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Passing the Torch: The Art of Mentoring Staff

By Richard L. Dresselhaus

I had my master’s degree, but I knew little about pastoring. So I watched and listened as Wilbur Weides showed me how. When he retired, I took over. I did it like he did, and it served me well.

Wheaton Graduate School was a great place to learn. I relished every moment. I had the finest instructors, a challenging curriculum, and great interaction. But how to pastor? Well . . . that would have to wait.

My first assignment: associate pastor at Summit Avenue Assembly of God, St. Paul, Minnesota. Now for the doing. And the step from Wheaton’s classrooms to practical ministry was a big one. Maybe I should have focused less on theory and more on practice. Was I wise to opt for advanced Greek rather than pastoral ministries? Never mind. The choice had been made months before.

Nearly 3 years passed. Suddenly Pastor Weides resigned and the church elected me as pastor. It was a large, city church, and I was a young novice. When G. Raymond Carlson, district superintendent, gave the installation charge, I claimed the words first spoken to Joshua: "I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you" (Joshua 1:5*). I held on to that.

What should I do? How do you pastor? What should be first? Easy. I will simply do as I had seen Pastor Weides do for 3 years. I had watched every move, hung on every word, observed every attitude, and followed every step. The torch had been passed.

All I had to do now was reap the benefits of having a superb, God-given mentor. To this day I am grateful. Maybe, just maybe, I can do for other servants of the Lord what Pastor Weides did for me.

Over the more than 30 years as pastor of San Diego First Assembly, I have had 32 opportunities to mentor staff. It has been a privilege of the highest order.

This article, however, is as much about how I was mentored as it is about how I mentor. Here are some don’ts and dos about mentoring. Or, put differently, how the torch is passed from one pastor to another.

Don’t hog the show: share the glory

One of the big challenges for any pastor, especially at the beginning, is working harmoniously and productively with a church board. I can almost guarantee it. Work well with the board, and you will work well with the entire church. Wise pastors are masters at pastor-board relationships. It is a must.

Pastor Weides invited me to sit in on every board meeting. This was not a requirement of my work; it was his way of preparing me for what lay ahead. I doubt I would have made it in the early months of that first pastorate if I had not observed firsthand how a successful pastor works with a church board. He made room for me. He allowed me to have a part of the action. He selflessly shared his board with me. It was an incredible learning opportunity.

The temptation for every pastor is to become possessive and overly protective. To allow an associate too much access to the power center feels threatening. None of us want to be witness to a power struggle that we might lose. We clutch the top like it belongs to us.

Mentorees must see what things look like on the inside. If an overly protective pastor guards the gate too closely, the learning curve takes a dive. If there is any glory, mentoring says it must be shared. It is the view from the inside that drives the leadership lessons deep into a mentoree’s spirit.

Leadership technique is critical. There are many books that outline the strategy. But nothing takes the place of sitting at the table with leadership, listening to the interaction, observing people’s reactions, following the arguments, evaluating the conclusions, and watching as decisions are played out in real life. The view from the inside, that’s what counts.

A shared pulpit provides yet another incredible mentoring opportunity. There is nothing that compares with the pulpit as a mechanism for influence. When a pastor shares his pulpit with an associate, the experience, in terms of mentoring, is significant. It provides an opportunity for the mentoree to touch the heart of a congregation and elicit from it the kind of affirmation and support so essential in pastoral growth. Again, it is a matter of sharing the limelight to build the strengths a mentoree will need for future ministry.

Some pastors struggle at this point. The thought of sharing influence and power seems threatening and unsettling. They think, If I give away too much, I will jeopardize my leadership. That is true. But the key is to use discretion, knowing that the people we serve will typically sense intuitively what is taking place and will hold the mentoree’s pastor in high esteem for his generous spirit. Few character traits hinder the work of God more than insecurity. Effective mentoring pastors will not allow their egos to dictate their actions.

Don’t feather the nest: invest in others

Here is a practical roll call of those with whom I have had the privilege of serving over the years: a seminary president, the pastor of a large missions-supporting church, a leading minister of music, an associate who took a church of 400 to 1,000 in just a few years, a missionary who is doing creative work in global distance learning and evangelism. The list goes on.

It is with deep gratitude to God that I have been privileged to participate in developing these choice servants of the Lord. In many ways they are going far beyond what I have achieved. In this I take great pleasure.

At every turn, there is a choice to be made. Do I invest my life in other potential leaders (paid or volunteer), or do I only work to solidify my own? The correct choice here will measure the ultimate impact of our lives.

It is a principle: Help others accomplish their goals, and in the process your own will be realized. A pastor who invests heavily in developing his pastoral team will in the end witness a ministry that is ever expanding. It is a rule that will not be broken.

I grew up in a dynamic, but small church, in northeast Iowa. On a good Sunday, when the roads were clear, we might have 60 in attendance. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in quality of ministry. There I had my first experiences in ministry. And it was there that loving pastors began the mentoring process for me.

The Assembly of God in a neighboring town had closed its doors due to a crisis in leadership. My pastor asked me if I would be interested in working with him in reviving the church. As a college student heading for ministry, I found this a perfect challenge. I will not forget cleaning the building, leading the worship, and participating with the pastor in a worthy endeavor.

While I do not know how successful our efforts were, I do know the experience was invaluable to me. It was part of my mentoring process. The pastor was willing to invest himself in a young man who felt called to ministry. In every church, large or small, salaried or volunteer, there are abounding opportunities for pastoral mentoring. All it takes is a pastor who is willing to accept the challenge.

Don’t assign the menial: lead by serving

"Let the associate do it." Is that the attitude and approach that serves best? Menial tasks need to be done, but they should never be the exclusive property of the associate.

What is the point here? Simply this. Leadership in God’s economy is always based on serving. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. His example is always the pattern.

"I’m the pastor’s errand boy. I do what he doesn’t like to do." No. Never. Any pastor who provokes that response is failing to lead by being a servant. That attitude will sabotage every effort in the mentoring process.

The spirit of servant leadership is best tested by the responses of those without power—the high-maintenance people, the ones who give little but demand much. A mentoring pastor must demonstrate that servant leadership knows no bounds. And that the least, last, and the lost are the very ones whose needs most merit high priority.

Ministry is always a matter of the heart. It was this about Pastor Weides that made the greatest impact on my life: the loving way he treated people, the grace he demonstrated in times of conflict, the selfless charity that characterized all he did. I am eternally grateful for a man of God who opened his heart to me so I might learn what servant leadership is all about.

Don’t cap the talent: inspire excellence

Always try to hire someone who is better than you. That is the key to building a strong leadership team. Take it as a compliment when an associate is given high praise. After all, you had the good sense to hire him. This is an essential principle of good leadership.

I overheard a conversation in which an associate was being praised for the fabulous sermon he had preached in my absence. Great. Forget the momentary emotions of intimidation and rejoice in God’s blessing on your ability to choose good associates.

Any pastor who feels threatened by strong and capable associates will promote mediocrity at best. Crucify the flesh and help others rise above the level of your own competence. Give the credit to others and watch what great things God will do through you.

I have heard over and over, with variation, the same message: "I think my pastor felt insecure with the acceptance I was receiving from the people. Little by little he undercut my influence until, finally, I had to move on."

What a sad sacrifice of God-given gifts and talents. Good pastors do all they can to push an associate to the highest levels of ministry development. Jesus said His followers would do "even greater things than these" (John 14:12). What an example. This is the spirit of Jesus.

Some time ago I spoke with an associate who served under a dynamic, successful pastor. But the associate complained: "The pastor must always be the dominant one, in every conversation and every situation." To say the least, he was disillusioned and made his exit at the first opportunity. What a shame. Who, but Jesus, is to be the dominant One? Since when is Spirit-empowered ministry to be competitive and personality-driven?

Don’t undercut the process: instill trust

It has happened over and over. An associate comes to us inexperienced and green. But after a few years, the associate has blossomed like a rose, won the hearts of the people, and become effective in ministry. Guess what?

"Pastor, I’ve been invited to accept another position."

My first response: "How dare you do this to me? Who is this pastor who is trying to steal you away?" Then I catch myself: It is for just this that I am called. I am to help others like Brother Weides helped me. This is the fulfillment of God’s plan for my life and theirs.

Transitions are hard at best. Associates fear that any expression of interest in another position will be interpreted as disloyalty. Are they burning bridges prematurely? Is secrecy the better option? But the risk of secrecy is great. Someone may find out, and the pastor will feel betrayed.

None of this should be. This is the work of the Lord. It is in His vineyard we all serve. He assigns the workers as He chooses. For this reason, hard as it may be, I have informed associates that I will partner with them in exploring any other ministry opportunities that may come. I reassure them that their position is not in jeopardy, nor will I interpret their exploration of an opportunity as dissatisfaction. This partnership has paid handsome dividends. It has freed me from any feelings of betrayal and allowed me to be a creative part of a decision that may be critical for future ministry.

It is a shame for any pastor to undercut or attempt to undercut any exploration of God’s will for ministry placement. Only the Lord of the harvest knows where and when any of us might serve to the greatest benefit of the Kingdom.

Interestingly, I am now an adjunct professor at a seminary whose president is a former associate. The tables have turned. Employer has become employee, and the relationship is stronger than ever. I recall the transition years ago that set the stage for what has followed. This could not have happened had we not both been committed to a positive transition.

Passing the torch in ministry presupposes this kind of partnership. Effective leadership always keeps an eye on successorship—who it is that is going to follow. Too often the torch is dropped and ministry is aborted. It must not be. A partnership of trust in transition is the key.

Don’t spare the rod: correct with love

Mentoring is not always easy. Whether a pastor is mentoring laypersons or salaried pastoral staff, the requirement is the same. Sometimes correction in love is a necessity.

I do not like this part. My style is to affirm, suggest, and encourage. To speak words that inflict momentary hurt is not easy for me. But it must be done. A pastor who refuses to deal correctively when required is missing an essential link in the mentoring process.

I recall an event years ago that involved a breach of integrity between an associate pastor and the church board. Hard as it was, I knew I must request that the associate call each board member and apologize. He willingly complied and is pastoring a large and growing church today.

The key is attitude. A word properly spoken will release an incredible power. It will move a mentoree toward a new level of maturity and effectiveness in ministry. Yes, sometimes confrontation is imperative. It is work that must be done.

Conclusion

Pass the torch. To ignore this necessity is to be guilty of spiritual treason. Be it a group of volunteers or a team of salaried staff, a wise and godly pastor will accept the ministry of mentoring as an honor and privilege. No aspect of pastoral ministry pays higher dividends than this.

Richard L. Dresselhaus, D.Min., is an executive presbyter and senior pastor of First Assembly of God, San Diego, California.

*Scripture references are from the New International Version.