Help! We Don't Have A Pastor
The Advent Christian Church is not the only network or denomination struggling with finding called and qualified pastors. I remember sitting in a Church Revitalization class at Gordon-Conwell in South Hamilton when one of our Professors would bring in the ABC equivalent to Superintendents. Each one would provide some type of insight on church leadership or revitalization but would always take 10 minutes to pitch to eager seminary students why they should consider one of their many open churches in New England.
I’m not going to rehash numbers that have been repeated over the last few years, but we expect our current leadership deficit to grow more expansive over the next five years as the majority of our pastors are at or past retirement age. As an MTI staff member, I know we are doing our best to train potential leaders from our churches to serve our churches. In the meantime, it will be increasingly standard for churches to go several months or even a few years without a full-time or part-time pastor. Here are a few suggestions on how your church can fill that gap regardless of how long it takes:
1. Utilize your Elders.
Maybe your church doesn’t have elders but views their pastor as the elder, and the deacons serve as spiritual leaders. In this scenario, your deacons are elders, so let’s utilize them this way. According to Paul, elders should be able to teach (1 Tim 3:2). That does not mean elders must have excellent rhetorical ability. Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that eloquent preaching runs the risk of emptying the cross of its power (this is a rhetorical device used by Paul). Instead of eloquent preachers, God calls those who will faithfully preach Christ and can discern between right and wrong doctrine (1 Tim 4:16).
If your church has elders who could use some assistance to structure or prepare a sermon, email me. I’ll get you connected with our upcoming MTI course on preaching. If you are an elder, begin preparing now. Ask your pastor to mentor you on how to prepare a sermon. Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church holds a monthly preaching lab that allows elders to sharpen their preaching skills.
Other than preaching, elders are responsible for the care of the congregation. Therefore, I suspect that most of our church elders are already visiting church members, discipling them, and caring for the flock’s spiritual needs.
2. Seek assistance from another local church
The last two Advent Christian Churches I’ve been part of are Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church and Oak Hill Bible Church. Each of these churches had multiple pastors and elders. Other Advent Christian churches likewise have multiple pastors and elders, as well as non-Advent Christian churches that, if asked, would assist a local church in its spiritual care.
Certainly, a local church needs a pastor for more than just preaching, but this is often the most immediate felt need. Ask another local church if they could provide pulpit supply, and if your church lacks available, qualified, or trained elders, then you could ask if this other church would help you identify potential elders for training.
3. Ask a retired Pastor to serve in the interim
One benefit of having so many retired pastors over the next few years is there will be many potential men to serve as interim pastors. The role of interim is unique and could be appealing to a 68-year-old pastor who has some gas left in the tank. Pastors, even retired ones, love to preach and care for God’s people. Retirement often comes after years of faithful service, and the pastor’s body and mind begin to slow down due to age. However, they still have skills and a heart for God’s people. A reduced, temporary role, could be of great interest to many.
4. Rethink your church structure
In some areas of the United States, there are several Advent Christian Churches in one community. Where I live in Massachusetts, there are very few. The 18th Century saw the use of Circuit Riders to plant churches, hold revivals, and care for local congregations. Most common were Methodist preachers who had a unique role in the history of the church. Could an Advent Christian Church share a pastor with another local congregation? This is still common among Methodists here in New England.
The above ideas might not suit your situation–that’s okay. Trust that God’s plan for you and your local church is more significant than you can imagine. Christ’s bride is precious, and he will provide all she needs for her flourishing and his glory. There’s also the possibility that your local church could be towards the end of its organizational life. That’s also okay. Praise God for your church’s faithfulness and the life given to it by God. In the meantime, do not be afraid to explore the future and creative solutions to leadership challenges.
If you or your congregation is interested in learning how the Ministry Training Institute (MTI) can assist you in training leaders, you can go to mtiprogram.com or email me personally at ereynolds@mtiprogram.com.
