3. The Visionary
Visionary pastors teach their people to dream big. They cast a vision for what the church could become, how lives could be transformed, and how the community could be reached. They come up with and implement innovative initiatives that help advance the mission of the church.
Visionaries are optimistic. They inspire. They motivate. They change people’s minds through their effective communication and emotional intelligence, refusing to give up despite initial opposition to change.
These kinds of pastors model Jesus to us in that while Jesus loves and accepts us as we are, he is also calling us to become something better—to step into a fuller vision of what he has called us to be. This is what visionary pastors do: they cast a greater vision that calls their congregation to rise above the routines they have established and into the greater adventures they sense God is calling the community to.
4. The Organizational Leader
The church is a family, but it’s also an organization. For the mission of the church to move forward, cooperation and coordination are vital. This is where pastors with strong organizational leadership thrive.
Whereas the visionary paints a beautiful picture of what the future looks like, the organizational leader plots a course for how to get there. They pay close attention to the details and forecast possible challenges. They raise up leaders and come alongside them to help them step into their potential, for their own good, as well as for the good of the whole congregation.
When we think about the earthly ministry of Jesus, we may tend to think of him as being dynamic, but also somewhat nomadic and nonlinear. And to be sure, he was. But he was also incredibly disciplined. He knew what was necessary for him to be effective in his calling, and he never let the urgency of any one moment pull him from the purpose that God had laid before him.
This is what pastors who are gifted organizational leaders help us do, not only as individuals but as units of people.
Love the Pastor You Have (Or Are).
If you’re a pastor, you probably know exactly which type of leader you are, along with the strengths and weaknesses that come along with it. Most pastors aren’t purely one of these types of leaders. Perhaps there is one type that is central to your leadership style, with one or two others in which you can comfortably and adequately operate.
But there’s probably at least one that you’re bad at. And that’s okay.
Not every pastor can be all these things. Nor should he be expected to be. Live into your strengths and who God has created you to be.
What’s more, whenever you are faced with the weaknesses of the pastor whose leadership you come under, cut him some slack. Maybe he is incredibly gifted in one of these areas, which probably means that he’s quite deficient in another. That can certainly be frustrating, particularly when you’re trying to pin your visionary leader down on the details of his grand initiative or convince your shepherding pastor that the small groups team needs a launch plan.
In those moments, resolve to accept your leaders for who they are. Remind yourself of their strengths and good character, and faithfully come to their aid in the areas of ministry that they will invariably overlook but that your own gifting calls you to fulfill.
