“The Church Resembles the Church Staff”
This statement bears out the critical stance of positive and effective church leadership. If
the church of today is going to grow, leadership will play a vital role in growing the organization. On average, this church has about
50 to 80 people in attendance each week. One hundred people demand more attention and leadership. Although many churches will be larger
than 100 in attendance (and some smaller too), leadership is called to support and sustain the work and ministry of the church.
What
makes for a smooth operating team in ministry? The church staff must model for the church how a good team is to function. God wants
the church to function as a team and who better to show the way than the full-time personnel, called to serve the church.
There are
three important areas in teambuilding and growth:
The Team,
Which entails the concept of teamwork and the problems faced by teams;
The functioning of a team, which lifts up the needed parts for a well-run team, including job descriptions and role expectations;
and
Maintaining the team, which discusses staff conflict, meetings and retreats, and the induction of new team members.
The pastor
and full-time staff has a huge responsibility to lead the church. We cannot do ministry by ourselves. We need one another to grow
a successful ministry. The level at which the staff is motivated, dedicated, and forward thinking will determine the level at which
the church will function as well. The pastor and his wife alone are not called to meet every need in the church. The staff is called
to make sure that all the needs are being met!
So how do church staffs operate at high levels of quality and dedication? What needs
to happen for leadership to form into a quality functioning team? These are complex questions and so are the answers. The staff is
to share ministry in both the sorrows and the joys of their congregation. The staff is to reach, teach, minister, and equip. The staff
is to pull in the same direction, working toward the same goals. The staff is to be a team of leaders. That is where the leadership
of the church comes into play. The church leadership is also called to be a team!
TEAM—Together Everyone Accomplishes More
Good teams function together as one unit. The leadership team members cover for one another,
share in the joys, and support in the frustrations. Regardless of what you call this group, their work will only be as effective as
their ability to be a team of servant leaders.
The leadership team is made up of everyone who has leadership responsibilities in the
administration of the church. Usually, the pastor directs the work of the leadership team. The pastor works closely with the staff
of the church.
Team ministry means that you share, communicate, unite, and dedicate yourselves toward the successful accomplishment
of common goals. Teamwork is difficult work. The elements below must be present if we are going to be a successful team.
• Loyalty. We
will only be as successful in our individual ministries as the team is successful in its combined ministry! Loyalty to one another
and the pastor and his wife is crucial. Public conflict between staff members is crippling. Communication among team members builds
loyalty. There will always be church members and leaders who want to gripe and complain. Some of these people will try to divide and
conquer the leadership team.
• Competence. Sunday morning is the main priority of the church leadership team. Make sure you prepare
adequately each week to allow your team to be confident in the Sunday morning responsibilities. The competent church leadership team
makes sure that rooms are ready, that church members needs are met, and that everything is in place to support a quality service.
While there may be some touchy situations in which you will be called on to lead, never let them see you sweat!
• Focus. The quality
and competent church leadership team makes sure that they are focused on the right priorities. Too many leaders focus just on doing
things the right way. They are only concerned with the procedures of how things are done. These leaders focus on tradition and policy.
These leaders probably focus too much on approach. If not careful, these defenders of tradition will lose their focus and become obstacles
for growth.
There are other leaders who focus all of their energy on doing the right things. These leaders appear visionary. They keep
us focused on meeting the needs of our community and keep us dreaming great dreams. If left unchecked, however, these vision casters
will get too far out in front of the rest of the team. They will lose their effectiveness because they will be looked upon as too
wild and too weird.
Effective leadership balances vision and procedure. We must dream great dreams. We must pay attention to the details.
Only a focused leadership team can make sure that we stay balanced in the leadership we provide our teachers.
• Leadership development. Much
of the leadership literature of today talks about the leader continuing to develop followers. The leader who can develop a strong
group of followers will be in a position to get things done. Leaders who develop followers will be inspirational and motivational.
Leaders who can develop followers will be able to challenge others and to bring about the changes that he/she desires. The leader
who develops followers will always have a strong group of supporters willing to “make it happen.”
However, another approach can be
just as effective. Good leaders develop other “good leaders.” Leaders involved in developing good leaders are not just using personality
and motivation. The development of other leaders is necessary if the church is going to grow. By multiplying one’s talents and leadership
abilities, the church will grow beyond the inspiration and motivation of just one leader.
The leader who develops other leaders also
ensures a strong base of support. This leader is also motivational and inspirational. Nevertheless, this leader also makes sure that
there will be leaders to “fill the gaps” when other leaders are needed.
We must make every effort through our own leadership to build
a team of leaders that will guide our church. As we build team members, we build a group of flexible and energized people willing
to put the needs of others before their own needs. Successful church leadership teams have an agreed upon mission. Successful church
leadership teams have an unselfishness of work and ministry tasks. Successful church leadership teams have a high level of competence
and unity.
We have good leaders right now, but we will need more! Leadership development will be a key in the coming years. Members
will always be needed, but leadership is the key to growth. The sign of an effective leader is both how many people he had around
them and how many leaders they made.