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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
An examination of hundreds of responses to the Executive Pastor Indicator (which has become the People Patterns Indicator) documented some of the differences between Executive Pastors and Church Administrators. Many churches have both of these […]
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 […]
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 following is a dissertation written by an Executive Pastor. To aid in making the information more readable on the web, the footnotes have been removed. To view footnotes, charts, Appendices and the Reference List, […]
Executive Pastor David Troublefield read a comment on XPastor that said, “And if you want to forget all your troubles, eat a cherry popsicle while running through the sprinklers barefoot!” So David put on his […]
I served for years as the XP on a team of three pastors planting Terra Nova Church in New York. On my journey there, I made a three-year stop as Lead Pastor of a suburban church, […]
“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 […]
Many capable, idealistic, servant-minded people find themselves in “second chair” management and leadership roles within Christian organizations and churches across the country. For many, this is a positive, fulfilling experience; for others, it is frustrating […]
When a United States President enters office, there is a lot of press given to his first 100 days agenda. The reason for this is everyone understands the early days of the new administration will […]
Church administration is an organizational approach that translates the purposes of God revealed to church leadership into effective ministry that reaches the unique goals and purposes of the church. Administration is ministry, not methods; people, […]
Here’s the situation. Your giving to the General Fund is down, not to mention missions and other special giving. Some of your people are losing their jobs, and many others are in fear of that […]
Whether you realize it or not, being in the “second chair” is the ultimate leadership paradox. You are a leader: mentoring staff members, overseeing the day-to-day operations, and ensuring that the organization is running smoothly. […]
If you ask most Executive Pastors to show you their radars, they’d look a lot like FAA snapshots charting planes in flight across the country. While I know you’re as stressed as a control tower […]
We are truly “strangers in a strange land.” In Robert A. Heinlein’s Hugo Award winning science fiction novel by that title, the main character, Valentine Michael Smith, returns to Earth as an adult after being raised on […]
As the Executive Pastor of our church, (a non-denominational, evangelical, contemporary-styled church) I was the first person our Lead Pastor came to with his idea of adding two other staff members that would serve at […]
“Had I known then what I know now!” How many times have you heard that famous phrase? Hindsight truly is 20/20, but normally we do not get to enjoy it, unless we learn from others […]
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 […]
Working as a Town Planner, my work often varied and was rewarding as I helped shape and establish existing and new communities. After thirteen years and working for four different local government authorities, I had […]
Mount Vernon Baptist Church’s history dates back over 145 years. During these years, the church faced many challenges. Individuals emerged to lead the church forward. The church is again at a crossroad in its history. In this […]
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 […]
The winds of change had been blowing for several years. Not in response to a particular problem, a mid-life crisis nor a lack of ministry fulfillment. Rather, it was a persistent, gentle unsettledness, resulting in […]
In the American religious landscape, there is no clear path for an individual to become an Executive Pastor. Whether a man or woman comes from the executive or church world, there are a variety of paths to […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 Minirth and […]
Today I received an email from a Lead Pastor asking a question about a different operating structure in a church: “I wanted to get your thoughts on a new structure that I have heard a little […]
Every year at the XP-Seminar, I ask, “How many of you came from the business world?” In 2005, about 25% of the XPs raised their hands; by 2008, over 50% said “yes.” Current estimates are […]
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 […]
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, […]
There is a distinctly business-like aspect to overseeing a church: churches have assets to manage, employees to pay, and members who rightfully demand accountability for their financial contributions. The business side of church leadership is […]
Because I have an interest in organizations, I often have an eye out for signs of excellence, or lack thereof, in my everyday dealings. It becomes apparent when there is an obvious emphasis by an […]
“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 […]
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 […]
April 23, 2003 is a day that Natalie Gilbert will never forget. On that day, when she was 13 years old, she was scheduled to sing the national anthem for the 2003 NBA Playoff Game […]
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 […]
A couple of months ago, I was asked to give a presentation entitled, “Executive Pastor: If, When, Why, How?” As you can guess from the title, the focus was on churches that were thinking about […]
Andrew Behm went from working in the business world to being the Executive Pastor of the church he had attended for years. Below are accounts of his joys and struggles during his first 26 weeks […]
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 […]
Each time I work with a church leadership team, I schedule time for coaching the Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor together. This dynamic working relationship experiences significant wear and tear and needs to be inspected […]
One of the greatest privileges of serving as an Executive Pastor is the opportunity we have to come alongside men and women and help them develop in their leadership. The first few months of the […]
Nathan Baxter is a former Executive Pastor that has a heart for mentoring. One tool that he uses as he helps pastors is the Birkman Leadership Assessment Tools. Here Nathan outlines some of the available assessments, […]
Over the summer, I hit a new mile marker in my leadership coaching by working with my 50th SP-XP team. I have had the privilege to spend time in thirteen states, nine denominations, and churches […]
Steve’s phone call was filled with excitement. It was his first church. I had known him from his home church where he was a fine lay leader. Now he was on his own. He wanted […]
David Fletcher ran into Dr. Booth’s paper while attending a class at the Kellogg School of Management. Measuring change is tough in a church and yet so necessary, considering how much change occurs! This is […]
