Shooting for the Top … Almost
I believe in the Executive Pastor position to my core. There is tremendous value that an Executive Pastor can offer a church. God has been preparing me for this role my entire life and brought me in on...
View ArticleSeven Common Pitfalls Every Pastor Should Avoid in a New Church Role
A quaint story circulated among Methodists describes a young pastor, fresh out of seminary, who had just begun his first pastorate. As he drove up to the small church, he noticed an old tree blocking...
View ArticleA New Beginning: Suggestions for a New Pastor
Steve's phone call was filled with excitement. It was his first church. I had known him from his home church where he was a fine lay leader. Now he was on his own. He wanted to connect with somebody...
View ArticleFrom Corporate America to Full-Time Ministry: My First Six Months as an XP
Andrew Behm went from working in the business world to being the Executive Pastor of the church he had attended for years. Below are accounts of his joys and struggles during his first 26 weeks as an...
View ArticleHiring an Executive Pastor?
A couple of months ago, I was asked to give a presentation entitled, “Executive Pastor: If, When, Why, How?” As you can guess from the title, the focus was on churches that were thinking about creating...
View ArticleTips for a New XP
April 23, 2003 is a day that Natalie Gilbert will never forget. On that day, when she was 13 years old, she was scheduled to sing the national anthem for the 2003 NBA Playoff Game between the Dallas...
View ArticleHelping Your XP Succeed
“I felt my heart strangely warmed.” Those were the words Jonathan Wesley used to describe his conversion the night he attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. The words also describe how I...
View ArticleChanging Hats: Moving from Business to the Executive Pastor Role
Every year at the XP-Seminar, I ask, “How many of you came from the business world?” In 2005, about 25% of the XPs raised their hands; by 2008, over 50% said “yes.” Current estimates are that half of...
View ArticleHired from Within to be the XP: A Case Study
In the American religious landscape, there is no clear path for an individual to become an Executive Pastor. Whether a man or woman comes from the executive or church world, there are a variety of...
View ArticlePerception Equals Reality: A Lesson from a Church’s First Executive Pastor
“Had I known then what I know now!” How many times have you heard that famous phrase? Hindsight truly is 20/20, but normally we do not get to enjoy it, unless we learn from others who have gone before...
View ArticleThe XP’s First 100 Days
When a United States President enters office, there is a lot of press given to his first 100 days agenda. The reason for this is everyone understands the early days of the new administration will set...
View ArticleKeys to a Successful First 100 Days as a Senior Pastor
Turnover in churches is high right now. Senior Pastors are retiring as baby boomers age, and the wave is only going to grow. Perhaps more than I’ve ever seen, there are scores of people facing their...
View ArticleA Shameless Plug for XPastor Online Courses
To all my fellow XP’s out there---many who, like me, have come out of marketplace---I say, “If you 'wanna learn' what you need to know to be an effective pastor, administrator, leader, and coach, look...
View ArticleFive Lessons I’ve Learned in My First Eighteen Months as XP
As was mentioned in the title, I’ve learned five lessons during my first eighteen months as an Executive Pastor. In order to provide some context, I will briefly state my ministry experience. My...
View ArticleBook Review: The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan
The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, written by George Bradt, Jayme Check and Jorge Pedraza, is a book about helping executives succeed...
View ArticleFrom Business Executive to Executive Pastor
A variety of paths can lead to the role of executive pastor (or executive director) in a church. One of the most common is the businessperson who is already a volunteer leader in the church and makes a...
View ArticleModern Day Matthews—Transitioning from the Marketplace into Ministry
“You are destroying the church I love!” “You are not a godly man and I hate you!” “Sometimes I do not understand the way you think!” “You are making my church too corporate!” After you hear statements...
View ArticleThe Changing Face of the Executive Pastor Role
A longtime XP discusses what is changing for a position once limited to large churches, an interview with David Fletcher by Matthew Branaugh ... You have served as a pastor for more than 35 years,...
View Article
