ministers must relate to the senior pastor.

In my first year as an assistant pastor, I, too, developed a list of don’ts (and do’s), born of the fire of my experience.

Don’ts

1. Don’t harbor negative feelings. You may have noticed that the man you work for is human, prone to an occasional mistake. He may make an unintentional comment that hurts; sometimes he may even treat you as an employee rather than a brother; he may be abrupt. Through it all, it is your job to forgive freely. A grudge and bitterness will work on you like a parasite, mining your loyalty to the man and the church that hired you.

2. Don’t be blinded by another’s weaknesses. When you begin ministry in a new church, you will likely be unaware of the senior pastor’s weaknesses. Don’t worry: they will appear. Sometimes, however, they loom larger than they really are, simply because of your close relationship. But seeing weaknesses in others gives us a chance to let God work unconditional love in our hearts for them.

3. Don’t be drawn into unnecessary controversy. Almost before you are settled in, some parishioners will take it upon themselves to tell you certain facts about the senior pastor. When it happened to me the first time, I didn’t know how to react or what to do. I have since developed a strategy.

When someone complains, I first ask, “Have you talked with the senior pastor about this?” If the answer is yes (frequently it isn’t), I inquire, “Am I a part of the solution to this problem?” If the answer again is yes, I still proceed with caution. If it is a matter of serious concern, it should be brought to a meeting of all concerned, including the senior pastor.

4. Don’t make excuses. I learned that while working my way through college at a grocery store where I had a short-tempered boss. When I blew an assignment I would naturally try to explain why. But he seldom wanted to listen to my excuses. He would simply say, “Just do it right the next time.”

That lesson comes in handy when working with senior pastors. They are busy and concerned about your ministry and how it affects the church—but they seldom have time to sit and listen to you make excuses. Chances are, they won’t condemn you for a mistake, but will simply want you to “do it right next time.” Furthermore, a good, honest “I made a mistake” is better than trying to rationalize away blame.

5. Don’t view your present post as merely a prelude to something better. In many evangelical churches there is an unstated pastoral hierarchy. It means one must start as a youth minister before he can be an assistant pastor. A successful assistant might get to be an associate pastor. Finally, there is the pinnacle of senior pastorhood. The serious problem here is that sometimes a man will work in a church “just until he can get one of his own.” That is a tragedy. The most effective youth pastors don’t say that. They feel God’s call to work with youth where they are; they are excited about the field God has called them to cultivate today.

Such a “stepping-stone mentality” could carry over into later ministry. Then, the reasoning may be, “I’m just here until I can get something bigger.”

Do’s

1. Work to help make your boss a success. Our job as pastors is to make our Lord known and give him glory for the fruit produced in our ministry. Most pastors want to glorify God, not themselves.

You should not have joined the staff if you were not convinced that the pastor you wanted to work with had a vision for that church with which you could agree. When you are part of a team, your job is to support the senior pastor in what he believes is the direction the church should be moving. Pastors going in different directions will eventually be split.

2. Offer your insight and suggestions. You are responsible to provide input into directing the church.

Recently, an associate pastor and I discussed a new program for the large church he serves. He was convinced it would be a good program for that body of believers, but felt he could not talk to the senior pastor about it because, he said, “I don’t think he’d go for it.”

But it is an associate’s job to make suggestions and to offer his unique insights. The Lord can use a junior staff person to bring something valuable to that church.

3. Allow God to help you be positive. There are many discouragements in the ministry, but they won’t be fatal if your attitude says, “I’m going to do the best job I can for Jesus; the rest is in his hands.” Some ministers are so busy that they forget about their devotional life and personal prayer time. These are essential for a continuing positive attitude.

4. Keep the lines of communication open. I once forgot to tell my senior pastor about a member who had been admitted to the hospital. While some lapses in communication are almost inevitable, don’t let them happen often or your senior pastor will wonder what else you are forgetting.

5. Be loyal: remember that you are a part of the church you are serving. You have a vital interest in its people, its leaders, and its programs. Be loyal to the people you work with and for. If your senior pastor knows you are behind him 100 percent, he will have an extra measure of freedom to go on to other things. Be loyal, and give your full enthusiasm to each project.

Mr. Hunt is associate pastor of Mount Hood Assembly of God Church in Parkdale, Oregon.

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