Church ministry is a team sport.
We don’t “take it and run with it” by ourselves. As the old African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This is especially true in ministry.
And how we work in tandem with our church leadership matters even more than what we accomplish in our ministries.
This is a key component that many men’s ministry leaders are not aware of. Sometimes we assume that because we have a position, we can just do what we want.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
There is something embedded in Christian ministry that is collaborative and connected. We are meant to work with those above us, beside us, and those we lead.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are one body and that each part must work together to accomplish its purpose. In 1 Corinthians 12:27, it says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” That means we don’t operate independently. We function best when we are aligned.
With that in mind, here are three roadblocks that often get in the way of working well with your senior pastor.
We function best when we are aligned.
1. Lack of Outcomes
Every good pastor wants to know where things are headed.
The question “What are we trying to accomplish?” rarely comes up when talking about ministry outcomes. The reason is that it can be hard to drill down into what we would like to see accomplished as a result of our ministry.
Life transformation? Sure. But what does that actually mean?
Discipleship? Of course. But what does a fully devoted follower of Jesus look like in your context?
Questions like these can be difficult to answer, but if we take the time to think them through, we gain clarity. Not only do we understand the outcomes, but we also begin to see the path forward. When we know what we are aiming at, it becomes much easier to decide what we should actually be doing to get there.
2. Lack of Intentional Communication
Once we have clarity on outcomes, we need regular communication with our leadership.
Once a month, in-person is a great rhythm to ensure alignment and clear communication. These meetings give you a chance to update your pastor on what is happening, as well as seek guidance and counsel for whatever you are facing. This helps you move forward with confidence and clarity.
Making these times intentional is important. Without intention, it is easy to spend the whole meeting talking about surface-level things and never actually discussing the ministry. Having pre-written questions, a simple agenda, and even a shared resource can help keep the meeting focused and productive.
Good communication builds trust. And trust is essential in ministry.
3. Lack of Clear Goals
Every men’s ministry should have three goals.
First, a growth goal. How is this ministry going to grow by inviting and welcoming new people?
Second, a salvation goal. How many people are we believing will come to Jesus through this ministry?
Third, a development goal. How many people are we going to develop, and how are we going to do that?
These goals help create and sustain momentum. They give you something to measure and something to celebrate. They also help you and your pastor stay aligned on what really matters.
With these roadblocks in mind, let’s now talk about five ways to work well with your pastor.
1. Honor Up, Honor Down, Honor All Around
This isn’t my phrase. I heard it at a conference, and it has stuck with me.
If we have a culture of honor, things go a lot smoother.
Honor is keeping commitments.
Honor is speaking to one another with love and humility.
Honor is considering others better than ourselves, as Philippians 2:3 says.
At the same time, honor does not mean accepting unhealthy behavior or ignoring boundaries. It does not mean placing someone on a pedestal or pretending they are perfect.
Honor is simply treating people the way you want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
We honor our pastor.
We honor our ministry team.
And we honor the men we serve.
2. Keep Short Accounts
Offense will happen. Even in ministry.
It is not a matter of if, but when. What matters is what we do with it.
Jesus gives us a clear model in Matthew 18:15: go directly to the person—in this case, your pastor. That can be difficult, especially when emotions are involved, but it is necessary for healthy relationships.
Sometimes that looks like asking, “Help me understand why you said that.”
Other times it looks like saying, “Can I share how that made me feel?”
These conversations are not always easy, but they are important. When we address issues early, we prevent them from growing into bigger problems.
3. Disagree in Private, Champion in Public
We are not always going to see eye to eye with our pastor, and that is okay.
There will be times when you disagree on ideas, direction, or strategy. Those conversations should happen in private. They should be honest and respectful.
But once a decision is made, we need to champion it in public as if it were our idea.
It is not helpful to say, “Well, this is what our pastor wants, so we have to do it.” That kind of language undermines leadership and weakens your credibility.
When we throw our leadership under the bus, we make ourselves less followable.
Whatever the decision is, own it. Speak about it with confidence. Lead people into it.
When we throw our leadership under the bus, we make ourselves less followable.
This will result in a unified, healthy ministry culture where people trust the direction and leadership behind it.
4. Plan to Succeed
When we make plans 12 months out, we can organize our lives and bring others with us.
When we plan only week to week or month to month, it becomes difficult to see beyond the immediate needs. We end up reacting instead of leading.
Sit down with your pastor 12 to 16 months in advance and plan your ministry calendar. This will help you get on the same page, think strategically, and move forward with intention.
Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Planning creates space for clarity and momentum.
5. Connect Outside of Church
The biggest benefit in ministry is not just what you accomplish, but the relationships you build along the way.
That means you need to have relational touch points with your pastor and ministry team outside of church settings.
Go to a ball game.
Have them over for a BBQ.
Spend time together without an agenda.
And when you do, do not talk about ministry. Just talk about life.
Get to know them as people. Pray for them as people with real needs, real pressures, and real lives.
Beyond all the strategy and structure are people who love the Lord and are doing their best to follow His call.
These relationships will help you navigate the tension that can sometimes arise when working closely together in ministry.
Final Thoughts
So where are you?
Are you doing this alone, or are you working with your pastor?
How is the relationship between the two of you?
What happens when you disagree?
Do you have trust and alignment?
Would you say that you have momentum in your ministry because of your connection with your senior leader? Why or why not?
All of this matters more than we sometimes realize.
Because at the end of the day, this is not just about leadership. It is about people. There are hearts and minds that are longing for the transforming power of the Gospel.
Disciples need to be made. Lives need to be changed.
At the end of the day, this is not just about leadership. It is about people. There are hearts and minds that are longing for the transforming power of the Gospel.
And that kind of impact does not happen when we operate on our own.
It happens when we move together.
Psalm 133:1 says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
That kind of unity does not happen by accident. It is something we choose. It is something we protect.
So let’s be leaders who work together.
Let’s align with those God has placed over our lives.
Let’s lead with humility, clarity, and purpose.
And let’s get out of the way and into the flow of what God wants to do, together.
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