5LQ Episode 519: Vance Pitman on Prioritizing Intimacy with Jesus

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Dan Iten are joined by Vance Pitman who serves as the President of Send Network, the largest church planting network in North America. Pitman reflects on his time as the Pastor of Hope Church in Las Vegas, discussing conflicts with church leadership that led to his departure and his subsequent pursuit of intimacy with Jesus Christ. He also discusses his current role as the head of the North American Mission Board’s church planting efforts and emphasizes the importance of pursuing intimacy with Christ, prioritizing rest, and aligning oneself with God’s mission.

BEST QUOTES

“The primary call on my life is not ministry, the primary call on my life is intimacy. Ministry is what He does out of the overflow of intimacy.” – Vance Pitman

“Spiritual leadership is not what I do for God. Spiritual leadership is what God does through me out of the overflow of my intimate love relationship with Him.” – Vance Pitman

“God has really taught me that I can be so consumed with what He’s called me to do that I forget about what He’s called me to be. We’re not human doings, we’re human beings.” – Vance Pitman

“Every man that I know that had an affair in ministry first had an affair with a ministry that wooed him away from intimacy with Christ and opened him up to things he never thought he do.” – Vance Pitman

“Jesus didn’t bring us into a relationship with Himself just so we could do something for Him. He brought us to a relationship with Himself because He wants to be with us.” – Vance Pitman

“The local New Testament Church is the tool that he gave us for the accomplishment of the mission. It’s not the mission. The mission is the kingdom of God being expanded in cities and nations all over the world.” – Vance Pitman

“Leadership is lonely, but it can’t be done alone. Leadership implies there are other people involved in following your leadership and speaking to you as a leader.” – Vance Pitman

“Leaders are learners and when you stop learning, you forfeit the right to lead.” – Vance Pitman

“Somebody less experienced than us often we think about them as only people we can pour into, but often the people less experienced than us bring a perspective that we don’t have because it’s fresh.” – Vance Pitman

“The relational environments that you set and create in your life set the environment from which decisions will be made.” – Vance Pitman

“Joy is in the journey. If we only focus on achievements, destinations, goals, or milestones, we’ll miss so much along the way.” – Vance Pitman

“For every one major achievement, there will be a thousand leadership moments along the way that are shaping the culture of your organization and the people within your organization.” – Vance Pitman

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Vance Pitman