Optimizing Ministry Effectiveness

Effectiveness Defined

The late Peter Drucker was considered the greatest management thinker ever. He authored thirty-nine books including the classic The Effective Executive.

Drucker devoted much of his time in later years working with Christian Ministries, Churches, and Not-for-Profit Organizations.

He taught, “Effectiveness is getting the right things done.” He also taught that every knowledge worker in a modern organization is an “executive” if, by virtue of his or her position or knowledge, he or she is responsible for a contribution that materially affects the capacity of the organization to perform and obtain results (pp 5-9).

Recent Research

One researcher concluded the time is ripe for the development of the specialty of Executive Pastor, comparable to other specialties such as education or counseling.

The position of Executive Pastor is a highly workable response to the challenges and problems presented by rapid growth and expansion of church programs.

Payoffs Revealed

For the church–the congregation–the payoff from having an executive comes in the form of better management of their programs.

And, a senior pastor who is better able to do for them what he does best.

As viewed by lay leaders: with an executive pastor things are more tied together–fewer things fall through the cracks.

A senior pastor identified the addition of an executive pastor as the primary factor enabling their church to move beyond a growth plateau.

Other senior pastors reported the relief from what had become an almost intolerable load of responsibilities.

Alongside relief was freedom: