14 Questions to Determine if You're an Effective Pastor

November 30, 2011

By Doug Lawrence

This is for pastors of all shapes and sizes. Answer the questions in your own language and face the facts about your ministry efficacy as seen through a 90 years young colleague’s eyes. It’s brutal!

I had a chance to spend 48 hours with a dear mentor and friend a couple of weeks ago, Ralph Osborne. He is a long time pastor who, moving toward retirement, teamed with Lloyd Ogilvie at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Prior to that he was the President of Faith at Work—the 70s launching pad for so-call “relational theology.” When I first met him he was 54 and now, at 90, he seems pretty much the same to me, only a lot wiser!

Gleaned from our time together, these are some questions he answered on the fly...

1. If push came to shove, would you protect the institution or your clientele?

Some pastors become quite good at assuring that policy is observed, but often do that at the cost of real people. Regardless of denominational legalism, that’s wrong.

2. Is your mantel a little askew?

Perfect pastors are perfectly useless because the people they serve aren’t perfect either.

3. What’s your biggest critique of seminaries?

Seminaries often train pastors in areas that will be marginally useful and skip over the things that it takes to run a church and serve people. Even heads of seminaries would confess to this truth.

4. In a disagreement, which side would you take?

Many leaders believe their role is to wisely discern the facts and make decisions, but the really hard job is to resolve conflict and keep unity intact—sometimes without making any decisions.

5. Are numbers indicative of your success?

Hardly. Numbers are rarely a sign of anything but skillful marketing. Even in a church, let’s say, where incredible miracles are taking place by the fistful, those churches are really only truly successful when relationships are formed and Jesus Christ is honored above his signs and wonders. Numbers don’t mean much in the final analysis.

6. Pretend you’re Zacchaeus. Would you be embarrassed if Jesus said he was coming to your house?

Compartmentalization is the number one enemy of leaders. Clean up your act and be congruent with what you say.

7. What should you do if you stop feeling pulled (nudged) toward ministry and would rather do something else?

Resign and go do that. Being a pastor is for people who can hardly wait to get to work in the morning—well, most mornings!

8. Do you think some pastors care more about their “portfolio” than their investments?

Looking just so and having a shiny portfolio is rarely like making good investments in the people of your congregation. It’s not for you to decide whether or not your investment in people will pay off. You just make the investment!

9. Do you believe in miracles?

If you don’t, you’re not being realistic about how God works—as in, you’re still employed, aren’t you? (hearty laugh)

10. Should you “love” or “like” everyone in your congregation?

Loving and liking are not necessarily the same, but they’re similar. The former is usually required, the latter is a bonus.

11. Would you invite your wife or kids to talk about you in worship?

You can draw your own conclusions about this question.

12. Do you have secrets you feel you shouldn’t share with anyone?

Having them may be a good thing. At all costs guard confidentiality with your parishioners. The contract may be unspoken, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Stop “sharing” with everyone—it can be disastrous.

13. Are you a fixer?

Jesus saves, I don’t.

14. If you had it to do it all over again, would you?

That may be beside the point. Don’t beat God up for a decision you made. Do the work. Stay the course. Get over yourself!

I like Ralph. He is generously direct!

Blessings

Doug

Doug Lawrence, internationally recognized speaker, author, and advisor, helps churches assess and improve their skillfulness in creating engaging worship experiences by utilizing his more than 35 years of "deep trench" worship leadership in prominent mainline churches.

Read more of Doug Lawrence's articles at Church Central, http://www.churchcentral.com.

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