When we talk about the exploits of God through Moses, we often forget the people God surrounded him with to help him fulfill God’s call on His life. Even though God was committed to winning the battle against the Amalekites, there was a condition attached to the victory that required the help of Aaron and Hur. With a guaranteed win is a weary hand; for that hand to stay lifted, Moses needed these two men.
“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” Exodus 17:11-12
When we talk about the exploits of God through Moses, we often forget the people God surrounded him with to help him fulfill God’s call on His life. Even though God was committed to winning the battle against the Amalekites, there was a condition attached to the victory that required the help of Aaron and Hur. With a guaranteed win is a weary hand; for that hand to stay lifted, Moses needed these two men.
In the same vein, when you think of the role of a Pastor, you’ll most likely picture a man/woman standing on the altar with the mic in hand. However, behind the scenes are many Pastors serving in different capacities that make the job of the Senior Pastor less burdensome. One such role is the job of the Executive Pastor. He or she might not be the one you see on Sunday mornings or at the weekly Bible studies, but they contribute immensely to making it easier for the Senior Pastor to focus on his call.
In a recent conversation with Pastor Mark Crull, the first Executive Pastor of Northview Church, I understood the intricacies of Pastoring below the altar. He might not be the first face you see on the Church billboards, but most likely, the man you’ll see sitting in the restaurant having lunch with men from Church. Some of the men he had met with the last twenty-plus years have gone on to find their calling and purpose in life, including joining the Northview staff themselves.
He credited his salvation to his parents’ choice to start attending Church when he was younger; however, his faith was grounded in college through his involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ. After graduating with a degree in business from Indiana University, Bloomington, Pastor Mark knew he had to follow God’s call over his life, and he and his wife, Karen, joined Campus Crusade for Christ staff.
He served in that ministry for eight years and was working on a seminary degree before accepting the challenge of planting a Church in New Hampshire, a job he did for four years. Knowing he wanted to relocate the family back to Indianapolis, accepting the offer to join the Northview staff as the Assimilation Pastor in 2002 came with little reservation. In that role, he helped people find a place to serve and get involved in the Church through membership and NEXT-type classes.
In January 2003, Pastor Mark became the first Executive Pastor of Northview Church. Although people did not fully grasp the position's role at the time, it was necessary for where the Church was and where they were headed. He worked directly with Pastor Steve Poe and served alone in that role for over twelve years. “My role was to come alongside Pastor Steve, as a right-hand man, to help run the Church's daily operations so that he can focus on sermons, vision-casting, and strategic planning,” he states.
As the Church grew, he suggested bringing another Executive Pastor on board. This led to Jason Pongratz becoming the second Executive Pastor of Northview. He said this was necessary because he didn’t want to be a bottleneck to the growth the church was experiencing and knew splitting the job between the operational and spiritual roles would benefit Northview and his ability to continue to serve effectively. Just recently, under Pastor C.J Johnson’s leadership, Kurt Brodbeck also became an Executive Pastor, and each of them manages five direct reports of ministry areas.
Although Pastor Mark would say Northview Church was not on his radar when God led him there, his role behind the curtains has contributed immensely to the great things God has continued to do. He identified with the missional-mindedness of Northview and came with a heart to serve, and God used that. Since moving from New Hampshire to join the staff, Northview Church has grown from one location to fifteen locations, with many people finding purpose in their calling under his leadership. “Northview was one of the biggest surprises God delivered to me because I came to Northview at one of the most difficult seasons of ministry,” he said.
According to him, he finds his footing in the missional aspect of ministry, which deals with discipleship and other spiritually focused leadership roles, but not as the Pastor with the microphone, preaching on most weekend services. He enjoys discipleship because of its multiplying effect on the kingdom and explains it with Pastor C.J.'s statement, “We are not about making decisions; we are about making disciples.” Having been burnt out once after he was left to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Church he helped to plant, he fully understands God’s call over his life and is committed to it.
Pastor Mark’s life speaks to the truth that God’s call over each of His children determines their role. Neglecting this truth has led to some churches breaking up because the Aarons and Hurs want a staff, too, instead of holding Moses’ hands up. He believes his job as an Executive Pastor has allowed him to flourish in ministry, and the success directly correlates with helping Pastor Steve Poe and Pastor C.J. Johnson thrive in God’s call over their lives.
In his role, he shoulders some burdens that would otherwise weigh on the Senior Pastor’s schedule. He stated that being an Executive Pastor means: "What can I do to free Steve or C.J. up to do the things only they can do because we need them to focus on what only they can do.” For instance, he explains how Pastor CJ can ask him to attend various ministry meetings on his behalf, representing him and senior leadership on Church matters.
Acknowledging mistakes that led to his burnt-out season, he credits his intentionality to guarding against the actions that contributed to it as a marker to succeeding in ministry. While he almost reached that same point again in later years, God was able to restore him because of his high-level resolve and commitment to his role both at home and in ministry. And with the understanding of Northview Church, although he works almost every weekend, his weekly schedules are more flexible to allow for time for the family and life outside the Church.
Pastor Mark emphasized that his wife, Karen, is the most significant human piece of the puzzle for his success in ministry. He states, “I have a spouse with whom I am locked-arm, locked-step, and in my whole ministry life, I knew I had an ally in her.” In addition, he said that while not without bumps on the road, being in sync with Karen for the ministry, their home, and raising their children has helped the process be more accessible.
He is grateful for his twenty-plus years of leadership of Northview Church. Affirming his gratitude for the trust accorded him to serve, he looks forward to continuous opportunities for discipleship and helping Pastor C.J. fully settle into his role. With the fulfillment he enjoys in ministry, he wants the younger generation to experience the same in finding their purpose in God’s call over their lives.
Further still, with the lessons learned through their journey together, Pastor Mark sees a future where he and his wife, Karen, can help others navigate Christian parenting. In a world that has made the job more difficult, he believes God can use them to ease the journey for many. He ended our conversation with Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”