Book Review: 15 Characteristics of Effective Pastors

The 15 things that make up effective pastors:
1) Grace and Growth
2) Love for God
3) Spiritual Formation
4) Personal integrity
5) Love for the church
6) Servant Leader
7) Model of Holiness
8) Prayer Life
9) Holy Spirit Empowered
10) Inspired Preaching
11) Sure Calling
12) Godly Character
13) Personal Accountability
14) Strong Marriage
15) Visionary Leadership

The interesting part of this book is that the author has defined a list of pastors who he believes to be effective. Each pastor had input on specific chapters and even helped define the 15 characteristics. The list is very intensive and when you look at each one separately you can feel very overwhelmed. However, As I read each characteristic I saw how they over lapped into the next one. For instance, Love for God encompasses several of the other characteristics such as, Godly character, personal accountability, Spiritual Formation, Prayer, etc... I saw how if you developed a true love for God than several of the characteristics would also fall into line with that one.

The question that I had was, "are these actual characteristics of effective pastors? or are these good intentions of effective pastors?" By good intentions I mean, things that they work towards achieving, but often come up short in! I have found that often times in life, my frustrations come from following somebody good intentions, instead of seeking what I am called to, and to be like!

Another question I had was, "what was the Author's criteria for defining effective pastors?" and my other question was, "What was the criteria of those effective pastors in defining the characteristics of effective pastors?" again, I am left pondering the issue of what makes a pastor effective? and what would be definable traits that made him effective? I to fall into the trap of thinking the bigger the church must mean the better the pastor. But since I have been in seminary, I have met big name pastors, and no name pastors... To me, there is no difference! I think One thing I can pin point to pastors of large churches and small churches, is that each pastor has defined himself in terms that he can pursue and be content with. I think of Pastoral Ministry not in terms of success, but in terms of sacrifice!

Each size church comes with their own level of required sacrifice on the part of the Pastor. The question that needs to be asked is, "What are you expecting to get for your sacrifice?" I have seen Pastors from all different size churches make some huge sacrifices in the area of time, finances, family, calling, ministry, personal Identity! The question needs to be asked, "In the end, Was it worth it?"

I really enjoyed this book, However, I need to remind myself that it was just a book. Not a list of rules and expectations that I must bear, but a book of encouragement and sharing of ideas and thoughts on the idea of effective leadership. We can become attached to labels and definitions that bring us as ministers a level of legitimacy with in our own eyes... And when we do those things, we tend to move away from our callings, and Move away from our sufficient on the God you Justifies, the God who ordains, the God you qualifies us. In other words, we as ministers tend to flirt with those very things that get us to prostitute our callings for one glimpse of being legitimized for our sacrifices in the eyes of men!

We need to move away from the desire and need to be validated by others and stop looking at our accomplishments to define us and give us job titles, ministries, and position! And we need to begin to look at our own insecurities and failures to begin to Humbly reveal Christ with in us! It is not myself that defines me, But Christ in Me!