Redesigning church leadership
The third part of the series “Where have all the pastors gone?” moves from diagnosis to solution.
Recently, I spoke with another pastor turned church leadership coach and consultant. Her observation about today’s pastors was strikingly simple: we expect them to do everything. She regularly coaches pastors struggling under the expectation that they become their church’s expert-of-all-trades. Preacher, shepherd, counsellor, strategist, administrator, conflict manager, staff leader, theologian, community leader – and whatever else a week requires.
Canadian Christian leader Brian Stiller recently described even small churches as “intricate ecosystems,” with pastors expected to function as some combination of shepherd, CEO, counsellor, teacher, strategist and even custodian.
Perhaps, then, the answer to “Where have all the pastors gone?” isn’t simply making pastors tougher or more resilient. Perhaps we need to redesign the leadership environment in which we’re asking them to serve.
It’s our job first
First, we can move from hiring a minister to becoming a ministering church.
This is a subtle but important difference. Churches shouldn’t hire pastors to do the ministry. They should call pastors to lead and participate in the ministry God has entrusted to the whole body. As Paul reminds us, pastors and teachers are called to “equip his people for works of service” (Eph. 4:11-12). Pastors preach, teach, shepherd and lead – but elders, deacons and members also bring gifts God intends his church to use.
The healthiest leadership question isn’t, “What is the pastor going to do about this?” but “Who has God already placed among us to help carry this ministry?”
Drop the ideals
Second, perhaps we should stop searching for the ideal pastor and start calling the right pastor.
Read enough pastoral profiles and the problem becomes obvious. We want an exceptional preacher and compassionate shepherd; a visionary leader who is also an excellent administrator; someone who attracts young families, visits seniors, manages conflict, develops staff, disciples leaders and connects with the community.
Who wouldn’t want that pastor? The problem is finding someone who possesses all those gifts.
What if churches became much more honest about the gifts they actually need – and then intentionally built leadership around the gifts their pastor doesn’t possess? That isn’t settling for less. It is understanding the body of Christ.
Church health
Finally, we need to begin thinking beyond pastoral sustainability toward church health.
A church whose ministry, relationships and direction depend too heavily upon one person is fragile. Healthy churches develop leaders, identify gifts, share responsibility and build ministries capable of continuing through inevitable pastoral transitions.
The goal, therefore, isn’t simply to prevent pastors from burning out. It is to build churches in which pastors – and congregations – can flourish together.
And that brings us back to where this three-part series began. Young Christians are still sensing God’s call to ministry. Many simply aren’t choosing the local church.
What if they encountered congregations that celebrated their particular gifts without expecting them to possess every gift? Where leadership was genuinely shared? Where healthy boundaries weren’t interpreted as a lack of commitment? Where pastor and congregation understood that they were pursuing God’s calling together?
Pastoral ministry would still be difficult. Shepherding God’s people always has been. But it might once again look like a calling worth pursuing. Perhaps the question “Where have all the pastors gone?” isn’t enough.
Maybe we also need to ask: “What kind of churches are we asking them to come back to?”
