Lausanne World Pulse – Themed Articles – Tear Down this Wall: A Note for Pastors and Laity

By Kent Humphreys
April 2010  

Suggestions for Workplace Leaders to Build Bridges with the Pastor
 Below are suggestions to help workplace leaders build bridges with their pastor.

  • Invite your pastor out to lunch. It may take months for him to be vulnerable and open up, but take the first step. Share with him a struggle you are facing. Ask him how you can pray for him. Promise total confidentiality.
  • Share with him some of the ways God is using your workplace position to impact others for Christ. Give him real examples and he will be greatly encouraged.
  • Invite him to be a part of your small group of workplace leaders that may meet weekly or monthly. Eighty percent of your pastor’s issues are the same as yours. He is the CEO of a church, a volunteer organization. It has some unique challenges of its own.
  • You and your spouse could take your pastor and spouse out to dinner. Try to keep the conversation on family and hobbies, instead of just church business. The walls will begin to come down.
  • Get together and dream of ways that both of you as leaders can encourage your congregation to get “outside the walls” of the church into the city, nation, and world. Use your unique gifts and learn to work together.

As you begin to build bridges, you will be energized in your work and ministry and the Holy Spirit will bless your efforts. May God give you the courage to make the first small step.

Endnote

1. Humphreys, Kent. 2008. Shepherding Horses: God’s Plan for Transforming Leaders. Whitsett, N.C.: Diakona Publishing.

Kent Humphreys has been a business leader for over thirty years. From 2002 through 2007 he was president of Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI), an organization that equips and encourages Christian business owners who desire to use their companies as a platform for ministry. He now serves as a worldwide ambassador for FCCI.

Comments on this article

The cuttingedge of the UK Church is at the community level, where Christians are working together in a huge range of projects and social sectors. 75% of the leadership and coordination is non clergy in over forty city networks. Pastors, ministers, vicars need to relate to and work alongside business Christians. Kent is on the pulse of the Lord’s heartbeat for church mobilisation.

Doug :: 30 Apr 2010

This is an excellent article. As a lay pastor I am sure that we are aware of the barriers that can be put up. Especially when it comes to the sacrament and services like this. It is interesting when we read of revivals that most of the work done in spreading the Gospel was initiated by lay people who became converted and shared there experiences with others. We do need to exercise Priesthood of all Believers and not just talk about it. It is one thing to speak about it but another to put it into practice.

Wilie :: 26 Apr 2010