One question I get asked on a regular basis is this: ‘So, what does an Executive Pastor actually do?’ Great question. Sometimes I wonder that myself. Not many days are the same so it can be tricky to answer.
Here’s a good list for starters having checked my recent to-do list ~ people, meetings, budgets, discussions, strategy, organising ministry opportunities, identifying leaders, looking at the detail, more meetings, process, systems, helping other leaders, asking questions and then continuously repeat, in any order. All covered by keeping my relationship with God as strong as possible.
As far as I am concerned, one of the most important aspects in my role is knowing the vision of my Lead Pastor and then helping others grab a hold of it too. For me, it’s about taking everything that I have to think about or plan through the filter of the big picture, the overarching vision that we have in our church.
People are passionate about what they do, seeing what they get to do as the most important thing in the world and that’s a good thing. Yet it can also be dangerous, as it is easy to become blinkered to anything else or how what one part is doing impacts on another. That’s where my role comes in, helping them keep the big picture in mind. After all, it’s no good one part winning at the detriment of another part.
In rethinking my writing and the resource it can be, unpacking some of the journey as an Executive Pastor might be useful. I’m no expert but I have been giving it my best endeavour for the past 5 years now. I’m hoping I have learned a thing or two worth passing on.
I know I’m not perfect in this. I get it right. I get it wrong.
theotherJC 
Great blog. Thanks for unpacking this!