Miles Rohde is one of five men selected for the 2013–2014 Lead Pastor Residency program at Mars Hill Church. This program is designed to take men who already have experience leading a church and train them to lead at Mars Hill. Every lead pastor resident’s experience is different, and Miles graciously took the time to share his.
Monday: Twelve not-so-angry men
It’s 10 a.m. on Monday morning and Miles Rohde is seated at a table tucked away in the offices of Mars Hill Church Bellevue. Twelve men, pastors and ministry heads, are gathered around the long, oval table (while one tunes in through video conferencing) to ‘review the tape.’
At this point, Miles’ day has been in full swing for more than five hours. On most weekdays, he rises before 5 a.m. to spend some time in personal study and prayer. By 7:30 a.m. he’s in the office, ready to go.
“I enjoy the quiet before the storm of a very productive day,” he said. “Most people hate Mondays, but as a lead pastor resident I have grown to love and appreciate them. One lead pastor shared with me that if Sunday is game day, then Monday is the day we look at the film. These days are filled with meetings ranging from service planning meetings, tactical staff meetings, and elder meetings—all before lunch.”
In this particular staff meeting, the heads of various ministries meet with Pastor Thomas Hurst, the lead pastor at Mars Hill Bellevue, to review what did and did not work on Sunday. It’s all practical matters—traffic flow and chair set-up and how to make things more efficient, etc. As a lead pastor resident, or LPR, Miles is front and center for this type of meeting every Monday.
“Everything’s fresh in our minds and we go over the operations side of everything,” he said.
Directly following today’s staff meeting, Miles will join the elders’ meeting to touch base with the other pastors. While he is not officially an elder yet, that process is nearly complete. Aside from the roster of meetings, the rest of this particular Monday will find Miles up to his nose in research, preparing to eventually lead a Mars Hill church of his own. That’s the purpose of the residency program and LPRs can expect to either plant a new Mars Hill church or be installed at a current church in need of a pastor.
Lead Pastor Resident, Miles Rohde
Tuesday
Once more, Miles is up with the sun. Sort of—this is Seattle, after all.
For an LPR, there are a variety of local church roles above and beyond the residency. Miles oversees the logistics of and teaches one of the sessions of the quarterly membership class. He oversees baptisms and baby dedications, serves as a service director, and leads the planning strategy for the Saturday service launch that started this month at Bellevue.
“So Tuesdays are filled with accomplishing tasks for any number of ministry areas to which I am assigned,” he summed up.
Tuesdays are also sync days.
“Every Tuesday afternoon, over video conferencing technology, Pastor Thomas Hurst and I join Pastor Dave Bruskas, along with all the lead pastors and residents in all of our 15 churches, for training. This Lead Pastor Sync is a time for the Executive Elders (EE) to pass along any mission-critical information and includes Pastor Dave taking all of us through an exegetical study of the Pastoral Epistles. This week’s sync discussed the service orders in each of our 15 churches and the rationale behind everything done on a Sunday. This may not seem to be significant, but with a 90-minute service and the proclamation of the gospel central to game day, we have to be intentional with every element of a service.”
Once a month, the LPRs sit down with Pastor Mark Driscoll for a unique opportunity to learn vision and missiology. This is also their chance to ask any questions they might have about Mars Hill Church, theology, and/or philosophy.
“These times are some of the most beneficial as we serve to accomplish the vision to which God has called Pastor Mark and Mars Hill Church.”
On one Tuesday every month, Miles takes part in Aspire, a leadership development tool that helps elders at the local churches identify and train leaders, specifically elder candidates. It helps current elders discern if a candidate is called and qualified to serve the church as an ordained elder. These monthly sessions include teachings on the Old and New Testaments, mission and evangelism, marriage and family, etc.
It’s only Tuesday, but Miles and the rest of staff are already in deep, counting down to the next set of services.
“By the end of this day, the staff at Bellevue have put in nearly 40 hours since Sunday,” Miles said, explaining what many of his weeks look like. “All of this is with game day in clear view.”
Lead pastor residents have training and sync times together during a standard week. From left to right: Ed Choi and Pastor Aaron Gray
Wednesday
Wednesdays are Lead Pastor Residency training days. The residents come together from the various churches they serve to receive training from ministry and central support department directors. Their time is spent with each one of the key ministries: Community Groups, Biblical Living, Mars Hill Students & Kids, Worship, Media & Communications, Women’s Ministry, etc. LPRs are also provided with insight into the nature of the relationship between the lead pastor and the executive pastor.
At this point, Miles has had a taste of pretty much every ministry at Mars Hill. In addition to an extensive amount of time on Wednesdays spent with the heads of various ministries, he and his wife are expected to experience life in a Community Group as well as Redemption Groups. The idea is to expose the LPRs to everything in Mars Hill—collectively referred to as the DNA of the church.
Thursday
Usually Thursdays are opportunities for impromptu meetings in preparation for Sundays, as well as lunch networking meetings with ministry leaders and/or church members. This particular week, Miles sat in on Re:Train, where he received training for counseling within community. The afternoon was dominated by a video conference call going over the Saturday and Sunday service plans for the coming weekend.
In the middle of this planning, a twist has been thrown into Miles’ regular Thursday routine. A potential candidate for his future executive pastor (XP) is arriving to interview. Scouting out an XP involves not only hosting various meetings but hosting dinner as well. Miles will have to work this into his schedule now, and tonight Mr. and Mrs. Rohde will host dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Potential XP.
Friday: T.G.I.F.
Much like Thursdays, Fridays are a catchall for meetings, lunches, and various other tasks that need a more open day for scheduling. This particular Friday, Miles is meeting with Community Group coaches. This meeting is designed to serve them and allows Miles a regular rhythm of building into the lives of some of the leaders. Today’s agenda specifically calls for a discussion on transitioning a permanent head coach into this role as Miles’ residency treads on toward its conclusion.
Saturday
Rest.
“Well . . . sort of,” wrote Miles in an email. “These days are usually reserved for family and, being that we are only in the Seattle area for a short time before we are relocated, we tend to take advantage of this side of the Great Northwest to make memories. Yet, even as I write this, the launching of an evening service at Mars Hill Church Bellevue is coming this Saturday. Therefore, this requires me to be disciplined in taking rest, keeping my family a priority, and redeeming all the time I can with them. One of the things I have learned since being at Mars Hill is that everyone works very hard . . . everyone. Once this Sunday comes and goes, another Sunday awaits us. There is so much to be done and the need for diligence and faithfulness is great as the Lord continues to shower Mars Hill Church with his grace and mercy. Everyone here desires to be faithful stewards of this tremendous wave of grace.”
While Miles serves in the context of the local church, he also takes advantage of shadowing the local lead pastor, always gaining wisdom and insight into that role.
Sunday
“Sunday is game day!”
The whole week has had one focal point: Sunday. Throughout the whole of this particular day, Bellevue alone will see roughly 3,000 people pass through its doors, park in its lot, bring their children to Kids Ministry, and participate over the course of four services.
“[Sunday] is where we place a tremendous amount of time, energy, and resources,” said Miles, “because this is where the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed boldly and without apology by our preaching and vision pastor, Pastor Mark.”
Miles is up and ready, as usual, before 5 a.m. By his own admission, Miles is a bit of a morning person, and he’s at the church by 5:30. He uses the time to do whatever needs doing.
By 6:30, the worship band is well into rehearsal, running through the entire line-up with the sound, audio, and video crews. Today the band asks Miles to do a mic check. Miles gets hooked up to a wireless mic and goes onstage with the band.
“Good morning!” he booms over the subdued chords of the first song. “I’m . . .” he hesitates, then, “Pastor Thomas Hurst.”
The sound crew has what they need. Miles is thanked and leaves the band to continue rehearsing. Back in the lobby, he straightens an extension cord, replaces a bookcase, unlocks the front doors, sets out traffic cones, etc.
“I make myself available to be of service in any way I can,” he said. “Sometimes that involves helping with mic checks, setting up tables, chairs, or whatever needs to be done.”
Volunteers stream into the church over the next hour. Coffee is brewed, “I Can Help” badges are handed out, greeters take their posts, and the church slowly comes to life. Every other week, Miles serves as the Service Director, overseeing the various Sunday Welcome Team leads ranging from hospitality to security.
Sunday is game day. As a lead pastor resident, Miles takes on various roles throughout four different services.
By 7:30, Miles is on the stage with the other pastors, taking part in the pre-service meeting. This is where the Executive Elders and Bellevue staff run through the service order.
“As an LPR,” said Miles, “this is a picture into the operations side of Sundays that provides me with valuable insight into the rationale and flow of the 90-minute service—information and experience I will take with me to the Mars Hill church I will one day lead and pastor.”
Mundane details are covered, the band shares its playlist, and Pastor Mark gives the basic outline of his sermon. Then the pastors and staff pray before scattering again.
With the planning and preparations done, Miles sets his focus on the people trickling through the front door.
“Once the preliminary responsibilities are over,” he said, “the joy really begins: greeting and serving alongside hundreds of volunteers for nearly 3,000 people.”
And that will continue until the end of the last service at Bellevue at 4pm. Miles will continue doing whatever needs doing until the entire week has culminated, the gospel has been proclaimed, people have been cared for, and the church doors are once more locked for the night. Once the church is buttoned up, Miles will go home, another game day done. But even with the fading of yet another Sunday, Miles and everyone at Mars Hill sees the next one on the horizon. Tomorrow, the whole cycle will begin again.
Overall, the residency stands alone as far as experiences go, and Miles is no spring chicken. He’s already led a church as a senior pastor and served in the military. And yet, his time as a resident finds him more busy than he’s ever been.
“It’s a good busy,” he said. “I had no idea what to expect. I’d never been part of a residency of any sort. The lead pastor residency is as unique of a role and ministry opportunity as any I have ever experienced before.”
Applications are being accepted for the Lead Pastor Residency through May 1st. If God is calling you to be a lead pastor at Mars Hill, apply today.
