Why Is My Title "Lead Missionary?" Rather than "Lead Pastor?

I get that question a lot!

Why is my title Lead Missionary and not Lead Pastor? 

In the words of George Bush, “Strategery.” 

Seriously, we want to be intentional and if we are called to make disciples there needs to be an equipping process that majors on expanding the kingdom through his people.  Check out Ephesians 4:11,12.  I believe God has established an order in planting churches and expanding the kingdom.

We no longer have the luxury of living in a “for the church” culture. We need to bring the international mission strategy and fluidity to the states to reach unreached people in our communities.

Lead Missionary shifts my focus to equipping the saints and reaching the lost.

Lead Missionary allows me to operate in my gifts and equip others to come alongside to use their gifts that are their strengths yet my weakness.

Lead Missionary helps me to not be selfish and recognize all the people in my church have a gift.  I have to be intentional in drawing them out so that they can find their identity and purpose in fulfilling a God’s vision.

Lead Missionary gives my creative mind opportunity to move forward with the vision under the Lordship of Jesus.

Lead Missionary keeps my identity from resting in how many people attend.  Our measure of success is how many people are we sending out as well as helping find their gifts inside the church.

Lead Missionary helps us balance missions/evangelism and discipleship.  I recognize what my gift is.  I need to recognize their gifting in others to shepherd and teach to produce mature disciples.

Lead Missionary allows me flip the script.  Rather than people coming and accomplish my vision, I ask, “What is God calling you to do to advance the kingdom?”  This is why we have 12 different ministries represented within our church.  They are walking in their dominion and are reaching people I never could.  My friend Susan is reaching a segment of the population that I could never consistently be able to do.  The Epps are reaching a whole state that I have never ventured in.  Chris and Geneva are reaching a segment here in Creek County that others can’t or do not want to reach.

Lead Missionary keeps the pressure off of one man.  Pastoring is hard. We have great shepherds within our body, which in our context is our DNA Leaders, who help “CARE-Y” the load.  I invest and trust in these leaders to be the frontline of care, prayer, and discipleship.  They aren’t just discussion facilitators, but help care for and protect the flock.

Lead Missionary keeps us from spending all of our time focused on keeping believers in the church to sending them out to BE the church.

Lead Missionary keeps me from being “THE” guy.  I don’t teach every week.  I am raising up those who have the gift of teaching and preaching to help lead in this area.  This keeps us from getting into a rut.  Our church is the practice field not game day.  Game day happens Monday through Saturday.

Lead Missionary helps me recognize that within the church I can’t be all things to all people.  I don’t have the capacity or wisdom to be all five gifts: missionary, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher.  Only one has the capacity and that is Jesus.  It’s insane the pressure on pastors to do all that they are expected from those sitting in the pews-I would go so far as to say unbiblical too.  The pastor is one man-what if each person in the body used their gifts?  Your pastor would sure appreciate it and his ministry and family would thrive more.

There are people who can love better than I can and teach better than I can.  This gives me the opportunity to let go and raise up more people.  It doesn’t excuse me from my responsibilities, but it encourages me to recognize the “priesthood of all believers.”

There is definitely more to it than this but in a nutshell, how do we not just build a church but expand the kingdom!