Our church is currently in the process of searching for our next lead pastor. It’s an important season for us as a body. But as we search and pray, it’s important to be clear about what we’re NOT looking for. We need to be on the same page about what a pastor’s role is and isn’t. The Bible, rather than trends or traditions, should shape the job description.
A Pastor’s Job Is Not to Be the Only Voice
God never designed the church to depend on just one person teaching His Word. Instead, the New Testament pictures each church having a plurality of elders who share the responsibility of shepherding, teaching, and leading the church. Scripture uses the terms elder, overseer, and pastor interchangeably. Each elder must be an exemplary Christian who is able to lead others (especially his own household) and able to teach. (See Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3.) When the elders show up in Scripture, they are consistently mentioned in the plural.
For example:
- Philippians is addressed to “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1).
- James instructs sick believers to “call for the elders of the church” (James 5:14).
- In Acts 20, Paul meets with the elders of the Ephesian church and says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers…” (Acts 20:28).
So if the Biblical precedent is a plurality of elders, what is the lead pastor’s role? Our approach at Live Oak Church has always been to treat the lead pastor as first among equals, one elder among many. We believe there is great value in sharing the pulpit among multiple elder-qualified preachers. This allows each preacher more time to study and prepare sermons. It allows the church to train and raise up future pastors. And most importantly, it keeps the church rooted in Scripture rather than personality. It keeps us from becoming too dependent on any one preacher.
A Pastor’s Job Is Not to Grow the Church
It’s tempting to think the right leader with the right personality will draw the crowds. But that’s an unfair burden to place on the next lead pastor. The apostle Paul writes that the job of pastors is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12 ESV). Did you catch that? It is the pastor’s job to equip the members; it is the members’ job to build up the church. In other words, church growth is the responsibility of ALL of us. We all must be willing to reach out—to share our faith with others and invite friends and neighbors to join us at church. You have access to people that the next lead pastor may never meet. You have relationships that he won’t have. Are you willing to do your part to see the Live Oak Church grow? More importantly, are you willing to do your part to see God’s kingdom grow? We can’t shirk our responsibility and expect the lead pastor to pick up the slack. The mission of the church belongs to the whole body—not one person.
A Pastor’s Job Is Not to Personally Meet Every Need
A pastor is supposed to care for and shepherd the flock of God. However, this doesn’t mean personally meeting every need of the congregation. In Acts 6, we read about a need that arose in the early church. Someone needed to oversee the distribution of food and make sure all the widows were being served. So that the apostles could focus on preaching and prayer, they appointed seven faithful men to care for these practical needs. This gives us a model for today’s elders and deacons. Elders are leaders who primarily serve the spiritual health of the church. Deacons are leaders who help meet the physical needs of the church.
Our vision at Live Oak Church has always been to see the task of shepherding shared by multiple elders and the task of caring for members shared among elders and deacons. In a healthy church body, all the members use their gifts to serve and care for one another. (See 1 Corinthians 12.) No one person is meant to carry the weight of the church on his shoulders. Galatians 6:2 calls the whole church to “bear one another’s burdens.” A healthy church doesn’t look for someone to do the work for us but someone to lead with us as we serve together.
In fact, the best pastors have such a huge heart for their people that they struggle to set appropriate boundaries. They want to be all things to all people all the time, but this is simply not healthy. When all church members maintain reasonable expectations and step up to care for others, we protect our pastor from undue burdens and burnout.
Closing Thoughts
As we continue this search, we’re not looking for a celebrity, a superhero, or a one-man show. We’re looking for a shepherd who knows how to share responsibility. We’re looking for a humble man who will equip and empower the whole body of Christ to serve, not someone to replace the body and do all the work. With these expectations in mind, pray for the pastor God will bring us. And pray about how you can faithfully contribute to the health of the church.
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