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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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! […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Models of Church Structure—Excerpts from a Dissertation
Before one can discuss models of management in the church, it is necessary to discuss the role of management. This will help in evaluating the role and scope of the church leadership. In other words, […]
The Solution of the Business Administrator—Excerpts from a Dissertation
Another solution, often in conjunction with the Associate Pastor role, is for the church to hire a Business Administrator. Minirth and others succinctly discuss this area, in the context of different hats that the pastor […]
The Solution of the Associate Pastor—Excerpts from a Dissertation
As the church added a second pastor, that person often received the title Associate or Assistant Pastor. In 2000, Martin Hawkins, Assistant Pastor at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, completed a doctoral study […]
Biblical Parallels of the Five Functions
Below are definitions of the Five Functions of an Executive Pastor—Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Relational, and Overseer—complete with biblical examples of each one. The Five Functions were originally established through the XP-Indicator which is now called […]
5 Functions in Church Leadership
There are 5 Functions in church leadership. A variety of church staff use these roles, from senior pastor to executive pastor to others in leadership positions.
Over 4,600 people have discovered their 5 Functions in XPastor’s […]
The Single Greatest Threat to Any XP
“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day […]
The Executive Pastor
The proliferation of “megachurches” has been described as one of the most significant social developments of the decade of the eighties. That trend shows no sign of subsiding, indeed it seems to be accelerating. Lyle […]
The Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor Team
The following is a dissertation written by a Senior Pastor. To aid in making the information more readable on the web, the footnotes have been removed. To view footnotes, tables, appendices and the bibliography, please view […]
From Business Executive to Executive Pastor
In 2000, and after only a few months without a Senior Pastor, Woodinville Alliance Church made a “coup” in the pastor-hiring category. In 2004, Mary Jammerman began as Executive Pastor at Woodinville … in October of that year, Senior Pastor […]
To XP or Not to XP? That is the Question
When was the last time that the President of the United States attended the dedication of your Youth Education Center? When was the last time that the President quoted your Senior Pastor or called for advice? Dr. […]
The XP as Catalyst
Steve Roese is a Catalyst. Shakes up categories … no policy manuals or time cards—anywhere … visionary with an outreach heart … doesn’t allow second best … lightning rod for criticism … explains explosive issues … loves to […]
Caesar Takes a Pastor’s Salary
Few issues are as misunderstood, abused and confused as the tax implications of a pastor’s salary. The issue is so different from compensation in the business world that some CPA’s have given errant advice to […]
Every Church Needs a CFO
I once heard a good definition of a CFO: “Someone who solves a problem you didn’t know you had in a way you don’t understand.” There is some truth in this statement. However, in actuality, […]
Helping Your XP Succeed
“I felt my heart strangely warmed.” Those were the words Jonathan Wesley used to describe his conversion the night he attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. The words also describe how I felt when […]
XPs and Catalytic Converters
I hate cars. As far as I’m concerned, they’re high-maintenance, expensive machines, that always seem to break down at the absolute worst possible time. While holding the latest repair bill, produced from a mechanic making […]
Second Chair: Fascinating Insights About XPs
One of the least understood roles in churches is the “second chair” role—the person who reports directly to the Senior Pastor (or sometimes the church board) and oversees a large portion of the church staff. This […]
The Executive Pastor: A Pioneer
Last week I attended the annual XP-Seminar in Dallas—it felt so good to be with “my people.” Finally, to be with people who spoke my language! It was exciting to share my frustrations and passions […]