STEP 3: Combine your primary and secondary preferences to form your unique Senior Pastor Archetype.
Below you will find the 25 unique combinations of ministry preferences found among senior pastors in the trenches.
Teaching Leader
Teaching Pastor
Teaching Evangelist
Teaching Administrator
Leading Pastor
Leading Evangelist
Leading Administrator
Leading Teacher
Pastoring Evangelist
Pastoring Administrator
Pastoring Teacher
Pastoring Leader
Evangelistic Administrator
Evangelistic Teacher
Evangelistic Leader
Evangelistic Pastor
Administrating Teacher
Administrating Leader
Administrating Pastor
Administrating Evangelist
So which one are you?
I tell senior pastors that I coach that the key to understanding how you’re wired is recognizing that your primary and secondary preferences work in partnership with one another.
For instance, I am a Leading Teacher. I lead reflexively, like in my sleep. I don’t have to think too much about it. It just comes naturally. When I ask the question, “What am I great at?” I say, “Compared to the other preferences (and not to someone like Warren, Stanley or Groeschel, obviously) it is leading, with teaching coming in a hair behind. I LOVE both. But if the world was going to end and my family was going to die if in the next week I refused to operate solely in one lane, I’d say leadership. But it would be a fight.
The question to ask yourself is, “What comes easiest and provides the greatest impact for the church I serve?”
I know for a fact I’m not an Administrating senior pastor. Oh heavens no. Nor am I a Pastoring senior pastor.
STEP 4: Get objective feedback from five people who have seen you serve as a senior pastor for more than two years.
What would the five people who know you well say your primary and secondary preferences are?
This past summer a trusted friend helped me discover that evangelism is a VALUE I hold, but it’s not a GIFT I possess. I was devastated. Admitting this to myself was incredibly difficult because we’re an outreach-focused church committed to growing through conversion growth only.
But acknowledging that to myself (and others) has been liberating. Why? Because I’ve recruited people to help pick up that ball and run with it. No matter how gifted I THOUGHT I was at it, other people around me knew evangelism wasn’t a primary or secondary preference. I was holding the church back with my lack of self-understanding.
I have a friend that is the senior pastor of a large multi-site church. He knows that teaching is neither his primary or secondary ministry preference. His Senior Pastor Archetype is “Administrating Leader.” Admittedly he’s just not that great as a preacher, so what did he do? He hired a guy to WRITE his sermons. I mean that staff member doesn’t just organize the sermon and teaching team. He LITERALLY writes his sermons for him.
Now for those of you who grew up in church-world, I guarantee that hairs are standing up on your neck.
But why?
Why must you write your own sermons? Where is that in the Bible? His church is THRIVING and making a kingdom impact BECAUSE he recognizes his unique style and doesn’t pretend otherwise.
Are you a Pastoring Administrator? Don’t have a lick of evangelistic or leadership sense? OWN THAT. Be who God created you to be and bring people to the table who can support you in your role!
Don’t accept the unfounded lie that you must have certain gifts to operate in your role as a senior pastor.
Be who God created you to be for his glory and the church’s health.
