Many of my articles come from the perspective of pastors. That will not change in the future. I am an advocate of pastors and I desire God’s best for them. I have no plans to change my advocacy role.
As a change of pace, however, I recently asked a few hundred laypersons to write down what they desired of a pastor. Their responses were open-ended, and there was no limitation on the number of items they could list. Though my approach was not scientific, these laypersons did represent over sixty churches.
Here are their top ten responses in order of frequency. Since many of them gave one or more sentences as a response, I can provide a representative comment by each of the responses.
- Love of congregation. “If we know that our pastor loves us, everything else falls in place. If he doesn’t, nothing else matters.”
- Effective preaching. “I don’t have any expectation that my preacher be one of the best in the world, I just want to know that he has spent time in the Word each week to teach us effectively and consistently.”
- Strong character. “No pastor is perfect, but I do want a pastor whose character is above reproach on moral, family, and financial issues.”
- Good work ethic. “I don’t want either a workaholic pastor or a lazy pastor. Unfortunately, our last two pastors have been obviously lazy.”
- Casts a vision. “Our church has so much possibility; I want to hear what we will do to make a difference in our community and the world.”
- Demonstrates healthy leadership. “Most of the pastors in my church have demonstrated a good balance; they have been strong leaders but not dictators.”
- Joyous. “Our current pastor is a man of joy. His joy and enthusiasm are contagious. I love him for that!”
- Does not yield to critics. “I know that every pastor serving today has his critics. And I know it’s tough to deal with them. I just want these pastors to know that we supporters are in the majority. Please don’t let the minority critics dictate how you lead and serve.”
- Transparent. “Every pastor that I have had has been open and transparent about the church and the direction we are headed. It sure has made our church healthier.”
- Models evangelism. “Our pastor is passionate about sharing the gospel. His heart and attitude are contagious.”
What do you think about this list? What would you add from the perspective of either a pastor or a layperson?
Posted on January 14, 2013
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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181 Comments
In “Ten Things Disciples want in a Pastor” can serve some measurement to discipling others in the Body of Christ. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ariticle because of the biblical principles that are addressed. Pastors are called to connect people with God. Romans 12
You state that your approach to gathering the information was non scientific , yet, it has all the elements of a qualitative study. This would certainly make it scientific, albeit, a social science! Can you comment? Thanking you in advance!
Anthony –
You are correct in that the research has the traits of qualitative study. My unwillingness to give it scientific status is connected to the more superficial nature of my interviews. I asked a single open-ended question of a number of people. From my perspective, it felt more like an informal poll than qualitative research. There are so many good qualitative studies taking place today; I did not want my less rigorous interview process to seem on par with much better studies.
Thanks for asking. I hope my response helps.
Where’s prayer on the list?
Excellent list. I find #8 to be instructive. After all, where would we be if Jesus yielded to his critics? I wonder what message we send when we say that we want our children to stand up against peer pressure and then they see a pastor yielding to his critics? Just my 2 cents.
I believe the entire list is great. I also think that if takes God being the center of the whole church in order for these things to be present. Our pastor has all the qualities on the list plus some. Because it is very apparent that he is filled with God and that our congregation is also. The only thing that could get better is for all of us to continually keep our pastor lifted up to God in our prayers and to not let the evil of today interfere. As my daughter (17)will quote from the Bible ” Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3 NIV. I think if your shepherd is God’s man then he will surely have all these qualities.
Every God-called preacher, pastor has at least three things we need to think about. John 1:6-8 says “There was a man, sent from God, to bear witness of the Light.” Number one, that pastor is a man. He has faults and limitations just like everyone else. He get tired, stressed, etc. just like you do. He is on call twenty-four hours every day. Number two, he was sent from God. So love him, take care of him, pray for him, fellowship with him!The church calls him but he wouldn’t be your pastor unless he was sent from God. You mess with God’s man and you are messing with God! Number three, he was called to “bear witness of the Light.” That means he is there to preach the Gospel of Christ and to feed the church. Support him!
Amen!
I am saddened by a couple of the responses on here but I don’t want to single anyone out so I will try to write this more generic.
1) No where in this article did it say everybody wanted these 10 things as a minimum standard – it is a list of the top 10 responses (it makes one wonder if you read more into it than what it actually says whether you will do the same with the text). That being said, it is possible that everyone responding had 10 things but Rainer doesn’t say that or infer that.
2) I also understand that many make their living off of the Word of God. I also understand that many consider it a profession. I don’t. It is a calling. That is not to say you can’t call yourself – you can – that is when it is a profession. This may sound harsh, but if the profession is too hard – pick a different profession. However, if it is a calling, then it is not of your power that you do what you do, it is a result of His!
3) Where is the trust? We face so much less than our biblical counterparts in most cases and yet we have it tougher?!? I wonder how many pastors that find the list of 10 things above hard or impossible to deal with would be pastors if they regularly faced crucifixion, 40 lashes – 1, being beheaded, boiled in oil, firey furnace (long list here) If I sound condecending, please forgive me. God led the people out of Egypt – NOT Moshe!
Take up your cross, don’t take an extra set of clothes, don’t even take a begging bag . . . .Rely on me and yet it is also going to cost you much – for most of you, your very life.
Can you just imagine what a scarred an lashed Rabbi Sha’ul who had also been stoned to near death and who treated his body hard, and who worked to pay for the needs of his whole entourage so that the local congregations would not feel the burden would say about some of the responses on here?
You realize we are in a war here? There is some urgency here. People are lost – people are going to die lost – people are going to die without every hearing the message of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ). Congregational meetings (church) are important! There can be no doubt of this in the text. However, the church is not the commision. Discipleship is the commision. The church is failing this comission.
Think I’m wrong? How often does Barna say the average person attends congregational meetings? 2 times a year? How often does his research say that people actually study their bibles? On Sunday when the pastor tells them to open their bibles to the following passage?
I am sorry if some of you are feeling some stress as a pastor. It is part of the package. Toughen up! We serve an awesome God!!! He is going to allow us to be tested and to feel persecution so that our character can be built. Just remember what HE went through – for us – and remember how He dealt with it. Remember what Sha’ul said when he said imitate me as I imitate Messiah . . .
It is my hope that my passion has not lacked compassion in this post.
Be blessed,
Be strong,
and be strengthened!
Chazak Chazak V’nitchazek
Impossibly schizophrenic…this list exactly reflects the causes of stress and unrealistic heartache I wrestle with as a pastor. No other normal profession demands such a range of extreme examples of excellence of expectations as is reflected here in this list. No wonder pastors commit suicide and quit at a rate greater than other professions. The vast range of positive responses to this list from your readers only makes my angst greater. Any pastor who is a great preacher, great vision caster, great evangelist, and great at deflecting criticisms and at the same time demonstrates consistent transparency, joy and bulldog work ethic is the world’s greatest con man or one of the rarest anomalies of all time. Thanks for sucking the mojo right out of my soul.