HOW TO GROW A PASTOR

 As a young, novice pastor I faced lots of challenges without the benefit of a mentor.  In 1976, the use of mentors for pastors was a rarity - unfortunately.  I was leading a church in Jeannette, PA.  A nearby, experienced pastor - J. D. States - did reach out to me and we met a time or two.  He even suggested a pulpit exchange between his church [Penn Hills FMC] and mine [Penn Hills - at that time, was a thriving, growing church!].

Upon my appointment, the Pittsburgh Conference simultaneously went from three superintendents to one.  He was obviously overwhelmed as a result of this significant change.  Consequently, he never checked in with me during that first traumatic year.  

In spite of my struggling, the church began to grow and ultimately nearly doubled in size within two years.  [I had inherited a brand new building with a deeply split congregation of around forty mostly older people.]  However, the power structures within the church were overbearing.  They refused to allow me to bring these new converts in as members.  A key leaders' wife suffered from a self-declared, mental condition.  Sometimes she would greet me joyfully and praise my work; the next time she would be dark and threatening.  

I did reach out to a fellow pastor who was a bit older than me.  We met a few times and exchanged ministry ideas and prayed for one another, but it did not attain the level of support and help that I needed.

Sadly, the result of this dilemma caused me to ask for a move after only two years.  I have longed many times for a different ending to that story!  New believers were abandoned.  The church immediately plummeted back to forty people.  A few years ago, the Pittsburgh Conference sold that building with its ten acres of land in the middle of a developing community.  I mourn that fateful decision I made forty-eight years ago.

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Young or new pastors need support, encouragement and equipping!

Despite their giftedness, creativity and resourcefulness, they need coaching and an experienced guide to walk with them!  Leading a church is HARD WORK!  Opposition abounds!  We hear little about this, but the church is one of the largest operations in the world to utilize almost exclusively volunteer labor!  

I had a highly successful businessman in one of my congregations at a time when the church I was leading had doubled in size.  During one of our occasional lunches I told him that I envied him.  He had a perplexed look on his face, so I explained.  

You own your business and hire your employees.  When you tell them what to do, they do it, or you fire them.  In my work, I have to recruit, train and deploy people to do the work of the church without the incentive of a paycheck and without any direct line of authority.

 As (if) a church grows, a pastor does gain respect and an increase in influence.  However, a congregation's resistance to change is persistent and highly frustrating to a determined leader!  

• Fast-adaptors are few - probably less than ten percent of a congregation.
• Convincible adaptors will support new ideas with a measure of interest and a hopeful attitude.  They are not quick, but they are willing to see the benefits that can come through change.  They probably make up about thirty percent of the congregation.
• Late adaptors may eventually come along after much evidence is presented and deeper trust in the leadership is developed.  Until they are thoroughly convinced, however, they are oppositional!  They likely make up another thirty percent of a congregation.
• Resisters rarely adapt and remain oppositional and negative even when the changes have proven effective!  They typically get left behind and resent the new people who are becoming significant to the growth of the church!  

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Are you seeing the struggle that pastors deal with regularly?

Although the church did not provide me with mentors and coaches, or even attentive leaders, I did have a few consistent and dedicated prayer warriors who stood faithfully behind me!

The value gained from this kind of persistence cannot be fully appreciated!  This is why I survived!

First, there was my mother.  I rarely write about her, but she was THE MAJOR FORCE IN MY LIFE!  She taught me to pray.  She cultivated in me a love for the Lord.  She modeled leadership consistently through the years through her impact in the Women's Missionary Society, Coffee-Cup Evangelism, Christian Business Women's Association [although she wasn't a business woman] and a dedicated prayer life that impacted the lives of hundreds of people!  She eventually re-covered her Bible with pockets that she packed with prayer lists!  I knew that every Sunday morning, she was interceding for me!  

Second, there was my Uncle James Archer [actually, my great uncle who was more like a grandpap].  Officially known as JO, he was the only other pastor in my family.  He received his first appointment without being consulted while he was a layman in the New Brighton, PA Free Methodist Church.  I remember my pride when he was recognized for sixty years of service while I was an emerging pastor in the conference!  Everyone loved to hear Uncle James pray in his deep bass voice and great intimacy with God.  Uncle James always assured me that he was praying for me EVERY SUNDAY MORNING!  This was a great comfort to me!

My sister, Beverly, developed into a replication of our mom!  Over the years, she was my first resource for prayer after my mom and Uncle James had passed away.  Through the years, I always knew - every Sunday morning - she was praying for me!  She maintained a deep and intimate prayer relationship with God that could be relied on.  Those who know her will concur that on Facebook, she was constantly assuring people that she would be praying for them!  And I can assure you that when she made these commitments - she followed through!  In recent years she has been deeply impacted by dimentia.  I miss her dearly.  She still sparks with enthusiasm at times when she speaks of the Lord and her dedication to prayer, but her memory only lasts for a few moments now and she needs constant direction and support.  I'm grateful for the love and dedication of my brother-in-law, Dick, for being at her side twenty-four/seven!  

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I've just completed an interim assignment at The Foundery Free Methodist Church in Wellsburg, West Virginia.  Finally, after over a year of waiting, the church has been assigned a pastor.  He will serve as an interim until he completes some necessary educational and denominational requirements.  Hopefully, by next summer he will be appointed as the Lead Pastor of the church!  

Bobby Westfall is an intelligent, creative, passionate leader who has placed his entire trust in the Lord to direct the affairs of his family.  His wife, Stacy, is a dedicated mother who is also a Local Ministerial Candidate with interest in working with youth!  Together, they are raising four beautiful children:  Arabella, Madison, Jackson and Charlotte.  

I cannot understate the potential of this emerging leader!  In his first week on the job [which is just ending], he mobilized the church to send much-needed-supplies to the hurricane victims in the south!  That's right, the first shipment has already been delivered, and more is being collected!  One week!  What's that tell you about the potential of this new pastor?  

Bobby has invited me to continue to meet with him as a mentor!  I am excited to have the opportunity to shape, encourage and prayerfully support this younger leader!  I make him a promise here-and-now:  Bobby, every Sunday morning - as long as I live - I'll be praying for you!  

May God bless and encourage you!  May He keep you clean and pure and dedicated to His work!  May He resource you with everything you will need to grow His Church and increase His Kingdom!  May He foster humility in you as you lead and see the accompanying growth as fruit for your labor.  May He keep you approachable and caring and with your family in the foreground [and not the background]! 

I'll be watching from a distance with expectation and joy!  God bless you man!