Go to the XP-Indicator
The XP-I is a great tool! Things have changed, but like the frog in boiling water it is hard to recognize when you are right in the middle of it. Comparing my 2004 and 2005 XP-I results gave me valuable insight.
Jim Kuykendall, XP at Cross Timbers Church, Argyle Texas
Executive Pastor Indicator, 2nd edition
A free tool to examine church leadership & management
Now used by more than 1500 people to examine the role of the XP!
What Will It Tell Me?
You can have objective discussions about the role of the Executive Pastor with defined terms. Compare your results to others who have taken the Indicator. Understand the natural giftedness of your Executive Pastor or a Candidate. The XP-Indicator measures the Five Functions.
- The Administrator manages the business of the church.
- The Catalyst starts new ministries and invigorates older ones.
- The Mentor motivates staff to be their best; who is "on the bus" and who needs to "change seats."
- The Minister counsels, teaches and performs religious ceremonies.
- The Overseer leads and supervises ministry to ensure it is in line with the Senior Pastor's and Board's vision.
Thank your for your very timely XP Indicator evaluation. The test "indicated" that I am way above the average range on three of the five functions. This makes me a little uncomfortable as I want to make sure that I not only see my role accurately, but am functioning appropriately as well. Perhaps my scores are the result of my role as the Executive Director for our capital campaign. Several of the questions were specific in regard to strategic planning, building plans, contractors, budgeting, insurance, legalities, etc., which has been a large part of my current role. When I add to that the development of new ministries and reinvigorating existing ones, I am actually heading off the chart in the administrative and catalyst areas. Thank you very much for giving your time and sharing your gifts and insights. Blessings.
-Kristin Anderson, McPherson Free Methodist Church, McPherson Kansas
Uses and Benefits?
If just the XP completes the Indicator, this can be quite helpful. However, the Indicator is best when eight or more people respond. Yes, that's a lot of work, but it gives you a complete picture of the needs and roles of an XP. Such a mix of respondents can be:
- Senior Pastors define their desires of an XP.
- Executive Pastor understand how their gifts are similar and unique from other XPs.
- Staff Pastors gain perspective on their XP and can form a Pastoral Staff Profile (compilation of the responses of all staff pastors of a given church)
- Search Committees clarify the XP job description and define expectations before hiring; a committee can form a Search Profile (compilation of all committee members).
- Governing Board members, compiling results into a Board Profile
Go to the XP-Indicator
Charts
Each respondent receives a personalized chart. See charts of XPs with their job descriptions.
How 125 XPs see themselves ...
Senior Pastors see XPs as:
Elders see XPs as:
XPs see themselves as:
Staff Pastors see XPs as:
Overview of The Five Functions. Read more.
Go to the Administrator page, hosted by Bob Feitl
The Administrator and Overseer Functions are two halves of the same pie. The Administrator is the Manager while the Overseer is the Leader. The Administrator ensures that the engine is running at full capacity while the Overseer ensures that the car is moving the right direction. The Administrator functions as an Executive Officer. The Administrator often is a liaison between the governing board and others. The Administrator determines staff compensation, ensures budget development and receives advice on legal and insurance issues. The Administrator can serve as a Chief Operating Officer or have a subordinate COO, delegating building management, guiding the master planning process and facilitating hiring architects and contractors. The Administrator can operate as the Chief Financial Officer or have a subordinate CFO, often representing church-wide finances to the governing board and directing capital campaigns to fund new buildings.
Go to the Catalyst page, hosted by Stacey Campbell
The Catalyst helps envision, start and empower new ministries. The Catalyst challenges people to volunteer for and to improve ministry and lights fires to get people involved in ministry. The Catalyst networks ministries together to enhance effectiveness, seeks out opportunities for members to share the gospel and creates strategic plans for the church. Most Senior Pastors want their XPs to be a strong catalyst. This is because most Senior Pastors desire to cast vision and have the XP implement the vision, which includes challenging and reinvigorating ministries.
Go to the Mentor page, hosted by Dr. Nathan Baxter
The Mentor can work as the Chief of Staff, supervising staff and evaluating job descriptions. This may entail mentoring key staff, exhorting staff members as deemed necessary. The Mentor hires and terminates staff, except the Sr. Pastor, and recruits staff for any position as deemed necessary. The Mentor often runs staff meeting and retreats.
Go to the Minister page, hosted by Nicholas Smith
The Minister conducts weddings & funerals, counsels and disciples members, teaches a class or small group. Some of these activities are done so that the Sr. Pastor is free to pursue other ministries. The Minister may coordinate cases of church discipline with the governing board and may fill the pulpit when the Sr. Pastor is away. The Minister sees the Sr. Pastor as the spiritual leader, communicates with the Sr. Pastor about church ministry and often serves the Sr. Pastor by "taking things off Sr. Pastor's plate." Generally, XPs don't do a great amount of direct ministry. On the XP-Indicator, most XPs are below the baseline.
Go to the Overseer page, hosted by Warren Schuh
As stated about the Administrator Function, "the Administrator and Overseer Functions are two halves of the same pie. The Administrator is the Manager while the Overseer is the Leader (now the difference between manager and leader is a thorny one in literature on executives). The Administrator ensures that the engine is running a full capacity while the Overseer ensures that the car is moving the right direction. The Overseer attends meetings of the governing board, perhaps as a member. A key aspect of the Overseer is to implement the policies of the governing board. The Overseer monitors every ministry for the Sr. Pastor and governing board and often guards and gives advice on the schedule of the Sr. Pastor. The Overseer oversees all church ministries, managing ministry by delegated responsibility. A key aspect is that the Overseer implements the vision of the Sr. Pastor and fills the position as the "second in command" to the Sr. Pastor.
