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The Roles of a Lead (Senior) Pastor

Chooses competent, self-starting, team playing staff and swiftly removing those who prove not to be team players.

Builds an effective team by developing relationships and serious equipping.

Embeds the DNA in the lead leadership team and insures that the DNA permeates everything done by the congregation.

Models servanthood and the Great Commandment in all of his/her relationships.

Identifies, recruits, equips, deploys, and coaches the core level of paid or unpaid leaders. ÝDeciding who is core to the overall ministry is one of the major keys to leadership.

Constantly coaches the core leaders. Helping staff succeed is a high priority. Stays out of the way of staff and allows them to blossom.

Keeps himself or herself self spiritually fit. (Jesus was on vacation most of the time- withdrew)

Insures that all paid and unpaid staff embody the DNA. The role the lead pastor plays in the staffing of a church will determine much of the effectiveness of the ministry.

Makes the decisions no one else wants to make.

Makes the right financial decisions.

Embraces mistakes.

Evaluates staff.

In relationship to the staff, the Senior Pastor challenges the staff to risk, learn, and fulfill their potential. Empowers the staff to make autonomous decisions and to act creatively; and provides the environment in which creative tension motivates staff to adding value to the team.

Effective Senior Pastors combine but see the difference between function and relationship. Function = supervision, evaluation, rewarding, correcting, equipping, etc.Ý Relationship = team building, friendship, family spirit, etc.Ý This role must be played by the Senior Pastor no matter what staff configuration the Senior Pastor chooses. Some achieve this by one or more of the following: Attending either daily or weekly coffee hours; Holding annual, semi-annual, or quarterly retreats for all the staff (at least once a year is essential in any model); Meeting with each individual each week; Having each lead staff for dinner in their home on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Process Time:

How much time do you spend each week in each of these areas?Ý What would you have to do to change the way you spend your time so you could do more of the above?

Does equipping come natural to you or do you find it easier to just do the ministry?

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