How Does the Executive Pastor Serve the Church Well?

Executive pastors Zac Ashley (Bay Area Church), Jeff Young (Champion Forest Baptist Church), and Stephen Trammell (Houston's First Baptist Church) sit down with UBA’s Executive Director Josh Ellis to talk about the role of the executive pastor.

Key considerations when hiring an Executive Pastor:

Stephen Trammell discusses the importance of starting with the vision of the church and what the church needs to do to fulfill that vision. He also talks about the importance of chemistry and complimentary skill sets between the senior pastor and the executive pastor. Trammell said that the church should ask itself what would add value to the leadership team and what kind of leader would be a good fit for the church's culture.

What distinguishes an executive pastor from an associate pastor?

Zac Ashley said that no real difference exists between the two titles. Instead, the difference is usually in the focus of the role. An associate pastor is typically more focused on the pastoral side of things, while an executive pastor is typically more focused on the execution of the vision. But, like Trammell mentioned, the role is best defined by what the church needs most.

Stewardship of Leadership Roles:

Jeff Young and Josh Ellis talked about the importance of being a good steward of resources when hiring an executive pastor. He said that it is important to consider the cost of hiring someone full-time, the benefits a new hire would bring to the team, and whether or not a consultant can come in to serve the church for a short-term.

What are the best and most difficult parts of being an Executive Pastor?

Zac Ashley, Jeff Young, Stephen Trammell all agreed the best part of the job is seeing people and the church excel and work together. They note the worst part is dealing with conflict or communication challenges.

This video is part of a 4-part series on the role of the executive pastor. You can watch the rest of these three videos below.