Three Items I Learned at the XP-Seminar that Worried Me
For the last few years, I have spoken at the XP-Seminar, except for the Snow-Covid Seminar a few years ago. The seminar is one of my few live speaking gigs every year. David and Tami […]
2 Temptations Church Leaders Face When Visiting Other Churches
Taking time to visit other churches in your area or across the country is a great way to grow in your leadership. I love seeing a church in action and I always come away with […]
Bring Your Questions: Get answers and try to stump the chumps
Get answers and try to stump the chumps
Once a year we do an open question time. This is your opportunity to bring any church question. Ask anonymously as no names or locations are ever cited […]
Pastoral Heart vs. Business Brain
Balancing Giftedness in the XP role
Nick Smith is an XP with a huge Pastoral Heart. He exudes warmth and compassion with plenty of biblical wisdom. How does Nick balance his gifts with the church’s need […]
Surprise Findings in the XP Survey
What We Expected & What We Found
Let’s look at seven surprises that will give encouragement, challenge, and ideas to ponder as we move forward in this uncertain season. Jesus often used in his teaching the […]
Keeping Your Mind Alive While in Ministry
How do you as a church leader stretch yourself and stay fresh? Pastors must engage their minds in creative, fun and dynamic reading. As important as physical exercise, mental exercise excites intellectual curiosity. By seeking […]
Ed Stetzer on a New Cohort for Executive Pastors
Leading the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College is a great joy. We’ve seen our program grow exponentially, and the current pandemic has not slowed us down.
One of the advantages of our […]
3 Ways Intentional Coaching Helps Executive Pastors
Like it or not, Executive Pastors are coaches. You can embrace your role as a coach and improve your effectiveness by coaching your team.
I’ll admit it. The word coach used to make me cringe. And […]
Exposure: Conversation with an Executive Pastor
XP Nick Smith kicks off his church’s new series “Exposure” in a discussion with Fletch about the role of the Executive Pastor, diversity in ministry and God’s open doors. Nick and Fletch have been friends […]
The SP-XP Relationship & Transition
Bishop David Evans is the Senior Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold, New Jersey. Nicholas Smith is his Executive Pastor. Twenty years ago, Bishop Evans named Nicholas as his designated successor. Their long time relationship is […]
Seven Common Pitfalls Every Pastor Should Avoid in a New Church Role
A quaint story circulated among Methodists describes a young pastor, fresh out of seminary, who had just begun his first pastorate. As he drove up to the small church, he noticed an old tree blocking […]
To Co-Lead or Not to Co-Lead?
Shared leadership at the helm of any organization, especially the ever-growing model of co-lead pastors in a church, can be a huge blessing when successful. However, it has the potential to be quite catastrophic to […]
Church Problems and a Senior Pastor Candidate
Hey Fletch … We have some serious problems at the church and are also […]
Shooting for the Top … Almost
I believe in the Executive Pastor position to my core. There is tremendous value that an Executive Pastor can offer a church. God has been preparing me for this role my entire life and brought […]
Value of Courses
Monday, February 25, 2019
Hey Fletch … I am super excited to take your courses on XPastor! I am a worship pastor of 30 years who is looking to make a change in leadership. Is […]
New XP and Coaching
Friday, February 22, 2019
Hey Fletch … I am a new executive pastor at our church and recently took over this position. I have been a youth and family pastor for many years. I would like […]
Residency Program for XPs?
Friday, February 15, 2019
Hey Fletch … I read the Hey Fletch column of January 28 and was intrigued about the potential of a residency program. I’d love to be in one to learn how to […]
Is There Still Room for Me at the XP-Seminar?
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Hey Fletch … I have done an excellent job of procrastinating and haven’t enrolled in the XP-Seminar. Do you have room for one more?
DRF—You are cutting it close, so very close. […]
Wife Sees Me Differently Than I See Myself
Hey Fletch … I have taken the XP-Indicator […]
Networking with other XPs
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Hey Fletch … I’m feeling a little dry and out of contact with other XPs. What can you suggest to help me get connected with people leading churches of a similar size […]
Which of the 30 Workshops Is Best for Me?
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Hey Fletch … I see that you are having over 30 workshops at the XP-Seminar. I’m already enrolled and am excited to be back. Give me some insight on which ones […]
Business vs Spiritual Side of Church Leadership
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Hey Fletch … I’m a new XP and struggling with this dichotomy of business and spiritual aspects of what I do. The rest of the pastors get to focus on ministry all […]
Leading a Church Staff is Like Herding Cats
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m about to become the XP in our church. I’ve never had a church position before and several people tell me it is like herding cats. Really?
DRF—Popular expressions have […]
For-Profit Background
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Hey Fletch … A friend referred me to you. I’m currently working as a CFO of a church but that is coming to an end soon. I have lots of for-profit experience […]
Start-up Manual for New XP?
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Hey Fletch … I was an XP over 20 years ago in a startup role when two churches merged. It has about 1,400 attenders. Since then I’ve been teaching in a university. […]
Preparing for a Senior Pastor Resignation
One day, you may have the conversation. This is one of those ultimate conversations in your ministry life. It may come out of the blue. You may have some signs it is coming. You may […]
New XP in the First 100 Days
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Hey Fletch … I was recently promoted inside my church to the XP role. I’m looking for a recommendation for a book that deals with the transition to a new role in […]
Learning Online To Be an XP
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Hey Fletch … I see your online courses have credit hours. Does this lead to some type of certification? Are there any discounts for bundling? Thanks for your assistance!
DRF—XPastor’s online classes are […]
The Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor Team
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Hey Fletch … I just finished reading “The Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor Team” by John Hawco on XPastor. You posted his entire dissertation and it is awesome! Thanks so much […]
Program, Policy and Preaching
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m a new Senior Pastor. I love the role and thought that most of what I would do would be preaching. While the preaching is going well and the […]
Networking with XPs
Friday, September 14, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’d like to learn more about the XP role and perhaps become an XP. You recommended getting into a network with XPs. Right now, I only know one or […]
Every Church’s Business Environment is Complex
Whether a church has 100, 1,000 or 10,000 people, the business of church is complex. According to industry research, there are approximately 300,000 churches in the United States. Of those 300,000 ninety percent have around […]
Jews and Romans in New Testament Times
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Hey Dr. Fletcher … I’m thanking God for all you are doing in His will. What was the relationship between the Romans and the Jews at the time of Jesus? Will you […]
Is There an XP Group in My Area?
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’ve just found your website and am very excited to dig in. One of the things I need to do is find other XP’s in my area to meet […]
XP Certification
Friday, August 10, 2018
Hey Fletch … The banner image on the courses page suggests a certification. Is a certification available?
DRF—Yes, the XPastor Online Courses are available to audit or for certification. Some people […]
3 Kinds of XPs
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Hey Fletch … I came across your pivotal article on the 3 Kinds of XPs. Thanks so much for making this available.
DRF—It is always gratifying to hear from the XPastor community. […]
Senior Pastor is Swamped
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … We are a small groups based, disciple-making church that does lots of church-planting. I wrote to you before about hiring a care pastor. I need to turn over this […]
Books on Church Administration
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m teaching a course on church administration and am looking for a good, current textbook. Any suggestions? Most I’ve come across are at least 5 years old. Thank you!
DRF—Here […]
Preaching Excites Me but Administration is My Gift
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Hey Fletch … I really appreciate the advice you recently gave me. I’m sure you get lots of emails from inquisitive folk! I have another question. The thought of preaching excites me, but […]
Too Early to Enroll in the 2019 XP-Seminar?
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m interested in attending the XP-Seminar in 2019. When will registration begin?
DRF—We had plenty of emails in May and June about this. People were asking extra early this […]
Can I Shadow a Leader for a Day?
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am relatively new as an XP. First, your website and the XP-Seminar have been tremendous resources. Second, I want to hang out with an XP in my area […]
Skills for an XP
Monday, June 25, 2018
Hey Fletch … Compared to five years ago, what skills, knowledge, leadership or sensitivity is needed to lead as XP in a growing evangelical church?
DRF—I’ve mentioned before that recently Matt Branaugh, an […]
Managing People
Monday, June 18, 2018
Hey Fletch … As a pastor, managing people drains me. It sucks. It’s a skill that no one wants to do—a real pain. I don’t want to be the bad guy, like […]
XP in Church of 300 Needs Coaching
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Hey Fletch … I see on your site that you provide coaching. I am interested in the process and the price. I am currently in a split role of Children and Executive […]
Two XPs in a Church
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Hey Prof … I’ve been learning that there are a number of different ways churches use their executive pastors, more than I realized! The idea about the two XPs in a church […]
The Executive Pastor Indicator
Friday, June 8, 2018
Hey Fletch … I filled out the XP indicator. When do I get the results?
DRF—I love eager beavers! You are avid and want to learn about your strengths. You are saying, “I’m […]
Was an Elder, now I’m an XP
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have been an elder in our church for many years. Just last month, I became the new executive pastor. What are some of the major things that I […]
3 Kinds of Executive Pastors
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Hey Fletch … I see that there are three types of Executive Pastors. There are those who are the solo XP for a church, an XP of Ministries and an XP of […]
Learning About Leading a Church
Monday, May 14, 2018
Hey Fletch … please I want to know more about the school. Thank you.
DRF—I love hearing from folks overseas. We don’t offer a school so much as courses for church leaders. […]
The Origin of Executive Pastors
Bob Buford passed away recently. If you’re younger than about 40, it’s possible you’ve never heard of Bob Buford. But if you’re an executive pastor of any age, you owe your position to Bob Buford.
[…]
Torn Between Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor Roles
Friday, April 27, 2018
Hey Fletch … Hi again! Been a couple years. Followed your advice. Finished my MBA. Started and currently running my own business. And this year began taking night courses for a Master […]
‘You Don’t Matter’ said the Senior Pastor
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m demoralized and ashamed to repeat what my Preaching Pastor said to me. In front of one of my staff, he said, “You don’t matter. People won’t remember you […]
Mentally Unchallenged
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’ve been a pastor for 15 years and I’m mentally dying. I’m at a place of intellectual stagnation. What can I do to get out of my muddle?
DRF—Perhaps the […]
Business Guy Doesn’t Know Church
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Hey Fletch … We hired an XP about a year ago and he is killing us. He is gruff, direct and all business. He doesn’t get what it means to be a […]
Coaching for New XPs
Friday, March 30, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’ve heard you might provide coaching for new XPs. If that’s the case, how do you structure the coaching experience and how much does it cost?
DRF—Great to hear from […]
Transition to Ministry after 30 Years in Government Service
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Hey Fletch … Good morning! I am searching for a church that has leadership development as its culture and focus. I just finished a seminary degree in Virginia Beach, VA and am […]
Two XPs in Our Church
Monday, March 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … I’m trying to research churches that have a double XP organization. We are thinking of an XP of Operations and an XP of Ministries. We currently have a Lead […]
Senior Pastor Constantly Bringing Change
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Hey Fletch … I have a senior pastor who is constantly bringing change to the church. One week it is a new way to do small groups, and he did this by […]
Executive Pastor as Dr. No
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Hey Fletch … one of the challenges that I face as Executive Pastor is that everyone is pitching things to me. I feel like I’m “Dr. No.” There are tons of good […]
Should the SP & XP Both Report to the Board
Monday, February 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … Have been an XP for nearly 20 years and I’m curious on your thoughts on organizational structure of the SP/XP positions. I’ve twice been in the “2nd chair” position, […]
SP is Ready for an XP
Friday, February 23, 2018
Hey Fletch … 21 years ago God gave me the privilege of leading a team to plant our church. Thank you for your ministry to XPs around the world. We are looking […]
Church Grows from 300 to 2,000 in 5 Years
February 17, 2018
Hey David … We have grown from 300 to 2,000 in less than 5 years. Our original Executive Pastor job description was for a smaller church. What do you have as examples of […]
Who Needs an XP?
January 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … What is the best way to convince a strong Senior Pastor of the necessity for creating an XP role at the church?
DRF—The answer is “complexity.” Strong Senior Pastors understand that! […]
The Changing Face of the Executive Pastor Role
A longtime XP discusses what is changing for a position once limited to large churches, an interview with David Fletcher by Matthew Branaugh … You have served as a pastor for more than […]
Modern Day Matthews—Transitioning from the Marketplace into Ministry
“You are destroying the church I love!” “You are not a godly man and I hate you!” “Sometimes I do not understand the way you think!” “You are making my church too corporate!” After you […]
From Business Executive to Executive Pastor
A variety of paths can lead to the role of executive pastor (or executive director) in a church. One of the most common is the businessperson who is already a volunteer leader in the church […]
Clarifying the XP Role
“And all other duties as may be assigned.” This is commonly the last line in a job description, but the practical reality for many second chair leaders is that this is their first responsibility. This […]
Organizing Selectively
“To organize or not to organize? That is the question.” While this may be a bad take-off on Shakespeare, it’s a key issue for second chair leaders. One possible response to this question is, “Don’t bother […]
The Seven Essential Attributes of Exceptional Executive Pastors
Having an excellent Executive Pastor can dramatically increase the health and growth of a church. Similar to the relationship between a COO and a CEO, an Executive Pastor oversees all administrative and operational aspects of […]
Book Excerpt: Defining the Executive Pastor Role
Throughout my years in the Executive Pastor role, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of my peers in ministry. At the risk of […]
Leadership Challenges of Leaders in Industry and the Church
Throughout my many years of ministry, I have had the opportunity to coach executives of Fortune 500 companies and church leaders. My vantage point is fascinating; I enjoy the challenge of identifying best practices that […]
The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan
The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, written by George Bradt, […]
Five Lessons I’ve Learned in My First Eighteen Months as XP
As was mentioned in the title, I’ve learned five lessons during my first eighteen months as an Executive Pastor. In order to provide some context, I will briefly state my ministry experience. My background has […]
Defining the Executive Pastor Role and Its Need in the Church
I recently sat down with the Lead Pastor of our church, discussing my current role as the Director of Operations. During the discussion, I mentioned that I was hoping to move my position to become […]
Not for the Faint Hearted …
My first ninety days as an Administrative Pastor at my church was not for the faint hearted. Take your pick of the more interesting opportunities for growth that I experienced in my new position in […]
The Secret of Winning Senior Pastor-Executive Pastor Relationships
What ingredients make an effective senior leadership team? There’s no better person to ask than Jimmy Collins, past president of Chick-fil-A. Collins was second-in-command under Truett Cathy, the man who invented the chicken sandwich. Together, […]
The Revolving Door
Recently, after eventful days at the church office, David and I have compared those events to the movie, Grand Hotel. Grand Hotel, which came out in 1932, is the movie in which Greta Garbo famously […]
Derailed? Four Proven Ways to Get Back on Track
Let’s face it—life happens. We all get off track at one time or another. And it’s always more difficult to get back on track the second time. Third time. Fourth time. Several weeks ago, a […]
Who Needs an Executive Pastor, Anyway?
Pastors have been on the scene for a couple thousand years. Executive Pastors, by many different definitions, have been around for about twenty-five years. We obviously know more about how to be the former than […]
A Shameless Plug for XPastor Online Courses
To all my fellow XP’s out there—many who, like me, have come out of marketplace—I say, “If you ‘wanna learn’ what you need to know to be an effective pastor, administrator, leader, and coach, look […]
Before even opening this book, the title caught my eye. Whenever we think of words with the prefix “re” before it—words like review, rewind, re-do—we automatically The Effective Executive
Peter Drucker’s goal in The Effective Executive seems so simple; as he states in the preface, “The subject of this book is managing oneself for effectiveness.” It […]
Networking—Inside and Outside the Church
Leaders can effectively communicate their mission with people from all walks of life by using several different methods of communication. One of the best ways I’ve found for communicating your message is through networking and […]
Ministry Briefing
Matt Steen and Todd Rhodes are putting together an interesting concept. In XP Ministry Briefing, they summarizing 200+ articles that you need to know as a church leader from the past thirty days. It […]
“Second Chair” Leadership: How to be a Superstar Executive Pastor
I’ve been somebody’s “Number Two Guy” for the majority of my career. I’ve been someone’s “Commander Riker” to their “Captain Picard” for almost twenty years. And, yes, I realize I’m dating myself with this analogy—Star […]
Overtime and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Do you believe in slavery? Because we believe in the dignity of all people, we have enacted various laws to protect our workers. Whether you want to read this article or not, you need to! […]
Keys to a Successful First 100 Days as a Senior Pastor
Turnover in churches is high right now. Senior Pastors are retiring as baby boomers age, and the wave is only going to grow. Perhaps more than I’ve ever seen, there are scores of people facing […]
Working in Healthy Ways with Strong Leaders (Part 3 of 3)
(The following article is Part 3 of a three-part series written by Paul Utnage. To start at the beginning with Part 1, read “Working with Strong Personalities at the Top.” The link to Part 2—Tsunami […]
Tsunami Leaders (Part 2 of 3)
[The following is Part 2 of a three-part series. To start with Part 1, read “Working with Strong Personalities at the Top.” The link to Part 3—Working in Healthy Ways with Strong Leaders can be […]
Changes in the XP Role
Oh, how the XP job has changed! Over the last decade or two, the role of the Executive Pastor has changed significantly. Once a more business role, the position seems to have developed into something […]
Working with Strong Personalities at the Top (Part 1 of 3)
“Leading up requires great courage and determination. We might fear how our superior will respond, we might doubt our right to lead up, but we all carry a responsibility to do what we can when […]
Three Kinds of Executive Pastors
Who will be your next XP? What is the rise and function of the Executive Pastor? Whether you call the position Executive Pastor or Senior Associate Pastor or Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, there are many […]
The Heart of an Executive Pastor
“God has blessed me with the heart of a pastor, and I love people,” says Olson, 48, who joined the Lake Avenue Church staff last summer after eighteen years in ministry at Rolling Hills Covenant […]
Good Fit or Poor Fit: How Can You Tell?
When Goldilocks visited the Three Bears’ house, she tried three different rocking chairs. Papa Bear’s was “too big,” she decided. Then Baby Bear’s broke into a dozen pieces under her weight. “Too small,” she declared […]
SP-XP Communication
One of the vital elements of the XP role is that of communication between the Executive Pastor and the Senior Pastor. The core of the XP-SP relationship is one of trust. Many new XPs are hired […]
Discovering Your Need for an Executive Pastor—Excerpts from a Dissertation
The extant literature presents material on how to discover when an Executive Pastor is needed in a local congregation. Wes Kiel, in his unpublished article that was used in three Leadership Network forums in the […]
Case Studies of Policy and Vision Implementation by the Executive Pastor–A Dissertation
The following is a dissertation written in 2004 by David Fletcher about the Executive Pastor position. The footnotes have been removed to simplify reading on the web. Unfortunately, the images (and there are many) do […]
Pressures on the Pastor—Excerpts from a Dissertation
With the acceptance of the operating principle of the historic importance of preaching, it will do well to briefly address other pressures on the preacher. In a chapter entitled, A Pastor’s Job Description, counselors Frank […]
Perils in the Executive Pastor Role—Excerpts from a Dissertation
A discussion of the role and function of the Executive Pastor would be incomplete without mentioning associated perils. This section will be especially helpful for any Senior Pastor, governing board or search committee seeking an […]
Biblical Parallels for the Executive Pastor—Excerpts from a Dissertation
There are at least three significant biblical pericope that demonstrate roles parallel to the Executive Pastor. Two individuals, and one group, were in the place of implementing the policy and vision of others. The position that […]