The role of a pastor is profoundly complex.
Pastors are simultaneously asked to be:
- compassionate like a therapist
- persuasive like a communicator
- wise like a scholar
- calm under pressure like an executive
- spiritually grounded like a monk
- available like an emergency responder
- organized like an operations manager
Few leadership roles require such a wide range of emotional, relational, and organizational strengths. The Apostle Paul invites leaders to be “all things to all people,” but this certainly can’t be what he had in mind! That makes evaluation essential. but not always easy.
Amid this challenging and diverse workload, evaluation is essential, but also challenging. Board members aren’t always given clarity about how pastors spend their week, the challenge of the role, and effective job performance evaluation.
There are weeks when a Sunday message is picked apart and analyzed to the finest points, and months without receiving a word of criticism (or, unfortunately, a word of appreciation). The question “Is the pastor excelling” is a very different question than “am I happy with what the church is doing”, but in council rooms or congregations they might feel indistinguishable.
In this confusion, five questions can bring clarity to the challenge of evaluating (and ultimately supporting) their work.
Celebrate – what do we celebrate about our pastor’s work? What is he or she uniquely gifted in, and what is going well?
Do More of – What do we want to see expanded? Are there areas where we’d like to see our pastor spending more time? What are the impacts of that?
Do Less of – What responsibilities should be delegated, simplified, or discontinued so the pastor can focus on highest-value work? Are there areas that need to be given to volunteers?
Do Differently – what should be done differently?
Impact – what impact is our pastor’s ministry having? What are the tangible ways they are making a difference in our church community?
When leaders and pastors reflect on these five questions together, evaluation becomes healthier, clearer, and more constructive.
Want to Learn More? At Shepherd Consulting, we help churches build leadership systems that strengthen accountability, clarity, and support. If you’d like information about how a 360 Evaluation can support your leadership, send us an email at info@shepherdconsulting.ca
SHEPHERD'S SPOTLIGHT: JustWay Homes
JustWay Homes is passionate about justice and committed to taking action by providing affordable housing to a specific target group. The idea came to fruition in 2020 and by 2022 they had purchased their first home to house refugee families. They were granted charitable status in 2023.
As a start-up organization, they are navigating the challenges of transitioning to a more formal and stable structure. This is where Shepherd Consulting accompanies them: by assessing their current status, providing governance training and encouraging them to discern their path forward to reach their goals.
Does this sound familiar to you?
If you are a start-up non-profit struggling to move from one stage to the next, we are here to help. Contact Shepherd Consulting to find out how we can work with you to develop a path forward to success.
Steve Dykstra is passionate about coaching, leadership, and personality assessments!
A certified Birkman Professional and leadership coach, he also works with Enneagram, Leadership Grip, and Strengthsfinder. He also coaches pastors on behalf of one particular denomination as well as corporate leaders through 'BetterUp'.
Steve's interest is in creating vision for community-based ministry, and leadership coaching.
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email: info@shepherdconsulting.ca
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