Pastoral Leadership

I meet once or twice each year with the senior men of West Coast Baptist College to discuss ministry philosophy and personal growth. As we met last month, I was encouraged by their sense of anticipation and eagerness for getting into the ministry.

There is nothing more rewarding than to come alongside a new Christian and help ground him in God’s Word, encourage his faith, and guide him in new patterns of Christian living.

Every pastor has former church members and former workers. It has been said that the average life of a church worker is seven years. That may be the average, but I am sure it is not God’s intended norm. Here are a few simple thoughts to help people be faithful in the work of God over a long period of time.

There is no greater leader, than the Lord Jesus. Two thousand years after His brief earthly ministry, the impact of His leadership is still being felt, books are written about Him, universities named after Him, churches meet weekly to worship Him, He was a leader among all leaders because people today are still following him! Why did people follow Jesus?

You can’t miss the urgency and passion with which Jesus carried out His ministry. Throughout His ministry, He spoke of musts, such as, “I must work the works of Him that sent me” (John 9:4).

We should strive to make disciples, and that process of discipleship should begin at the doorway of the local church when someone desires to unite with the body of Christ.

North Valley Baptist Church was started by Pastor Calvin Blanton in the downtown area of Phoenix, Arizona, in 1956. For twenty-eight years Pastor Blanton faithfully led his congregation until he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 1984.

It’s a conversation I’ve had many times: High Schooler: I don’t know what I should do when I finish high school. Maybe I should go to trade school or university. Me: Have you considered attending a year of Bible college?

Christians across America are frustrated. Some are discouraged. Some are fearful. Some are hopeless. Our culture is shifting before our very eyes, and there seems to be little to nothing we can do to stop it. We see the decaying morals and we sense the intolerance toward Christians growing around us.

If you’ve served the Lord any length of time, you know that the outward expressions of service don’t guarantee a consistent heart for the Lord. The same is true of serving on a church staff. Being in the ministry is no guarantee that you will be strong as a Christian or that you will be diligent in the spiritual disciplines of following God and serving His people.

Special days, such as Easter Sunday, are a great time for extensive soulwinning in your community. But sharing the gospel is not just a once-or-twice-a-year responsibility for the local church. It is to be our great priority. It is the mission with which Christ left us.

Most of us have more ideas than time. That’s a good problem. It’s better than more time than ideas, for sure. The danger, however, is that we develop a tendency to also have more half-started projects than we have involvement. Once we’re convinced that an idea is something God has laid on our hearts—whether that be a new ministry, building, activity or event, project, or program—how do we act on it to bring it to completion?

Have you ever delegated a responsibility to someone who didn’t follow through? Or who didn’t care to do it the way you wanted it done? God has made pastors overseers of His flock.

“What God has done is miraculous.” This was the recurring statement made by Mike Edwards when interviewed about Heritage Baptist Church in Woodbridge, Virginia. Dr. Edwards has been the pastor for thirty-four years.

If there is anything you learn over years in ministry, it is that victory doesn’t “just happen.” But you don’t have to learn that by experience. You can see it in the example of David’s preparation and charge to Solomon for the temple. From David’s earliest desires to see the temple built to Solomon’s completion of it, there was a process that included steps of victory you and I can follow today.

For years, a small group of believers burdened for an independent Baptist church in the Oakland Bay Area prayed for a miracle.

Over the past thirty years, there are many types of activities that have come and over time been discontinued on our annual church calendar. But our January Winter Revival is not one of them. In fact, this Sunday began our thirtieth consecutive year of these meetings. Each year, our guest speaker has been Dr. John Goetsch, and the Lord has used his preaching to convict, stir, and renew our hearts.

We live in a cynical and condemning world. In case you haven’t noticed, the ministry isn’t getting any easier. Studies show that Americans have a less favorable view than ever of fundamental Christianity. In fact, much of the world hates our beliefs. Recently USA Today reported that fifty-seven percent of Catholics had a favorable view of Muslims, while only forty-six percent had a favorable view of fundamental Christians!

As we gain momentum, Satan works to ruin it. And we can easily aid in that process if we don’t guard our hearts, serve as team players, and remain committed to serve. Here are some of the common ways a pastor or staff member can unintentionally ruin momentum on a church staff team:

One of the joys of ministry is striving together with others for the faith of the gospel. I’m thankful that I get to work and enjoy fellowship with pastors of all ages. Here at West Coast Baptist College, I have the privilege to invest in young men preparing for the ministry, and as I’m in conferences and meetings around the country, I am able to preach and fellowship with men who are seasoned, just getting started, and everywhere in between.