Ten Commandments for an Associate Minister
 
One of the biggest jobs of an associate minister is to get the people to accept “you” without taking one iota from the honor and position of the senior minister.

Work constantly to get the people to look forward to your call in its own right – and not simply as a substitute for the senior minister’s call.

Accept the fact that you are an associate or assistant and yet not relegate yourself, mentally, into an inferior attitude. Work in your own right.

Take all criticisms of the church or minister in strict confidence, even though it may not have been given in that way, and keep the senior minister aware of such criticism. He deserves to know.

Defend the minister at all costs. You must strive to unite the church, not divide it.

Be prepared for any emergency. Any pastoral duty becomes yours if the senior minister becomes incapacitated.

Always give the senior minister first chances to make certain calls. He is the shepherd of the flock. Be sure he knows of events that he may not be aware of – tragedy, death, etc.

Inform the senior minister immediately of any serious illness you discover which he may not be aware of. He, through his own knowledge, or from you, should know everything about the people at all times.

Try to compliment the senior minister. He is human, and yet must be all things to all people. There are some places he might be weak; strive to help him by making yourself stronger at these points of weakness.

Remember that you are not only serving a congregation, you are serving the Master, and you are serving another minister.