HOME | CONTRIBUTE A STORY! | ABOUT MMI | CATEGORIES OF INTEREST | CONTACT ME

super pastor

How to Dispel the Myth of the Super Pastor

Orginally published on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 at 11:02 AM
by Todd Rhoades

This is from Tony Morgan and Tim Stevens new book "Simply Strategic Volunteers", just out from Group Publishing: Dispel the Myth of the Super Pastor.  It was he who gave some… to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of services, so that the body of Christ may be built up."  (Ephesians 4:11-12) It’s a common myth in churches:  We hire pastors to do ministry.    If they can’t get it done, then they hire staff to help them.  Of course, there are always a few fanatics in the church that will also help, but for the most part we rely on the pastors to do the ministry…

We call it the myth of the super pastor.  We convince ourselves that the pastor has a special connection to God and has been endowed with "pastor dust."  Being in his or her very presence is enough to make a person more spiritual.  If the pastor isn't the one doing the talking or visiting or caring or leading...then it's just not good enough.

It's typical for seminaries to perpetuate the myth.  In fact, many of them have spent decades training "doeers" rather than "leaders."

It's convenient for the laity to believe the myth.  It makes it so much easier to remain uninvolved and critical of someone else for not getting the work done. 

It's heady for the pastor to believe it.  Who doesn't want to be a super hero?

We do unintentional things to perpetuate the myth.  We ask Super Pastor to pray before every church meal.  If he's in the room, then it's up to him to bless the beans.  We expect Super Pastor to visit us in the hospital.  No one else will be able to say the right things at the right time.  Super Pastor offers financial counseling, career counseling, parenting and marriage counseling, crisis counseling, and every other kind of counseling.  Only a Super Pastor could be an expert in all those areas.

What if pastors really took the Ephesians passage seriously?  What if we saw it as our responsibility from God to equip the believers for ministry?  What if we trained our members to run meetings, teach lessons, baptize new believers, lead small groups, visit people in the hospital, offer care, and provide counsel?

What is we measured our success by how often we were equipping and measured our failure by how often we were doing?

What if it were our goal to push the ministry as far out into the church as possible?  What if we agreed upon the mission, vision, and values that we share, and then we just let people go?  What would happen in an individual in crisis were offered help by a trained leader who was already in relationship with him or her?

And then, as the church grows, what if our purpose as pastors transitioned toward training trainers and leading leaders?  What if, rather than adding leaders, we could be multiplying leaders?

Let's kill the myth of the super pastor.  Let's show our church that we are human beings placed in a position to lead the church.  Let's adopt the value that every member is a minister and that significance and fulfillment in the Christian life come though serving.

What are your thoughts?


This post has been viewed 416 times so far.


 TRACKBACKS: (0) There are 6 Comments:

  • Posted by

    Amazing.  9:15 P.M. and not one comment. 

    Maybe that is because no one know how to do it, or many of us pastors like being SuperPastor. 

    As long as there are folks who are willing to “pay” the preacher to do all the ministry, we will have the SuperPastor problem.  When folks realize they support pastors financially to free them up to equip the saints full-time, and those same saints will actually be equipped, then SuperPastor will be vanquished!!!

  • Posted by Bernie Dehler

    Author says:
    “What is we measured our success by how often we were equipping and measured our failure by how often we were doing?”

    This is so right on (plus the entire article), that it really hurts.  It’s actually disgusting to me that Churches and Pastors don’t already know this.  For those who know this, all we can do is be good examples.

    The mega churches are an example of this problem.  There’s no way to have a megachurch without having a mega Pastor, from what I’ve seen (I could be wrong).  Rick Warren certainly seems like a mega Pastor.  Why don’t these people plant new churches? Why do they have to have satellites and beam their message there, as if there are no other capable leaders/teachers? (I’m not sure if Rick does this, but I heard of others that do).  I think it’s (spiritually) sick.  The only reason I see for it is ego-building which results in celebrity Pastor worship.

    Even think about Billy Graham-- super famous because he comes to town and all the local churches work with him to do a crusade? Why do the churches need him to do a crusade-- why can’t they organize one themselves?  Because they can’t work together. 

    Sorry to be negative, but problems will never get fixed until they are pointed out.  It’s up to us (through God), the next generation…

    Stop “hero worshipping” Rick Warren (’40 days of purpose’) and other super Pastors, and their “market” will evaporate. 

    ...Bernie
    http://www.FreeGoodNews.com

  • Posted by

    It would take quite a church to value an Ephesians pastor. Such a pastor might preach sparingly, might rarely visit hospitals, might only occasionally actually teach a Sunday School lesson.

    However...such a pastor, who taught others in the church how to speak and deliver a message, who went over videotape and transcription in an effort to help that person be a better teacher....who only visited hospitals with other church members and watched to help them better love those who are ill.....who spent hours helping Sunday School teachers learn how to assess whether or not their class was learning and growing spiritually....that pastor would leave a mark. A big mark.

    We want an evangelist, though, who can throw fire from his mouth and fill the altars with weeping sinners. Conversion and growth through the pastoral stroke, not through relationships and the Spirit moving in the individual hearts.

    I mourn for such a man.

  • Posted by

    Good thought or philosophy in ministry, but does it actually occur?  If it does can anyone give some insights on how to become a leader of leaders?  Or better yet, any resources for equipping the equippers?  Not trying to be negative, just want some practical insight from those of you who are living out this type of ministry.

  • Posted by

    This article hits the spot.  So many people think it is the Pastor’s job to do everything.  Here in our church the pastor has been training and equipping people to do ministry.  I am one of those people who thought the pastor did everything.  He sure set me straight about that idea.  Now I’m more involved than I ever thought I would be in a church.

  • Posted by Salam Shorrosh

    The pastor who thinks he can do it all is busily usurping the role of the Holy Spirit. Our job as pastors is to keep as much decision making, disciple making, and evangelism in the hands and hearts of the “average” believer. We are not hired holy help. I spend my time mentoring people and training committees in their work. I provide evaluative guidance for these folks and never get in a hurry. Sometimes I have to confront, sometimes I just have to listen, mostly I encourage. I’ve been told it takes a secure, confident man to let go of the reigns. Maybe that’s true. I seem to remember that the Bible teaches a principle of “priesthood of the believer.” For me that means the vision for a church resides in that church. I don’t bring the vision to an existing church because Christ has already done that by establishing it to begin with. If a church turns over all its visioning to every new pastor that comes through then you end up with a schizophrenic church. They change directions every 3 to 4 years. Satan just loves that one!
    I develop the church from the perspective that I help them articulate their vision, market their vision, equip them to carry out their vision, and participate anywhere I can in their vision. This approach, to me, affirms the individual and his/her relationship with the Holy Spirit, encourages them to take qualified risks, and discover their God given gifts. Also, I encourage the development of as many committees and action teams as are needed, each with a specific job description, organizational placement, cross-reporting functions, budget, and accountability. I simply ask them to consider how each group’s work fits in with the overall vision of our church, help them write a goal and standards policy, assist in committee training, equip them to work, and get out of their way. That is what is means to demythologize the pastorate.
    One example of this is my work with our Nominating Committee. I gave them a written job description for their committee that explained their authority, power, and responsibility. I spent time training them how to recognize God’s hand at work--not just picking bodies to fit vacancies. I also explained their accountability to oversee every volunteer, to train them, observe them, evaluate their placement and performance, to reassign when needed, to replace where necessary. I compared them to the Personnel Committee that hires, trains, evaluates, and sometimes fires employees. Also, the materials they received in their packets provided steps for dealing with conflicts that inevitably arise in their work and how to resolve them biblically. My approach to placing people in the right ministry positions is to remember that people are only going to get involved in things that peak their desire to accomplish. The Nominating Committee’s work is thus a vital leadership role for giving people multiple avenues to accomplish God’s vision for the congregation. Finally, I remind every committee that committees don’t make policy, they recommend it to the church, and the congregation makes policy. Does this take longer? Yes! Absolutely! But what decision can’t wait just one person longer? Snap out of the task oriented obsession and decide that the work of the church is for the purpose of discipling the church, not just adding to the size of the organization. No matter how big it gets, it should still be the family of God. And, with that thought in mind, each time we start a new committee, new Sunday school class, new ministry, try throwing a baby shower to celebrate its birth. All the established ministries should try contributing “gifts” like a membership role, a committee workbook, a copy of parliamentary procedures, a songbook, a church manual, a coffee pot, radio, etc., that would be useful to the group or class. The whole church is involved in this way. Super Pastor? No! Supernatural Pastor? Yes!

  • Page 1 of 1 pages

Post Your Comments:

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Live Comment Preview:

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Please enter the word you see in the image below: