What makes a pastor great

He meant that the pastor leads the ministry of the church in all of its areas — — financial, business, and ministry teams. This is where many pastors are either ill-equipped or uninterested in leading, but I believe administration is an absolute necessity. I still remember the woman who talked to me about her pastor. When I asked what she meant by his failure to minister to the church, she mentioned administration. She wanted him to be a good ad-minister by leading the church in all its areas.

Second, he said that the pastor was really good in relating to people. Years ago, when I left as a professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary I noted two areas that needed to be taught fervently— — the areas of leadership and relationships. Third, he spoke about preaching a good message. An effective pastor will seek to learn and grow as a leader. A pastor will take their knowledge and practice how they convey it to others.

Pastors are trained in several disciplines. They must be able to communicate, to lead others, to analyze and interpret the Bible. Pastors routinely meet with individuals and couples. They help people navigate through challenges and help couples prepare for marriage. Many of these conversations are personal and therefore trust is a requisite. Financial management is important, as a pastor will have knowledge and influence for how funds are spent.

Are decisions being made for the future of the church or are they being made from self-ambition of a pastor? The Scripture above explains that God teaches all of us to live in righteousness. A good pastor identifies those in his congregation who have gifts from God and uses those people to better serve the Lord. Some people in the church will have decades of experience in accounting — let them oversee the churches financials. Other people may have established schools and be experts in teaching — let them create the curriculum for youth programs.

The art of delegation is a learned skill, but certainly, a quality that an effective pastor will have. Although pastors will be involved in many church and community activities, there is only so much time in a day.

Good pastors will work with others to build strength in the church. It may seem surprising, but no body is born with the ability to communicate. Here are a few examples:. Pastors must be willing to be public speakers. They are often looked to for feedback or comments on issues regarding the church, however, they also communicate with people outside the church on a daily basis.

A good communicator knows how to convey an idea or opinion in a way that a listener can relate to. It may include a story or an example. It may include anecdotes from Scripture or other literature. Communication takes practice and pastors should be expected to practice often!

A quality that all good pastors have is vision. Having vision allows a pastor to plan for the future. As Christians we spend a lot of time preparing for the future. A pastor should also have a vision for their congregation and the church.

Compared to an eternity with God, this vision seems rather shortsighted. A vision for the church should be centered on improving existing church services and preparing to meet future needs of faith.

What would you add from the perspective of either a pastor or a layperson? With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America. More from Thom. Get 4 months free for a limited time! Your email address will not be published. Far too many pastors focus solely on shepherding the crowd and the connected. Very, very few have their Peters, James, and Johns—individuals they are pouring their lives into as the next generation od disciplemakers IAW 2 Timothy As the churchleader should the Head Pastor be in church before members and church workers Each Sunday or program?

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