For forty years, the Lord has allowed me the privilege of serving as pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church. Through every season, my desire has been simple—to faithfully preach the gospel, strengthen the local church, and help shine the light of Christ from this place to our community and around the world.
As I have entered my mid-sixties, the Lord has burdened my heart with the stewardship of ministry and the future of this work. Ministry is never something we own; it is something we are entrusted to steward. We are undershepherds serving under the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. The church belongs to Him. As a pastor, my role is to oversee and feed His flock, “which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
Ministry is never something we own; it is something we are entrusted to steward. Share on X
Because of that, local church leadership must always be approached with a stewardship mentality. A pastor must not only ask, “How do I serve faithfully today?” but also, “How do I ensure this work remains strong for the next generation?”
With stewardship as a mindset, I have, over the past months, been working together with our deacons and church family to establish a co-pastor role at Lancaster Baptist Church. Having a co-pastor will allow me to intentionally share responsibilities and train another for the future leadership here at Lancaster Baptist. This, of course, will take time, but will ultimately lead to pastoral succession, at which time I will continue to lead West Coast Baptist College as president.
This past Sunday evening, after the unanimous recommendation of our deacons, our church family voted overwhelmingly to call our Executive Pastor, Larry Chappell, to serve as co-pastor of this church. I appreciate Larry’s convictions for truth, his love for our church, and his compassion for souls. I will continue serving as Senior Pastor, while this new role allows us to strengthen leadership and prepare wisely for the future of this ministry. (To learn more about this process and see some of the candid conversations leading up to it, visit lancasterbaptist.org/co-pastor-process.)
Throughout Scripture, we see a pattern of stewarding leaders preparing for the future by training others and sharing ministry. Moses invested in Joshua. Paul invested in Timothy.
Leadership is always a stewardship, and Christian leaders in any context—especially in the local church—should look beyond their immediate responsibilities to invest in the next generation.
So how do godly leaders steward their responsibility to train others well? What does stewardship-minded leadership look like?
I believe stewarding leaders serve in five important ways:
Stewarding Leaders Serve with Humility
Humility is an essential trait for Christian growth. But it’s especially vital for leaders to cultivate. Leadership is not about position, control, or personal ambition. It is about faithfully serving under Christ’s authority.
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2–3)
Seasons of leadership development or transition should be marked by humility, prayer, and dependence on the Lord. We are not building our own kingdom; we are serving His.
Stewarding Leaders Invest in the Next Generation
There is no success without a successor. Biblical leadership always looks beyond itself.
There is no success without a successor. Share on X
Moses prepared Joshua. Elijah prepared Elisha. Paul prepared Timothy. A faithful leader does not simply carry the work; he helps prepare others to carry it forward.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)
One of the blessings of ministry is the opportunity to invest in younger leaders and to help them grow in conviction, wisdom, and practical ministry leadership. Stewarding leaders think in terms of creating opportunities for intentional mentoring, shared leadership, and hands-on preparation for the future.
Stewarding Leaders Plan Before Crisis Comes
Wise leaders do not wait for uncertainty to force decisions. They prepare prayerfully, deliberately, and transparently.
Too many churches wait until a moment of crisis to think about leadership transition. By then, uncertainty can create confusion and instability. Faithful stewardship involves planning ahead—not because change is immediate, but because preparation is wise.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 22:3)
In our case, this co-pastor process has developed over years through prayer, counsel, and conversations with our deacons and church family. It is not a reaction to pressure; it is an effort to strengthen the church for the years ahead.
The goal is not speed. The goal is clarity, unity, and readiness.
Stewarding Leaders Protect the Mission
Leadership planning is never about organizational preservation alone. It is about gospel continuation.
Leadership planning is never about organizational preservation alone. It is about gospel continuation. Share on X
The mission of Lancaster Baptist Church remains unchanged: preach the gospel, disciple believers, support missionaries, and fulfill the Great Commission. Everything else serves that purpose.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19–20)
In every season of ministry, the main work remains the same. Souls still need Christ. Believers still need discipleship. Missionaries still need support. The church must continue moving forward.
Stewarding Leaders Strengthen Commitment
Moments of leadership development should not loosen our stakes; they should deepen them.
Thirty-five years ago, in 1991, our church’s annual theme was “Stake Your Claim.” We challenged our people to lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes—to put their roots deeply into the work God had called us to do together.
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; (Isaiah 54:2)
All of us have a natural tendency to drift in our devotion to the Lord and in our commitment to His work. Stewardship-minded leaders recognize that tendency and encourage God’s people to remain steadfast—not in loyalty to a single leader, but in faithfulness to Christ through every season, including seasons of transition. In our case, that faithfulness also includes a renewed commitment to our local church, Lancaster Baptist Church.
The Heart of Stewardship
Faithful, stewarding leaders serve with humility, invest in others, plan wisely, protect the mission, and strengthen commitment. They understand that ministry is not measured only by what is built in one season, but by what is strengthened for the next.
Ministry is not measured only by what is built in one season, but by what is strengthened for the next. Share on X
I thank the Lord for what He has done at Lancaster Baptist Church over these forty years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving in this season of ministry. My prayer is that the gospel would continue to go forward, that strong leaders would be raised up for the next generation, and that the work of Christ would remain strong for generations to come, or until Christ returns. Please pray for Pastor Larry Chappell and our entire leadership team as we reach forward in this season.
