Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a Church Alone

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Paul could just as easily have included “single or married” in this list of status markers that have been swept away by the new, complete and eternal identity found in Christ. Married, single, Scythian or otherwise, our Christian distinctiveness rests completely in the character and work of Jesus.

Influence Magazine | How to Lead a Church Alone

An important insight emerges: “The key ingredient in the solo-pastor church is love.” Why? Because the relational dynamics in solo-pastor churches differ from multi-staff churches. A key insight here is the importance of trust. McIntosh writes ,“The trouble is that pastors think organizationally about the church before thinking relationally. A good rule to remember is this: whenever you hit resistance, strengthen the relationship before bringing in reinforcements.” Keep in mind that singleness, like marriage, is a circumstance of earthly life only (Luke 20. 34-36). I recall an extremely robust discussion I once had with a fellow grad student who held a rather rigid definition of healthy Christian adulthood. He was fixed to the idea this could only be expressed by those in marriages with many children. I pointed out to him that (aside from the obvious example of Christ) the history of God’s people includes innumerable stories of amazing people who minister and teach the Gospel, and (perhaps for reasons of martyrdom, war, health, social conditions or other factors) remained unmarried and without children. Unfortunately, he could not fathom that a healthy adult could embrace living and ministering solo. Even more unfortunately, this man was a leader in his local congregation! The truth is singleness is no more a deficit of person or character than marriage is an indicator of mature spirituality. Since that is true, it follows that being called and equipped to ministry does not hinge on marital status. In His fully human incarnation, Jesus submitted His divine self to be a servant (Philippians 2.6), and lived out that ministry as a single man with rich relationships. Peter was married. Paul was single. Priscilla and Aquila were marriage and ministry partners together. Whether single or married, each of these giants of the early Church chose to follow Jesus, and were used powerfully by God for the spreading of the Gospel. Single pastors and married ministers alike need to explore their fitness for ministry based on Scriptural principles, not lifestyle stages. I do not posit that unmarried clergy are better than married clergy, or that either state is more suited to the calling of ministry than the other. The Church needs to affirm the equal role unmarried servant leaders have alongside their married counterparts while also recognizing their unique strengths and weaknesses. No one is better suited to the call of ministry because of their relationship status. The basic truth is we who are called to ministry find our identity first and foremost in Jesus Christ.I am saying that churches with solo pastors often, inadvertently, “kill” their pastors, in the sense of rendering them unable to continue effectively in local church ministry.

Solo pastors: 8 ways to make the most of limited resources

Get your legitimate needs met. I’ve been learning from studying the Birkman (personality assessment) Method that when I get the legitimate needs of my personality met – mine are “literary” and “music” – I have the resources to do the things I need to do that drain my joy (like tending a mailing list). I’m speaking directly to solo pastors today because, for the most part, pastors must do this themselves.Learn to hate the twin pastor-killing sins of bitterness (because of what you did to me that you shouldn’t have done) and resentment (because of what you should have done for me and didn’t do). Years ago, when most of us were single, sailing through that lovely phase of life after dorms and before mortgages, many of my circle were in seminary preparing for the pastorate. Some of us were already working in ministry settings. The running joke was that single/not-dating was a fine situation, even preferable when pressing hard into the MDiv studies. But the day after graduation, be sure to show up at that first church placement married, with two kids, one on the way, and a dog! It seemed people (and search committees) just preferred their pastors married. Solo pastors, whether full- or part-time, lead 56% of American churches, according to the 2015 National Congregations Study by Duke University researchers. The “woods are full” of good men who have served as solo pastors who are now selling insurance, building homes or working at Home Depot.

Solo Pastors: Here Are 7 Ways To Keep Your Church From

I’m talking about learning how to survive the solo pastorate by assertively, painstakingly, teaching, leading and training your church. Let’s get specific: Please don’t do this. Your church deserves better. Your Lord deserves better. God didn’t call you into the ministry so you could be a placeholder. How can a church balance faith and practice? This is one common problem in solo-pastor churches. Churches thrive on big vision (faith) but face the reality of limited resources (practice). Here are some insights and tips to consider. Proverbs 29:18 reminds leaders, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained." This passage can be translated as the people "run wild" or "get out of hand." Exhaustion will likely result in a ministry project with insufficient strength to survive. Pace the church's ministries so your people don't burn out.Pastor Steven Boyd “I found value in our meetings and am grateful you invited me to be part of it as a ‘future senior pastor.’ I enjoyed being able to be part of the conversations and glean from those beyond me. Thanks for your leadership with the group and your heart for pastors!” Leading a church alone presents obvious challenges, as well as unexpected opportunities. Gary L. McIntosh examines both in his new book, The Solo Pastor. He presents his material in four parts. Here’s one line of evidence for this: health insurance. Twenty-some years ago I was in the process of helping my congregation join a denomination. One of the benefits we thought it would bring us was in providing health insurance for staff members. Before we could get inducted into the group, they had abandoned their health insurance program, permanently. Investing in your own health will reduce loneliness and stress while creating the opportunity to lead a healthier church,” McIntosh writes. Trying to lead a solo-pastor church like an army is thus a recipe for failure. One has to lead it like a family. Relationship is the key to successfully leading solo-pastor churches.

Solo servant leadership: Single and in ministry – Clergy Care

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” – Colossians 3:11 This is a sad scenario that I’ve seen more than a few times. You stay in by lowering your expectations to the level of “nothing’s happening here, but nothing’s happening anywhere else either.” You lose faith but “keep on keeping on” because you heard this phrase in seminary. Unless the vision is defined so people can see not only where to go but also how to get there, they'll be running wild. A healthy church knows in which direction it's heading. This requires that (1) people know, understand, and believe in the church's overall vision; (2) each person understands their place in fulfilling the vision; (3) people hear about the needs of the congregation and want to help; (4) victories and successes regarding the vision are shared with the congregation; (5) people hear about how the vision has changed lives; (6) communication channels are kept open and active; and (7) church leaders take responsibility to make certain the first six are done. Become an equipper. The duties given to the one, full-time, paid elder, usually called “the pastor” here in America, can vary greatly, and legitimately so (Acts 20:28-32; I Timothy 5:17-20). In my opinion, in most cases, one of the three responsibilities which the full-time pastor should give himself to is that of training/equipping the saints (Ephesians 4:12) so that the saints can do the work of the ministry. As long as you do it all yourself, your church will let you do it all yourself. But with a lot of assertiveness and tenacious instruction, God can transform your church from a congregation of minister-watchers to a congregation of ministers.Use two criteria to determine when to say yes and when to say no to new opportunities. (1) Do your people "own" the vision? If it originated with one or a few, do others see it as a priority? It's best to delay starting a new ministry unless you have a minimum of five people committed to getting it started and keeping it running. (2) Do you have the emotional and spiritual resources, personnel, money, and facilities?