The Associate Pastor Join the Community

Pastor Spotlight

Recognizing the work congregations rarely see.

The Spotlight honors associate, assistant and executive pastors and ministers whose faithful leadership strengthens their churches, often far from the pulpit.

The Series

Six editorial series.

Associate Pastor of the Month

A monthly feature on an associate pastor's ministry, responsibilities and lessons in leadership.

Emerging Ministers

Ministers early in their service, and what is forming them.

Executive Pastor Spotlight

Leaders who carry operations, staff and administration so that ministry can flourish.

Behind the Ministry

The responsibilities congregations rarely see, and the people who carry them.

Legacy of Service

Long tenures of faithful supporting leadership, honored while the leader can still hear it.

Ministry Partnerships

Lead and associate pastors who have built a working partnership worth learning from.

The Interview

Seven questions every profile answers.

Every featured leader answers the same seven questions, so readers can learn across churches, traditions and seasons of ministry.

  1. What has serving as an associate pastor taught you about leadership?
  2. What responsibilities do congregations rarely see?
  3. How do you distinguish loyalty to a leader from loyalty to Christ and the mission?
  4. How do you measure effective ministry?
  5. How have you built trust with senior leadership?
  6. What would you tell a newly appointed associate pastor?
  7. What experience most shaped your development?

Our Standard

Recognition is earned, never bought.

No one can pay to be featured. Every nomination goes through the same steps before anything is published:

  1. 01

    Nomination

    Anyone may nominate a pastor or minister they know.

  2. 02

    Editorial review

    We read every nomination against the purpose of the series.

  3. 03

    Verification

    We confirm the nominee's role and church directly with the nominee.

  4. 04

    Consent

    The nominee gives explicit written consent for the profile and photograph.

  5. 05

    Approval

    The nominee reviews and approves the final copy before it is published.

  6. 06

    Publication

    The profile is published with its date, and updated or removed on request.