Calling & Gifting
Calling, gifting and assignment.
A pastor may serve as an associate for a season or for a career. Neither is a lesser path. Both require clarity about what God has given, and where it is to be used now.
Calling
The call to ministry and the call to a particular assignment are related but not identical. A pastor can be certain of the first while still discerning the second. Discernment is ordinarily confirmed in community: by Scripture, prayer, the counsel of mature believers, and the recognition of the church.
Gifting
Gifting is evidenced over time, not assumed. It is also not the same as effortless performance: real gifts still require training, practice and correction. An honest view of one's gifts includes the areas where others are stronger.
Assignment
The assignment is the place of service in front of you, with its real responsibilities and real limits. Faithfulness to the present assignment is itself preparation for whatever follows. And a sense of call to lead does not, by itself, settle when, where, or whether a change should come.
Partnership
Loyalty to a senior pastor and loyalty to Christ and His mission ordinarily point the same way. When they do not, the associate needs a clear, ethical path for raising concerns, one agreed upon long before it is needed.