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I’ve mentioned before how owning your senior pastor’s vision is important. Not only is it important, it is essential. There is a tendency among us worship leader/creative types to walk to the beat of our own drum. The truth is, you won’t reach your full potential as a leader until you learn to serve someone else’s vision.
When I finished college and was hired as a worship pastor, I wasn’t prepared to serve someone else’s vision. Bible college doesn’t necessarily prepare you for that. I had dreams and ideals. It wasn’t until I really submitted myself to a great, visionary leader that I began to grow like I never had before.
If you are on staff at a local church, you need to own your senior pastor’s vision with all your might. And if you can’t, it might be time for you to leave. I know that’s a bold statement. I know it may seem a little harsh.
But I think it’s important and here’s why:
1. God has anointed your pastor as the leader of your church
Think about it. God calls pastors and leaders to specific communities for a specific purpose. They have a vision from God to carry out. It is not only your job to serve his vision but your spiritual responsibility. There’s a reason God didn’t appoint 7 leaders of equal influence over a church. Nothing would get done. It would be a battle of personalities. A lot of harm is done when a staff won’t carry out the senior pastor’s vision. As a worship leader make it your goal to serve it with all your might and only speak well of your pastor. God is honored by that.
2. Submitting to and serving someone else’s vision builds humility and maturity
When you’re young, you think you know it all. Submission is the furthest thing from your mind. You have dreams and you want to pursue them. I think God strategically places young leaders in positions where they learn to submit. It really does prepare you for what he wants you to do. When you submit and serve someone else’s vision you gain a more realistic view of yourself and your faults. You learn respect. You learn to make others look good rather than just stroking your own ego. Serving your pastor’s vision will prepare you for a future time where you may be that guy. But before that, serve humbly, and serve well.
3. Ministry is hindered without it
When you try and sidestep your pastor’s vision by doing your own thing, the ministry of the church is hindered through a lack of concentration. A good pastor will ask for your input on things but once the vision of the church is established, don’t supplant it by doing your own thing. You may think your way is better, but it’s not. A better option is to pour yourself wholeheartedly into the vision and lead your ministry to do the same.
God wants to use you in ways you can’t begin to see just yet. Serving well right now, wherever you are, is a good place to start.
Question: How have you seen this play out in your life? Or how could you improve? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Thanks for this great reminder!
No problem, Cleve. Thanks for reading!
I came across this through Cleve’s twitter post. Great stuff! I appreciate you writing this. I believe this is a huge issue in the church and I appreciate your willingness to submit to the leadership of your Senior Pastor. Thanks!
Thanks, Todd! I write what I’ve learned from all the mistakes I’ve made 🙂 This has really helped me grow as a leader. It helps that I serve under such a fantastic leader. Thanks for reading.
Wow dude, great post. It’s easy to have vision and direction from God for our ministries and mistake it as a replacement or substitute for our Senior Pastor’s vision for our church. I realized that anytime I work outside his vision I remove myself from his covering and authority. Not only is it dishonoring to him, but it’s dishonoring to God and is in complete disobedience and contradiction to His Word.
I love this line: “The truth is, you won’t reach your full potential as a leader until you learn to serve someone else’s vision.” That sentence is power-packed with so much good stuff. God won’t put us over anything or anyone until we learn to serve under those he’s place in authority over us. This is exactly what God is walking me through right now (can you tell?). Thanks for this one bro!
Proud of you, man. Glad to hear God is working in and through you. As always, thanks for the comments.
An awesome and timely article indeed. Thanks for sharing wisdom.
What if your senior pastor has NO vision? I’ve asked him what his is. He has no response. It’s like it’s a foreign concept to him. He’s a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants guy, just living week to week. No forethought, and no planning. I would love to follow his vision if he had one, and so would the rest of the congregation. He’s almost 68 and needs to retire, and I’ve talked to him about this. What would you do?
Rich, that is a great question. It’s hard for me to believe he has NO vision. If I were you, I’d run my own vision past him and see what he thinks.
Hi… can you please direct me to the scripture where it says the pastor is the leader of the church… I know pastors had the responsibility of looking out for the rest of the flock… I just thought we are all to be led by the spirit. thanks for your time
Hebrews 13:17
Hi all!
John / all:
I read Hebrews 13:17 and all of Hebrews 13. Could you please expand on why you believe that passage says the Pastor is the single leader of the local church? Are there other Bible passages?
I have been in church’s where the Pastor works closely with a larger group to come up with vision. It was more of a collaborative, team dynamic. Like a team of elders working with the Pastor.
My apologies, if I misunderstood anything that was said.
Thanks
Gary L
Southern NH (U.S.)