Team Pastors (2006)

Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AK started out with four pastors rotating the preaching and the salaries were very close together. As the church grew, they begin dividing up responsibilities based on the gift mix of the four pastors. Now the rotation varies according to the gifts and the priorities at the moment. The four pastors do not see the pulpit as "the" place but as "one" place among many important places to exercise one's gifts. They do not announce who is preaching each Sunday. One of the pastors (Robert Lewis) has emerged as the one who preaches more than the others. He is also now recognized as the one who sets the direction and vision, as sort of "first among equals. In some areas of the life of the church, Robert is not the leader. Theoretically, they are the same; practically they go with each other's gifts. The salaries are not equal. Still, all agree that people assume responsibilities around the function of their gifts, not hierarchy of status.

The key passion of the entire team is equipping the laity for ministry. The measure of success is whether or not lives are being changed. Whatever configuration that best achieves this is what they do and this has changed as the church grew. They have divided up the ongoing responsibilities based on gifts and strengths and the present need of the church. The responsibilities of each change over a period of time based on the growth of the church, the gifts, and strengths.

The key words to team pastoring are mutual trust, flexibility, gifting.

The church is geared for decentralized, gift based, team based life changing enduring influence in a permission giving atmosphere.

Team based. As the church grows team ministry changes. Teams are needed because no one call know everything in a world like today. Team ministry does not mean "all things equal" as much as it means "one for all and all for one." "Team ministry is not for everyone. It must be valued in one's heart rather than a good idea." Bill Wellons.

The hiring and firing is done by the Elders although as the church has grow, more responsibility is given to the four pastors, but the Elders would be involved. But the final analysis, the four pastors would seek to reach a consensus.