Many years ago, when I was a kid, my dad gave me a Swiss Army Knife for my birthday. That red handled knife was more than just a pocketknife, it was a multi-tool. Mine had knife blades, a saw, a file, screwdriver, can opener, and more. It even had a little toothpick and tweezer. I loved that knife and I still take it on every camping trip because of how it can do so many things ...
Before I became a missionary, I was a pastor at three different churches in Canada. They ranged in size from 75 people to over two hundred, but none of them were large enough to have more than a couple of people on staff. I had to lead and serve the church by myself.
While there are a lot of big churches that host a full complement of pastors and staff, specializing in various aspects of ministry, the reality is that most pastors are in smaller churches where they are called upon and often expected to do a little bit of everything.
Just like that shiny red pocketknife, they must be multi-purpose pastors.
After more than three decades of ministry in three different countries, I have put together a list of ten helpful tips for multi-purpose pastors.