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Asst vs Assoc

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Oct 2, 2011.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Many churches have Assistant or Associate pastors.

    What, IYHO is the difference between the two terms?

    Or are the terms totally interchanable?

    Should an Asst / Assoc have a full title such as Assoc Pastor for Youth, Assist Pastor for Music, ect

    Would a church have Asst and Assoc pastors?

    any other thoughts?
     
  2. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    How about Deputy Pastor?

    Seriously, I see a trend to eliminate assistant or associate in the title and simply call them pastor. Such as, Senior Pastor, Administrative Pastor, Preaching Pastor, Worship Pastor, Outreach Pastor, Children's Pastor, Gym Pastor, Old People Pastor, Infants Pastor......sorry, got carried away.
     
  3. Palatka51

    Palatka51 New Member

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    Funny stuff. :applause:
     
  4. Berean

    Berean Member
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    IMHO the term Ast.implies that you are a subordinate, while associate tends to put all on same level and have equal responsibility for example all would minister equally to seniors or youth. I believe Capital Hill Church in D C uses this approach.
     
  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    bump for just fun
     
  6. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    It seems to me a trend over the years to "fancify" such jobs. When I was young, I was a "song leader." Then, I became a Choir Director, then Music Director, then Minister of Music. Today, I would be a "Worship Pastor."

    Our church used to have a janitor. Then we had a custodian. Today' some churches have Sanitation Engineers. I predict that we'll eventually have Sanitation Pastors.
     
  7. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    If they got more than one paid they are too big.
     
  8. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    I may be wrong but I believe I once belonged to a church that had a Minister of Maintenance. They don't any longer but they do have:


    Senior Pastor

    Executive Pastor/Missions

    Associate Pastor/Senior Adults

    Minister of Music/Worship

    Minister to Children/ Recreation

    Minister to Students

    Minister of Discipleship/ Singles

    Minister of Media

    Modern Worship Leader/ College Director

    Pastor Emeritus

    Weekday Early Education Director

    Church Accompanist

    My wife has been on the prayer list of this church since the fall of 2003 and still is. [Her choroidal melanoma is in remission.] Since that time she has received only one call from the church staff, that from the Pastor Emeritus [The former Pastor, couldn't preach much but a wonderful Pastor.] who is incapacitated and lives in North Carolina with his son and has for a number of years.

    This congregation is apparently doing away with its contemporary worship service in March and starting a "modern" worship service.
     
  9. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    #9 Salty, Feb 2, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 2, 2013
  10. 12strings

    12strings Active Member

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    I can only describe what we have at our church:

    -Senior Pastor
    -Associate Pastor for Family Discipleship (2nd in line of authority, children's pastor)
    -Minister of Music & Students (me)
    -Pastor for Counseling & Small Groups (Unpaid Elder)
    -Pastoral Assistant (unpaid position created for a seminary student to learn and gain experience)

    So as you can see, we have no real continuity in our titles (I'm a minister, the others are pastors...although in reality people call me a pastor a lot...and call the senior pastor "the minister") ...It was not as big a concern as selecting the right people and putting them in the right positions.
     
  11. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    We have associate pastors where I serve. In a previous context we had one person who served as the assistant pastor, but that meant his primary job was to assistant the senior pastor in the day-to-day functions of his office. This was an older man who had been in ministry for a long time and handled things like hospital visitation, research, shut-in care, associational and regional meetings, and other functions of the senior pastor's office that his lack of bandwidth didn't permit him to attend to or support.

    Usually I see assistant pastors in this role and associate pastors occupying director level roles for the local church where they run programming and engage with a specific range of the membership. :)
     
  12. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    We Could Always Refer to the Associate/ Assistants as...

    ...second, third or foutrh in command? :laugh:

    As my dad would say, "I personally I don't care what you call me, as long as it's not late for dinner :laugh:

    I honestly believe the use of any of the titles for those under the pastor is a cultural, or denominational thing.
     
  13. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Was talking to the pastor about this yesterday....
     
  14. Sapper Woody

    Sapper Woody Well-Known Member

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    In my eyes, someone with the title "Assistant" does more of the administrative things, such as planning and coordinating (in small churches sometimes double as the music director). Someone with the title "Associate" is more for helping to cover down on visiting the sick, mentoring, and counseling, when the pastor has grown a church to the size where he can't do it all.
     
  15. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I am looking forward to the time when our church gets so big we'll have to have a business meeting to decide what to call all our church staff people.

    I think one of them should be called Bishop (now known as the pastor, known elsewhere as the Senior Pastor). Then we could argue over whether we ought to call the second-in-command the Deputy Bishop. Or Executive Bishop.
     
    #15 Tom Butler, Jun 4, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2013
  16. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Or Rook.....
     
  17. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Oops, I was going to mention that one, but it slipped my mind, just like a lot of other stuff these days.
    Thanks.
     
  18. PeterM

    PeterM Member

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    At the church I pastor, we have embrace the principle that there should be a plurality of pastors/elders in the church regardless of its size. I serve in the role of "first among equals" meaning that I am the "lead" pastor (I personally dislike the term "senior") and have a team of pastors who serve with me. We have been blessed with a really great team of men who are eminently qualified and could serve as lead pastors should God call them to do so.

    In titling, we have chosen to release the traditional "associate" or "assistant" designations as they do not fit our structure well. The pastors are titled as such and have a specific area of ministry they oversee. Hence, "Worship Pastor", "Student Pastor" etc.

    Not a big deal... just what we do.
     
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