Leadership Skills & Team Building Principles

FIVE CORE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEAD PASTOR

I remember being called to my first pastorate at the age of 27. I did not feel qualified to lead the church, and after leading the church for a couple years, I felt even less qualified. I really needed the Lord to help me become a pastor that could love and lead His flock well.

I began to pray a prayer similar to Solomon when he prayed to the Lord, “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9 NLT

Solomon was a young man when he prayed this prayer to God. He was probably in his early to mid 20’s. He felt the weight of His calling and the inexperience of his youth. He knew he needed God. 

Just like Solomon, I asked the Lord to give me wisdom. I asked the Lord to make me a good pastor. I believe the Lord heard my prayer. I’ve been pastoring the same church for 40 years. I have had many successes, many trials, and many failures. Through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon the Lord. I would like to share some of the things I have learned from Scripture, from mentors, from the Holy Spirit, and from failures. I hope this article blesses and strengthens you.

In those early years, I felt vulnerable. I felt alone. I knew I needed wisdom from God to pastor His church.

When I began pastoring, my church was very small. Our Sunday attendance was approximately 50 people. Since it was small, so much of the ministry fell upon me. I was the lead pastor, the youth pastor, the worship leader, the secretary, and the janitor. I wore many hats. I was a “jack of all trades and master of none.” Because the church was so small, I lacked human and financial resources.

When I performed so many tasks and wore so many hats, it created great stress on me. I felt unqualified and inadequate. I ministered outside my gift zone. I felt emotionally drained. It was common for me to preach a message, conduct a board meeting, counsel a couple, lead the worship service, and welcome visitors – all in the same day. I loved the ministry, but it was very stressful and emotionally draining on me. 

If you are pastoring a small church, I know how challenging it is. In many ways, it is more difficult than pastoring a large church. I know God’s grace is sufficient for you. I know the Lord will help you.

In those early years, I felt vulnerable. I felt alone. I knew I needed God. I knew I needed wisdom from God to pastor His church. God looked down from heaven and said, “This young man needs my help, or he won’t make it.” God began to send me help. God sent me godly men to speak into my life and show me a better way. I was like a sponge. I soaked in their wisdom. I learned the importance of delegation, raising up a team, and leading with integrity. 

The "Staff"

When the Lord was calling Moses to lead the children out of Egypt, God empowered Moses’ staff to do miraculous things. 

Exodus 4:2-5 says, “Then the Lord asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied. ‘Throw it down on the ground,’ the Lord told him. So, Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the Lord told him, ‘Reach out and grab its tail.’ So, Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. ‘Perform this sign,’ the Lord told him. ‘Then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you.’”

I learned early in my ministry that I needed a staff (a team) to help me fulfill God’s call upon my life as a pastor. Just like Moses, my empowered staff (team) helped me lead the people out of Egypt and into the promised land. I thank the Lord for the staff (team) God has given me through the years.

I also learned in my ministry that the staff (team) is not equipped by God to do everything. I learned that there were essential responsibilities of a lead pastor. There were certain core responsibilities that only the lead pastor can do. 

There is another story in Scripture that illustrates this truth. 

2 Kings 4:29, 31 says, “Then Elisha said to Gehazi, ‘Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.’ Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, ‘The child is still dead.’”

In this story, Elisha’s staff wasn’t anointed for the situation. The circumstance needed Elisha’s personal ministry. Elisha needed to lay himself upon the child. Elisha tried to delegate the ministry to his staff (team), but his staff (team) was not empowered by God to meet the need. There are ministries that the lead pastor must do. There are responsibilities that cannot be delegated to the staff (team).

What are the core responsibilities of a lead pastor?

1. YOU MUST TEACH AND PREACH THE WORD OF GOD.

If you are the lead pastor, this task falls upon you. There is nothing wrong with sharing the pulpit with others, but the responsibility to feed the flock is your responsibility. Remember, you can’t delegate your responsibility. Teaching and preaching is your calling from God. And what a glorious calling it is! You and I have been given the task to preach the Word, to contend for the faith, to guard the truth, to deliver the whole counsel of God, and to rightly divide the Word. I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than bringing a word from God to the people.

We get to speak for God. We get to represent Christ. It is a high and holy calling. Let’s be faithful.

2. YOU MUST SEEK THE LORD.

If you are the lead pastor, you must get a word from God. You must listen to God. You must intercede for the people of God. The apostles knew this was a core responsibility. Acts 6:4 says, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” If you notice in this scripture, prayer was listed before the ministry of the Word. 

As the pastor, you lead by example. You set the pace. You are the main intercessor. The prophet Samuel said it would be a sin if he stopped praying for the people (1 Samuel 12:23). Joshua compromised with the Gibeonites when he failed to inquire of the Lord (Joshua 9:14).

I heard a pastor say this concerning prayer, “I might not pray for 30 minutes every day, but I never go 30 minutes without prayer.” Can I encourage you to give yourself to prayer? Seek the Lord, call upon His name, and be still in His presence. Remember, you advance His kingdom on your knees. God’s House is to be called a House of prayer. As the lead pastor, make sure you pray privately, pray publicly, and pray corporately. If the prayer meetings have grown stale, get creative with them. Try new ways or new times to pray with your people. 

I believe time spent with God brings a fresh anointing to preach. You can’t preach with power without the foundation of prayer. I love this quote: “Study yourself full, pray yourself hot, then preach yourself empty.”

3. YOU MUST CAST VISION FOR YOUR MISSION.

If you are the lead pastor, your mission is the great commission. All 4 Gospels close with some form of the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21-23). The Great Commission is His mission.  Always remember this, you preach to reach, and you teach to keep.  We are co-workers with Him of preaching the gospel to all nations.

Mission is what you do. Vision is what you see. As the lead pastor, you are to cast vision for the mission of your church. A vision statement begins with “I see.” It might read like this, “I see a church of passionate worshippers of God reaching their community with the love of Jesus.” Your vision statement should come from the heart of God. It should align with your heart. It should motivate your congregation.

According to John Maxwell, vision statements should paint a picture of a preferred future. It should be easily understood and remembered. It should be bold but achievable.

Vision is what you see with your eyes closed. Vision is what comes into your heart when you pray. Vision inspires your congregation and you to faith and action. 

I learned through the years the importance of keeping the mission and vision clear in my heart. People come to church and try to paint a new vision for me. I learned a long time ago that I can’t lead the congregation with a vision that is not in my heart. I can only sound the trumpet that the Lord has given me. If I sound too many trumpets, the people will scatter in different directions. 

I love this verse in Habakkuk 2:2, “Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.’”

There is power in a compelling vision. It causes people to run. It causes people to run in the same direction. It causes people to run at the same pace. Vision gives the church focus. Focus gives the church magnified power.

4. YOU MUST SHAPE THE CULTURE.

If you are the lead pastor, you define what you value and who you are as a church. Culture can be defined as the sum total of the attitudes, values, and behaviors of a church. You must model these values before your congregation.

I remember the Lord speaking to me concerning my church. I was upset that the church seemed discouraged. The Lord spoke to me when I was complaining to Him. He revealed to me that I was discouraged. The church was reflecting my discouragement. If I wanted a joyful church, I needed to be joyful. If I wanted a passionate church, I needed to be passionate. If I wanted an inviting church, I needed to invite people to church. 

Samuel Chand says this about the power of culture, “Your culture is more powerful than your vision, programs, staff, and resources.” I heard a minister once say, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In other words, a positive culture will enable your strategies to be effective. A flawed culture will sabotage the best strategies.

May I encourage you to live your biblical values? May I encourage you to cultivate godly attitudes? Live them before your church. When you look in the mirror, what is written on your face? Is it fear or courage? Is it love or anger? Is it joy or sorrow? Is it forgiveness or bitterness?

As Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

5. YOU MUST RAISE UP GODLY LEADERS.

If you are the lead pastor, you must do what Jesus did. Jesus raised up a team to fulfill the Great Commission.  Jesus outlined how He did this in John 17.

Jesus chose men who were given to Him by His Father.

John 17:6 says, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.”  

  • You must seek God before choosing your team.

Jesus taught them.

John 17:8 says, “For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” 

  • You must teach them publicly and privately.

Jesus prayed for them.

John 17:9 says, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” 

  • When you pray for them, your discernment will grow for them.

Jesus sent them.

John 17:18 says, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” 

  • You must find a place for them to serve.

Jesus empowered them.

John 17:22 says, “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” 

  • If you give them responsibilities, you will raise up followers. If you give them responsibility with authority, you will raise up leaders.

Jesus set the example for them.

John 17:21 says, “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” 

  • Your values are caught more than taught.

Jesus loved them.

John 17:26 says, “And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” 

  • Your proximity to them and love for them will increase your influence over them.

I can’t do it any better than Jesus did it. Jesus is the master discipler. 

Dan Reiland has a simple plan for developing leaders. He says, “Gather a group of 5-7 potential leaders, pick a book on leadership or ministry, meet once a month, and ask two questions. What are you learning? How are you applying what you are learning.”

Panel's Follow Up Question

What are the differences or similarities between raising children, raising up a congregation, and raising a staff (team)?

The way you lead your family is very similar to the way you lead your ministry.

“One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” 1 Timothy 3:4-5 NKJV

  • How you communicate
  • How you show love
  • How you discipline
  • How you forgive
  • How you prioritize

Proximity is different.

  • You are much closer to your family. This makes leadership very raw.
  • You are closer to your staff than the congregation. This makes your impact greater and deeper.
  • You lead your congregation primarily from your pulpit.
  • You lead your staff primarily by time spent with them outside the pulpit.
  • You lead your family by doing everyday life with them from the home.
  • You teach and model the Word to your congregation.
  • You teach, coach, and mentor your staff.
  • You incarnate the Lord to your family.

Tim Forsthoff

Executive Director on Worldwide Evangelism Board

Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Highland, Michigan

Tim and his wife, Rhonda, moved to Highland and became the Senior Pastors of Cornerstone Church in 1985 with the belief that people are designed to make a difference in this world and they can leave a worthy legacy long after they’re gone. They believe Jesus invites us into a new reality called “The Kingdom of God.” It looks like ordinary people living out an extraordinary story together.

Tim is gifted with a ministry of teaching the Word of God. He has a passion to teach leadership and team building principles found in the Scriptures. God has opened many doors locally, nationally, and all around the globe for him to teach others how to lead.

Tim believes every person is created for a purpose, they are created for relationship, and created to be part of the Kingdom of God.