Ways an Associate Pastor can be a blessing to a Lead Pastor

The Associate Pastor is a development of the Western church. As the scale of the ministry effort has moved beyond the ability of just one Pastor, there is a need for an associate to join harmoniously in the work. The Associate is a co-laborer in the work of gospel ministry under the direction of the Lead Pastor. All are qualified elders and serve alongside other men in a plurality, but the staffing relationship of the Associate Pastor and the Lead Pastor is a meaningful partnership that is unique to any other leadership relationship in the church. As a unique relationship, there are specific ways that an Associate Pastor can be a blessing to a Lead Pastor for their mutual joy and God’s glory. Let’s consider a few together.

Be Godly

The biggest blessing an Associate can be to a Lead Pastor is to be godly. Every Lead Pastors desires an Associate who possesses a quiet and faithful godwardness that shapes the inner desires and direction of everything they do. This pursuit builds trust and confidence in life and ministry partnership, which is the basic building block for the Associate and Lead Pastor relationship. Simply put, the best way an Associate can bless the Lead Pastor is to pursue godliness in the inner man. This will shape everything moving forward in life and ministry. The opposite is also true. The greatest heartache and devastation for a congregation is when the moral failure of the Associate impacts the ministry of the Lead Pastor. The call towards the pursuit of godliness is not to be dismissed or disregarded as a universal understanding; if it were, there would not be the scars of moral failure among the evangelical churches of America. Associate Pastors strengthen their own ministry and, in turn, the Lead Pastor’s by prioritizing their pursuit of godliness.

Develop Closed Door Candor

The relationship between an Associate and the Lead Pastor is a ministry partnership. The Associate is not simply a male secretary who only executes directives. There is a rapport and candor that develops between these men that benefit from unity among a diversity of giftedness and experience. This means speaking and engaging in an honest, endearing, useful, and meaningful manner that happens best behind closed doors. It is the blessing of an Associate Pastor who can bring encouragement and challenge to the Lead Pastor in a manner behind closed doors that is honorable to the role and courageous to craft toward missional alignment. In most arenas of the church, the Lead Pastor is the one who speaks and directs. There needs to be a place for the Associate to contribute or to craft as well. There are very few rooms where a Lead Pastor can enjoy the freedom to think out loud or explore ideas in a context where he’s known and respected without the additional burden of calculating political or relational implications. Behind closed doors, there is a posture that an Associate can have with the Lead Pastor that is not only helpful for the mission of the church but is a blessing to the Lead Pastor. This is something every Lead Pastor desires, but few experience.

Bring Context

The input the Associate brings to the pastoral office is one of context. The lead pastor might not have access to a practical perspective on the ministry efforts at church. The Associate does. This kind of perspective can be helpful to the viewpoint or direction that a Lead Pastor is formulating. Lead Pastors lead, and the Associate can help him make the most informed decisions by having the appropriate context and insights that shape the effectiveness of a decision. This means that the Associate knows what’s going on and is actively engaged in the everyday life and lives of the church. The work of the Associate is not just about influencing and mobilizing those under his care but also leading those above him through insightful context to help shape decision-making at the Lead Pastor level. This is a blessing.

Make Missional Decisions

The connective tissue of the church is not in its programming. A local church is united around its mission. This mission is the methodological strategy to pursue the fulfillment of Matthew 28:19-20. The Associate Pastor makes daily decisions that impact the mission influence. The Lead Pastor seeks to see the pulpit and ministry efforts united and focused in the same direction. Having an Associate Pastor who makes decisions that align with the church’s core values and fulfill the mission is invaluable to a Lead Pastor. This partnership extends the pulpit ministry to the parking lot conversations, taking the truth of the Word of God and shepherding it through the different ministries. If the Associate only makes decisions according to his intuition, preference, or congregational pressure, there will never be alignment. The Lead Pastor is blessed by ministry alignment, and the Associate Pastor mobilizes it by focusing on the mission in everyday decisions.

Pray for Him

Nothing can unify the relationship between a Lead Pastor and an Associate Pastor like praying for one another and the ministry effort they share. There is a supernatural dynamic that God uses to employ the prayers of the righteous to accomplish His will. The other residual effect is the quickening of the affections of those you pray with and for. Affection is the effective driver for every useful Associate Pastor, and prayer unlocks and strengthens that affection for the Lead Pastor. In addition, the viewpoint of seeing God’s work in and through the ministry effort of the Lead Pastor according to the faithful prayers of the Associate Pastor allows both to partake in the joys of ministry fruitfulness together.

Represent the Team

We have covered some practical ways that an Associate Pastor can be a blessing to the Lead Pastor. This last one is the most critical and can cause disunity and strife if not developed well. When an Associate Pastor shepherds and leads, he always speaks on behalf of the whole pastoral team. The Associate Pastor must understand and embrace that he represents the Lead Pastor when he speaks. This requires the Associate Pastor to find joy in the affirmation of the Lead Pastor and extend pastoral team ministry efforts above his own. There is strength and unity when the Associate Pastor can rightly champion and support the pastoral team efforts in the everyday conversations and care he oversees. The Lead Pastor gains influence and support from the Associate Pastor, who promotes and supports his direction publicly and privately. This is most important over controversial issues or concerns or when the decision or direction is not aligned with the preferences of the Associate. This takes maturity and wisdom to display, but when employed consistently and thoughtfully, it is an unmeasurable blessing to the Lead Pastor and the congregation in promoting unity and mission.

There are certainly more ways for an Associate Pastor to be a blessing to a Lead Pastor. The role of the Associate Pastor is to be the most trusted and beloved advocate for the ministry of the church and, specifically, the work of the Lead Pastor. This commitment and creativity to develop bring flourishing among the team and blessing to all. In the end, every Associate and Lead Pastor is different. Associate Pastors do not need to rely upon these ways only to be a blessing but invite further dialogue with the Lead Pastor on specific ways to be a blessing to him. It will prove to be a meaningful investment in your relationship and promote flourishing for all.

©2024 Joe Keller. All rights reserved. Used with permission.