The unique skill set of revitalization pastors

The skills of established church pastors and church planting pastors are distinct.  Established church pastors have skill sets that lean towards pastoral ministry while entrepreneurial skills are of greater importance to church planters.  The skills set of revitalization pastors, however, reflect a unique blend of talents from both established church pastors and church planters.

Here are three skill sets from each.

Revitalization skills from established church pastors:

Skill 1: Quality Preaching

Like established church pastors, revitalization pastors preach high-impact, Gospel-centered, biblical, Christ-focused and interesting sermons week after week.  Preaching is the bread and butter of their ministry.

Skill 2: Organizational Navigation

Like established church pastors, revitalization pastors get things done through a maze of complex volunteer led systems and structures.  Patience, persistence and good timing are required.

Skill 3: Intergenerational Ministry

Like established church pastors, revitalization pastors are skilled at walking with people through a multiplicity of life circumstances and challenges cradle to grave.  They must love the young and old alike.

Revitalization skills from new church planters:

Skill 1: Casting a compelling vision

Like church planters, revitalization pastors are skilled at casting a clear and compelling vision for where the church is headed and why others should be part of this amazing journey

Skill 2: Neighbor-focused

Like church planters, revitalization pastors live beyond the walls of the church making connections with people and organizations in the community in order to love those who are on a journey to God.

Skill 3: Persistently adaptive and creative

Like church planters, revitalization pastors regularly introduce creative change into ministry for the purpose of increasing Gospel impact. These pastors like to ask “What would happen if…?”

These are just a few of the skills that revitalization pastors must possess.  Turn-around pastors are a unique breed of leaders. They have the capacity to work within existing structures while never being limited by those structures.  They celebrate the past but never let a community get stuck in the past.  They love people but are also willing to disappoint those people in pursuit of a God-preferred future.  They bring comfort while demanding courage simultaneously. Hats off to these kinds of leaders who skillfully guide congregations towards their God-preferred future.