Lawrence W. Farris

The person stepping into a congregation as its new pastor is opening the door to opportunity. They may be mindful of things such as the ministry potential, or the new and exciting relationships with members and the community. In Ten Commandments for Pastors New to a Congregation, by Lawrence W. Farris, we learn that looming unseen for every person moving into a new pastorate is the near equal opportunity to get off on the right foot, or the catastrophically wrong one. Farris’s goal is for every pastor to make the best use of the opportunities present to start their new ministry well.

As a person who has made this transition several times Farris has identified ten things in particular that the new pastor should have in mind. And these ten things are true whether the pastor is going to their first congregation or if they are nearing the end of their ministry career. He relates, through compelling anecdotes, examples of how each of the commandments can play out, both for the better and for the worst. And some the examples of each outcome are derived from his own experiences as a pastor.

The first commandment is perhaps the most important one, as it addresses the need for the new pastor to thoroughly understand the culture of the new congregation. Going into a new pastorate with the intent to replicate everything done at the old pastorate is an invitation for disaster. Each congregation has its own culture, which must be understood prior to directing that congregation into any change.

Another commandment has to do with the limited number of opportunities that a new pastor will have to make a significant change in something the congregation does. He estimates that a new pastor will have 2 – 3 such opportunities in their first 18 months, so that consequently they should use these opportunities well. A pastor should carefully consider the importance of the change, say of restructuring the congregation’s leadership structure, or launching a new ministry, making sure that they are convinced to the priority of that change above all others, before directing the congregation’s resources, both people and material, towards the change.

Farris closes his small and very readable volume with…an 11th commandment! But it is an eminently important, and virtually essential one. He believes that all pastors, no matter what their experience level or the size of the congregation they serve, need a mentor. Pastoring is hard work and every pastor will be a better pastor by being connected with someone else, preferably outside of their congregation, with whom they can share ideas and gain insight into more clearly understanding their own unique situation.

As I said, this is a small and very readable book, and one that I recommend for everyone who is involved as a congregation’s pastor.… (altro)