The first year of ministry in a new church is a very important season of shepherding and leading a congregation. This time can enhance or cause major problems in the future. Care
should be taken to avoid some popular mistakes pastors make in that first year. Consider the following list.
Ignoring personal boundaries when it comes to your marriage and family - First, you need to set personal boundaries for how you spend time with your spouse and family because you are their shepherd. Second, you need to set boundaries for how you serve your church so that you can maintain your focus on what is most important such as the church's mission, values and vision, and your leadership and calling responsibilities. Do these in your first year of ministry. The longer you wait, the more difficult setting boundaries become.
Failing to put a top priority on prayer - If your ministry is not bathed in prayer, you will just be going through the motions of ministry in your own strength. Personal prayer and mobilizing your church for prayer must be a top priority if you are to succeed and advance against the enemy.
Hanging out in your office too much - Beware the tendency to isolate yourself too much in your office. A good shepherd lives among the sheep, so you must spend a good amount of time among those with whom you work and serve. What first impressions of your ministry do you make during your first year? Are you seen as someone who is unapproachable or a friend who loves others? Are you prompt in returning calls, texts, and e-mails, and do you have an open door policy when you are not meeting with the Lord and working on the ministry?
Trying to be somebody else - It's a big mistake to try to be someone other than yourself. There can only be one Chuck Swindoll, one John MacArthur, one Francis Chan, one Matt Chandler, one you. Learn who you really are and how God has uniquely called and wired you, then be yourself. Learn from others but don't imitate them. Imitate the Christ whom your godly heroes are following.
Investing in followers more than leaders - In any ministry you will have both followers and leaders. Most will be followers but a few will be leaders. It's a mistake to try to develop only followers. Spend at least 20% of your time recruiting and developing leaders who will in turn develop followers.
Acting as if taking time off is for wimps - The Lord created at least one day a week as a time of rest. As you get older your body and mind will need even more time to rest from your pastoral labor. Avoid running full speed ahead into your first year of ministry by taking regular time and energy away from your labors. 50 to 60 hours of work each week may be average, but over 60 hours a week can burn out most people.
Failing to prepare for board meetings - In your first year do you best to prayerfully prepare for leadership board meeting. To be unprepared for a meeting generally means to be unproductive. Be purpose-driven when holding meetings. Model effective leadership in your first year.
Thinking you can do your job alone - As a general rule, team leadership is always better and more productive than solo leadership, even if you are only working with one other leader or an apprentice. In the first year, your model needs to be team-work based on a philosophy of leadership development in the church. This will set the tone for future leadership development and growth.
Ignoring the power of your church's history and culture - Another big first-year mistake is thinking that you can start from scratch in building a church culture for the future. In your first twelve months of ministry discover as much as you can about the history of the church including its DNA. Will Mancini provides this definition of church culture: "Culture is the combined effect of interacting values, thoughts, attitudes, and actions that define the life of your church." Pastor Stephen Blandino simplifies the definition in these words: "(Church culture) is the way we do things around here."
Trying to lead without vision - It's a true saying that if you don't know where you are going, you will probably get there. In your first year, with the help of your leadership, determine your God-given vision and begin pursuing it with passion and determination. Be a 3:20-21 leader (Eph. 3:20-21) and lead with God's vision and help.
What would you add to the list of mistakes to avoid in your first year of leading a new congregation or ministry?
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