Parishes are the most important organizations in the world. If this is true, and we are convinced that it is, then the leadership of the pastor is critical. He is the spiritual leader and executive authority of a parish. But he cannot run a parish alone, or in a hub and spoke manner that forces him to be responsible for most decisions. Great pastors surround themselves with a team of leaders who share the responsibility of leading the parish, and we call that team the
parish leadership team.

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A parish leadership team exists to assist the pastor in managing the parish.  This involves everything from strategic decisions and people management to operations and finances. It’s important to understand that the leadership team is NOT an advisory or oversight body, like the parish council or the finance council. The leadership team is an operating body, which means that each team member is actively involved in implementing the decisions of the team.  It’s crucial that the leadership team of a parish meets weekly to look at the overall health of the parish.  It’s also important for members of the leadership team to understand that being on the leadership team is NOT a reward or a privilege, but rather a serious responsibility.  The pastor chooses his team, and he is the leader of the team.