How to Stop Carrying Ministry Alone, Shared Leadership, and Discipleship-Driven Development
Have you ever felt the weight of ministry resting squarely on your shoulders? You're not alone. Many pastors, especially in smaller churches, often feel stretched thin, carrying the immense responsibility of their calling with little support. The "Together for the Mountains" podcast recently tackled this critical issue, featuring Mike McCormick, Pastor of Leadership and Connections at Calvary Christian Church in Winchester, Kentucky. Mike shared profound insights from his years of experience, advocating for a powerful, biblical model: shared leadership.
The Heavy Burden of the "Heroic Leader"
The common narrative in many churches casts the pastor as the "heroic leader" – the sole individual responsible for everything from preaching to hospital visits, finances, and community outreach. This model often leads to isolation, burnout, and in tragic cases, moral failures, as leaders lack the checks and balances of a supportive community. Mike McCormick, with over 25 years in ministry, notes that this feeling of loneliness at the top stems from a deep sense of ownership of God's call, which can become a "really heavy burden" if there's no one to share it with.
Interestingly, this solo leadership model is not the capital-T biblical model. The Bible consistently portrays leadership in community:
• God himself exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – leadership in community.
• Jesus led with his 12 disciples.
• Missionary journeys sent out pairs like Paul and Barnabas.
• Churches were planted with groups of elders leading together.
• The church is described as a body, where each member has unique gifts and needs the others.
Mike suggests that the current solo pastor model likely evolved from industrial and corporate structures, resembling a CEO with a board, rather than the communal, gift-based model found in Scripture.
Embracing Shared Leadership: Leading in Community
Shared leadership is simply "leading in community". It means sharing the opportunities, responsibilities, and tasks that come with leadership, allowing individuals to operate within their specific giftedness. Mike emphasizes that "no leader is well-rounded, but every team should be well-rounded". When people lead from their strengths, they complement each other, covering blind spots and creating a fuller perspective.
At Calvary Christian Church, Mike experienced the weight of solo leadership firsthand, navigating difficult challenges like a church turnaround and the COVID-19 pandemic. After seven years as the lead pastor, an intentional shift was made, initiated by the elders, to distribute power and share the load.
The Benefits of a Shared Approach:
• Reduced Burden: It alleviates the immense pressure on one individual, preventing burnout and allowing leaders to stay in ministry longer.
• Strength-Based Ministry: Leaders focus on what they are good at, rather than trying to be "everything to everybody". Calvary uses tools like the Clifton StrengthFinder to map team strengths across strategic, executing, initiating, and relational domains.
• Richer Relationships: Working in community fosters deeper connections and appropriate intimacy, even if it can be "messy".
• Empowering the Next Generation: Younger leaders are more willing to step up if they don't have to carry "the whole thing" alone. It allows them to bring their specific gifts to a team.
• Sustainable Results: While it may seem slower initially, "results move at the speed of relationships," leading to more lasting impact.
Navigating the Challenges
Shifting to shared leadership isn't without its hurdles:
• Pace and Expediency: It often requires a slower pace, as individuals must "sync up" like in a three-legged race. This can be frustrating for a fast-moving leader, but it builds sustainable relationships.
• Relational Dynamics: Differences in personalities, strengths, and generations can lead to friction. However, learning to value these differences allows for a richer and more comprehensive approach.
• Overcoming the "Rescuer" Mentality and Ego: Leaders may hesitate to delegate, fearing they might "dump the truck" on someone else, or worry about their own perception if they are no longer "the lead". The solution lies in asking, "What's the best thing for Calvary?" or any specific ministry, rather than what's best for personal ego or career.
• Congregational Understanding: People are accustomed to the "one guy" model, making it initially hard for them to grasp shared leadership. Modeling this on stage, through co-preaching, and consistent communication helps educate the congregation. Mike points out that modern culture, with its "Avengers"-style superhero teams, is already primed for the idea that "we're better with others".
Discipleship-Driven Leader Development
A critical aspect of shared leadership is its deep connection to discipleship. People grow when they have responsibility and get to use their gifts. At Calvary, this is evident in two key "growth environments":
• Youth Ministry: Students grow in small groups, led by a pair of leaders, and often return as young adults to lead the next generation.
• Celebrate Recovery: Participants work through their "hurts, habits, and hang-ups," developing personal health, and then are encouraged to serve and lead groups, with some even becoming elders.
Calvary is now moving towards having "Seek, Serve, Share" champions within their life groups, ensuring a holistic approach to growth and embedding their missional DNA into every small community. The goal is to be equippers of the body, helping people "fully become who God created them to be" by involving and activating them in ministry.
Practical Steps for Rural Churches and Any Leader
Feeling overwhelmed? Here's how to start embracing shared leadership:
1. Commit to Not Doing Anything Alone: If you're going to visit someone, take someone with you. If you're planning an event, gather a few lay leaders to brainstorm.
2. Invite Input Sooner: Instead of planning everything yourself and then asking for "buy-in," bring people to the table early in the process and ask, "What do you think we should do?".
3. Listen and Discern Giftedness: Pay attention to what excites people and even what they complain about – these are often passion points. Look for individuals whose gifts complement the needs of the ministry.
4. Think in Teams, Not Point Persons: For every ministry, aim to have a group of people leading it. Who's over hospitality? Who's over worship? Instead of one name, strive for multiple names and a team approach.
5. Become an Equipper: Shift your mindset from doing all the work to activating and involving others, providing custom invitations for them to use their gifts in community.
The truth is, you don't have to do this alone. This isn't just a strategy for large churches; it's a biblical, personally beneficial, and generationally relevant approach that can breathe new life into any ministry. By embracing shared leadership, we create environments where everyone can grow, contribute their unique gifts, and experience the richness of leading in community.
To learn more about Mike McCormick's work and Calvary Christian Church, visit calvarychristian.net. For more inspiring conversations and to stay updated with "Together for the Mountains," visit togetherforthemountains.com.
