Pastor’s MOST important transition…

Pastor, how’s ministry?

If you’re honest, most of you will say it’s frustrating.  You’ve always wanted a larger church.  You believe God promised you a larger, more vibrant congregation.  At least, you think He did!  In any event, as you assess honestly, you recognize your church is “stuck”.  Small comfort is the undisputable fact that the whole Church in North America is also “stuck”.

One powerful reason that the average US church is an anemic, in-grown 75 worshippers is how you, pastor, are in your role.

It’s true!

How you are giving yourself to your church, more than any other factor is keeping your congregation tiny and anemic.

That’s because most of us were trained in and saw modeled a way to “shepherd” a congregation that is not viable.  Nor is it biblical.  But more about that later.

A question I often ask my coaching clients early on is this: “What do you think you’re doing in ministry?” Honestly, what are you in ministry for?  What is it that you’ve given your life to actually get done?

The more clear and compelling your answer is, the more likely you will have invited strong, catalytic people toward your ministry.

I remember my mentor, Dr. J. Robert Clinton (Professor of Leadership Development, Fuller Theological Seminary) telling me that the most difficult transition any pastor has to make is the shift from direct to indirect ministry.

By direct ministry, I mean the ministry you do directly to those who “consume” it.  When you conduct a wedding, do a funeral, lead a bible study, teach or preach to people who receive your teaching and preaching, you’re doing direct ministry.  Direct ministry isn’t bad.

Fruit is being borne.

And some direct ministry is essential for you, the Senior Pastor to do.  Yet, if your church is stuck at between 50 and 150 adults, I guarantee you’re are doing much too much of it.

Indirect ministry, on the other hand, is that which you do through other people.  When you train lay ministers who go out and minister where you do not go, that’s indirect ministry.  When you develop leaders who lead ministry to and with others, that’s indirect ministry.  When you apprentice anyone for ministry that they conduct for the benefit of others, that’s indirect ministry.  You are ministering…through others!

So, why shift from direct to indirect?

I ask you to consider why you’re in ministry.

If you are in it to see God glorified, the redemptive benefits of God’s Kingdom expanded across your community, Christian people grow to be mature Christ followers, well, you’ll have a very difficult time if your work week is jammed with direct ministry.

Let’s say you’ve decided you’re in the reconciliation business.  You’re really great counseling people in breakdown.  With deft and sensitivity, you facilitate reconciliation among couples, business partners, families, etc.  How many of those can you see in a week?

Ten?

Twenty??

Now, imagine you’ve decided to be in the people development business; and not just the reconciliation business.  You facilitate reconciliation through those you mentor, train, and care for.  They are becoming ministers of reconciliation.  Because you’ve been their coach and model, they look and sound a bit like you when they minister.  It’s almost as if you are in those counseling rooms, or Starbucks’, or kitchens with them.

Say you’ve trained six people to minister in this way… in your first year in the people development business.  Not only, do you have the potential to serve six-times the number of troubled relationships, you have the benefit of discipling and mentoring six ministers who will exude the fragrance of Christ, the Ultimate Reconciler in all their associations.

Your fruit is budding on other people’s trees, as a friend of mine likes to say.

Keep this up for a few years and yours is an orchard of fruit-bearing!

I call this ministry-by-multiplication.

Direct ministry is ministry-by-addition.  There’s only one of you to go around.

Now, if it’s important for you to be regarded as indispensible to others’ growth and health, or to bask in the appreciation and acclaim of your congregation, or to appease the misguided convictions of those who think they’re paying you to minister to them, you’ll default to direct ministry every time.  Won’t you?

Several forces conspire to pull some pastors to a life full of direct ministry.

Maybe you regularly indulge a preference for perfectionism.  If so, you struggle to give others the room to grow in their craft the way someone may have done for you.  I invite you to remember how any of us learn most anything in life: we fail our way to success.  Don’t we?  As your apprentices step into the direct ministries you once conducted both masterfully and exclusively, they will not do it as well as you do… for quite a while, possibly.  Will you choose to be OK with that?  For the sake of their development, will you choose to hand over the ball, step off the hardwood, and take your place in the coach’s seat, courtside?

If your church is small and anemic, it’s very likely your parishoners think you are there for them. They expect you to meet their needs.  Not unusually, those who give significantly, live with the entitlement that you exist for their benefit. By contrast, the Apostle Paul declares that the role of the ministry is to prepare church members for their ministry.  As you shift from direct to indirect ministry, expect resistance from those who are confused about your and their role.

You’ll likely be spending as much (or more) time with church members, however who you’re with and what you’re doing will be different.  Now, you’ll be working with leaders.  You’ll be developing, mentoring, and coaching those with an aptitude and passion to serve and care for others.  You’ll be conducting ministry training clinics, troubleshooting ministry challenges others are facing, problem solving with those who are bringing the Kingdom to those in need.

If and when you do direct ministry (a hospital visit, wedding, or counseling session), you never go alone.  As often as you can work it out, an apprentice will be there with you: watching, praying, learning, and, in time, participating.  Initially you’ll make a request to bring your apprentice along.  Soon, everyone will know what you’re up to. They’ll realize that those who get time with the pastor are those who are ministering to others.

Imagine the day when the spiritual hypochondriacs realize they can’t get in to see you.  I know several pastors who now live and lead and minister this way.

Their fruit is bursting forth on others trees.  And they love it!