Pastors as CEOs, CEOs as pastors Should a pastor act like a CEO? For that matter, should a CEO act like a pastor? When it comes to pastors acting like CEOs, for some the answer is no. A church is different from a business, they argue, pointing out that while a business hires a CEO, a church calls a pastor. Plus, the bottom lines are different; for a church, it’s the quality of the ministry provided to the members and the community, while for a business it’s all about finances — profit and loss. But there are similarities. Like a CEO, a pastor will want to make sure that a church is run in an efficient manner. Like a CEO, a pastor has to also be mindful of the bottom line — if revenues (offerings) decline, programs or staffing have to be cut. Like a CEO, a pastor has to be sure that the “products” a church creates — its worship style, sermons and programs — are meeting the need of the “marketplace” (the members). Like a CEO, a pastor will want a church to set goals. It may be to increase attendance or giving, or add more programs or give more money to missions. Each year‑end the church can then compare its progress against previous years to see how much better, or worse, it is doing. And, like a CEO, a pastor can be fired. We may think that being a pastor is a calling, but when they are let go they feel fired, just like anyone else. But what about CEOs? Should they act like pastors? You could say that the best of them already do. Like a pastor, the best CEOs are servant leaders. They get things done by serving others and empowering them. They don’t need to use force to bring out the best in people. Like a pastor, a CEO sets the moral tone for the corporation. No matter how many mission statements or codes of conduct a company may have, it is top leadership that sets the example. No one believes a code of ethics if the people at the top don’t model it first. Like a pastor, CEOs have to do a lot of handholding. Sometimes the biggest headaches facing CEOs are not sales, budgets or product development, but trying to keep two employees from tearing each other apart over a personality clash or some other disagreement. Like pastors, CEOs get to hear a lot of woes, not to mention bickering. Like a pastor, a CEO shares leadership with others. If they have any sense, good CEOs will delegate and share responsibility rather than do it all themselves. They know that a big ego will burn out quickly. They are like a good pastor who grasps that the real work of the church is done by the members. And, finally, like a pastor, Christian CEOs should also see themselves as being called to ministry — the ministry of the marketplace. Maybe one day pastors will be comfortable thinking of themselves as being like a CEO, and CEOs will be able to say without blushing that they are called to their work. — John Longhurst The Marketplace September October 2010
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