Navigating the Difference Between Executive, Senior, and Lead Pastors
As churches grow, transition, and expand, staff structures and systems within the church will inevitably change. For many individuals, experiencing change, good or bad, brings uncertainty and uneasiness that can be hard to deal with. Specifically, in a church context, many people are affected by significant changes. The church leadership, elders, staff, volunteers, and attendees will all be impacted differently. Navigating any considerable change with patience, grace, and wisdom is essential.
One kind of significant change to a church is adding the role of Executive Pastor. Executive Pastors can take on many forms and responsibilities specific to your church context and needs. Let’s talk about how you can know if it’s time to hire an Executive Pastor to your church and how you can distinguish between the different types of pastors.
The Differences Between Executive, Senior, and Lead Pastors
Before touching on the best time to add an Executive Pastor, you need to understand the differences between the roles of Executive Pastor, Senior Pastor, and Lead Pastor.
Executive Pastor
Typically, Executive Pastors have a role closely connected to the Lead Pastor or Senior Pastor, both in terms of their relationships and functions. Often, Executive Pastors help lead a large part of the staff, possibly leading the church’s financials and operations and are a part of all the major decisions that determine the vision and direction of the church. The Executive Pastor helps support the Lead Pastor or Senior Pastor and frees them from specific tasks and responsibilities they no longer have time for or may not be gifted in. Executive Pastors are strategic and practical and can look at the church from a “birds-eye view” to provide insight and suggestions on how the church can progress.
Lead Pastor and Senior Pastor
While some churches use Lead and Senior Pastor interchangeably, some do not. In contexts where they differ, Lead Pastors typically lead the church as described above, while Senior Pastors are the founding Pastors who started and established the church. In this function, Senior Pastors don’t carry the same weight and responsibility of decision-making as
the Lead Pastor. They are in a support and honorary role where they are still involved in the church’s day-to-day operations, speaking and communicating. However, they are no longer leading the church’s vision, strategy, culture, and decision-making. They may be involved in those functions, but the lead Pastor ultimately bears the weight of those responsibilities.
When Is It Time to Add an Executive Pastor?
Now that you can distinguish between the roles of Executive Pastor, Lead Pastor, and Senior Pastor, you can determine the best time to hire an Executive Pastor to your church staff.
Church Size & Staff Size
The size of your church, staff, and budget will significantly influence the addition of the Executive Pastor role to your church and staff. Smaller churches with a few staff members may not need an Executive Pastor since the Lead Pastor and his team can handle all the responsibilities and tasks involved.
However, as your church and staff grow, hiring an Executive Pastor may be necessary. If the church staff gets to a size where the Lead Pastor can no longer give each staff member the right amount of leadership and attention, this would be an excellent time to bring in an Executive Pastor to help lead the staff and provide lift to the Lead Pastor. This would also be an ideal time to add layers to your church staff so that everyone no longer reports to the Lead Pastor but reports to another leader. In adding this role, you will free up your Lead Pastor to focus on vision and strategy and allow your staff to receive the leadership and attention they need to grow and thrive.
Lead Pastors Workload
Another good time to hire an Executive Pastor is if your Lead Pastor’s workload has become unmanageable. This decision frequently coincides with the church’s growth, which sometimes happens due to the Lead Pastor’s season of life. If the Lead Pastor’s workload has become too much for him to bear alone, this is an excellent time to explore hiring an Executive Pastor. The Executive Pastor can provide lift with the day-to-day tasks but also help provide insight, wisdom, and strategy regarding the church’s overall vision and direction. Doing this will allow your Lead Pastor the freedom to focus on the most critical tasks.
Lead Pastors Strengths and Weaknesses
It is not possible for a Lead Pastor to possess every excellent quality that your church is looking for. The Lead Pastor may be a great communicator and visionary but struggles with finances and operations. He may be a genius with metrics and systems but struggles with coherent strategy and vision. When these weaknesses become apparent and prevent the church from moving forward, this may be a great time to hire an Executive Pastor. You need to hire someone whose strengths and weaknesses differ from the Lead Pastor’s strengths and weaknesses. Utilizing the strengths of both the Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor interchangeably will allow them to thrive in their roles, maximize their focus, and benefit the church as a whole.
Large Projects
Finally, suppose your church is in the middle of a large project, like buying property, building a new building, starting a non-profit business to bring in new income streams, or merging with another church. In that case, hiring an Executive Pastor who can help lead and manage your large project may be a good idea. It’s essential to be upfront regarding the expectations of this role. If this is a project-based short-term role, make sure everyone is comfortable with that. If you plan to keep this role permanently, make sure that everyone knows and understands it clearly to approach the situation with confidence and strength.
Hiring an Executive Pastor at the right time can help your church gain and maintain momentum. It’s crucial to have the right person in that role who has the complete trust of the Lead Pastor. Make sure to have a strong hiring and interview process when considering adding an Executive Pastor, even if the candidate is a close friend. Doing this will ensure you have the right person in that seat to help the Lead Pastor and church at large.
Follow the suggestions above to Hire an Executive Pastor at the right time so you and your church can have a more considerable impact!
