5 Senior Pastors at the Same Time

3-Generation Senior Pastor Model

Pastor How

3-min read

Heart of God Church is introducing and pioneering a model of senior leadership. Pastor Lia has been building and championing GenerationS for the last 25 years. This has put us in a position where we have capable homegrown next gen senior pastors. Hopefully, this will become a proof of concept that “GenerationS are Reinforcements” can be applied at the highest level of leadership.

Definition

3 GenerationS of senior pastors at the same time in shared leadership – a model where different generations are represented, ensuring there are senior pastors who can reach, connect with and champion youths.

“Different generations are represented”

In this model we will have Gen X, Y, Z (future) senior pastors. Every generation will always be represented. Every generation has a voice and a seat at the table.

“Reach, connect with and champion youths”

Most importantly, a youth church should have young senior pastors.
Having a 3-Gen structure will include senior pastors who are closer to the youngest generation in the church (Gen Z, Gen Alpha).

For HOGC, at this point in time, we are still at 2-Gen senior pastors.
Pastor How and Pastor Lia are Gen X.
Pastor Garrett, Pastor Charleston and Pastor Lynette are Gen Y (Millennials).
The 3-Gen Senior Pastor Model is our ideal and goal.
This 3-Gen SP Model puts in place a timeline and deadline, ensuring the intentional raising of future Gen Z SPs. By God’s grace, in another 10+ years, we will have a few more SPs from Gen Z.

“Shared leadership”

The 5 SPs are also in shared leadership. There is no single constant decision maker… Neither is it a committee where we make decisions by voting. While one person can take the lead in respective domains, all 5 SPs have equal authority and they lead the church as a team.

There is precedence for this shared leadership structure in the Bible. We often have an image of Moses dying and passing the leadership to his successor Joshua. That was what I thought all my ministry life too, until I read:

The keyword here is “some” of your authority. In other words, shared leadership!
Team leadership. 2 generations leading in tandem. For those who are interested, read from Numbers 27 to Deuteronomy 34.

“At the same time”

Heart of God Church has 5 SPs who lead concurrently and as one.
Our 3 homegrown SPs are reinforcements for me and Pastor Lia.
We now have a Deep Bench of 5 SPs.
By God’s grace, HOGC will be a Strong Church for GenerationS.

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