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Confessions of a Former Associate

By John R. Wootton

Enrichment salutes the thousands of faithful men and women who are partners in ministry with their senior pastors. We begin this new column on the ministry of associates in recognition of the valuable contributions they are making to the kingdom of God.

I fondly look back on my experiences during the 7 years I served as a youth pastor. Under that title I was at times children’s church director, worship leader, Christian education director, Sunday fill-in preacher, office manager, church publications editor, director of church departments, choir director, and, in my spare time, minister to youth! Can you relate?

That’s the life of an associate minister. Although most associates can recite similar lists of varied responsibilities, most would agree that not all their memories of associate duties are pleasant ones.

I have a few confessions to make about the years I spent as an associate pastor under different senior pastors. Some things I would change, but thankfully, others I would leave the same. Perhaps other associates can identify with me.

I RESPECTED MY SENIOR PASTOR.

One simple discipline I followed was to always address the senior pastor, in private and in public, as Pastor. I have found from experience that using a title creates more respect. I did not anticipate, though, how building up the senior pastor would produce similar respect for all the pastors and leaders in the church, including myself.

I COMMUNICATED WITH MY SENIOR PASTOR.

How embarrassing for senior pastors to not know what their associates are doing.

Whether by notes, phone calls, or brief stops in the pastor’s office, I knew it was important to provide timely updates. I never felt I was strictly enforced to report every last detail. To the contrary, I always enjoyed tremendous liberty in my ministry. The common courtesy of keeping my senior pastor informed of my plans and activities instilled a confidence that I didn’t need to be continually watched.

I UPHELD MY SENIOR PASTOR.

Senior pastors are encouraged by hearing staff members relay uplifting comments they have heard from the congregation. The pastors I worked with could be confident that I never played audience to their critics. They didn’t have to worry about my talking behind their backs. And it was an example to the church to know the pastoral team was unified and loyal to the senior pastor.

When associates make it known that negative conversations about those in leadership will not be entertained, they save their senior pastors from needless hurt and save themselves from the mire and entrapment of unkind words.

I WAS WILLING TO TAKE ON EXTRA DUTIES.

At first glance, the prospect of taking on extra duties, especially ones assigned at the last minute, seemed to invite frustration. Certainly there were pressures and inconveniences associated with accepting tasks that were not in my portfolio, yet the rewards were numerous.

In addition, the church enjoyed the benefits of an undertaking being completed successfully. And I became aware of new capabilities, broadened my scope of experience, and grew in the eyes of the congregation.

Senior pastors must constantly stretch to meet the changing demands of church leadership, and they appreciate associates who are willing to stretch with them.

I LISTENED TO MY SENIOR PASTOR.

Apart from the two or three opportunities each week to teach or preach, the bulk of a senior pastor’s time is spent listening. Counseling sessions, prayer requests, visitation, and other daily encounters give ample occasion for the pastor to listen.

So it is therapeutic for senior pastors to be able to speak openly with associates and know they have listened carefully. I discovered, however, that I was most often the beneficiary from such conversations. I look back on the times I was seated in my senior pastor’s office, listening to him share his heart, as some of the richest moments of my ministry as an associate.

I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO MY PASTOR’S NEEDS.

I will never know the burdens I was protected from bearing because of the selfless nature of the senior pastors I served. But I should have asked more often what I could do to help. I should have been more sensitive to offer encouragement after a difficult board meeting or helped alleviate the pastor’s schedule during a grueling week of ministry appointments. Instead of focusing solely on my world of activity, it would have been beneficial if I had more frequently considered the weights and concerns of my senior pastor.

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONCERNED ABOUT CHURCH FINANCES.

Although my department’s accountability to the financial status of the entire church was important, I didn’t have to pour over the church’s finances each month. But the senior pastor didn’t have that luxury.

In church budgets, every little bit does count. Whether or not my particular segment of ministry was having a financially prosperous month, I owed my senior pastor and the church my best efforts as a good steward to spend wisely.

I SHOULD HAVE PLACED HIGHER EMPHASIS ON MY SENIOR PASTOR’S PRIORITIES.

At the head of every associate’s calling should be the resolute desire to help fulfill the senior pastor’s vision. This may involve something as large as dreaming with the pastor about reaching an entire community with the gospel or something as simple as arriving at work on time.

As the shepherd over the entire church, the pastor has a myriad of issues to reconcile when giving instructions to associates–instructions that may not immediately seem important to the staff. I should have displayed more trust in my pastor by following through on assignments to the best of my ability, even when assignments appeared to lack relevance.

In those moments when the pastor’s request seems petty or irrational, an associate can still find purpose in doing it as unto the Lord. Quite often the purpose of a task becomes much clearer after completion.

I SHOULD HAVE PRAYED MORE FOR MY SENIOR PASTOR.

Few individuals profit more from the spiritual well-being of the senior pastor than the associates. Without question, every associate wants to work for a pastor who is in the center of God’s will.

Some of the darkest hours for many staff members come during times when they begin to question the pastor’s spiritual walk. I found the best solution in those difficult seasons was to lift my senior pastor up in prayer for God to bless his life and ministry. It also made laboring together more fulfilling because I knew the Holy Spirit was continually renewing the pastor spiritually.

I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED MY SENIOR PASTOR MORE CLOSELY.

How thankful I am for the lessons in character I was able to learn from the senior pastors I worked with.

Associates should not only model the pastor’s character but should learn the practical lessons of how their senior pastors “do” ministry. How do they conduct a baby dedication? What preparations do they make for business meetings? How are requests for benevolence handled?

CONCLUSION

God bless pastors who lovingly mentor young men and women, considering their associates’ needs above their own! And God bless associates who esteem their senior pastors and strive to follow their examples.

John R. Wootton is administrative assistant for the Ohio District Council of the Assemblies of God, Columbus, Ohio.