Many would testify that church staffing can be either a great joy, or a terrible and distracting low (when I talk about ‘staff’, I include both paid staff and volunteers). I wrote my last column having just commenced a Doctor of Ministry program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDs), and my first subject was staffing.

There are a number of issues I grappled with in a way that I haven’t before. Here are some selected reflections.

1.     Perhaps because we are eager to operate graciously, we are not good at establishing reporting or feedback for paid or voluntary staff. Yet, when I presented a draft concept one page document to my own staff, they loved the idea and pointed out it would help them be more focussed in their job.

2.     Thank you notes (genuine ones, not a ‘thank you’ tacked on the end of something else) go a long way.

3.     In recent times, we have developed the helpful language of ‘Character, Convictions and Competencies’ to describe the characteristics to look for particularly with paid staff. To this, it would be helpful to add ‘Chemistry’. Herein lies the reason that it is not uncommon for a new Senior Minister to arrive and for others to leave. I suspect this should be regarded as normal and encouraged, as controversial as that may sound. The reason is not necessarily related to ungodliness, but just underlies the importance and priority of a good working relationship among staff, and acknowledges that different people are different.

4.     While the teaching of the Word must always be the most important ‘activity’ of a pastor, there are also other things that must be done. There are various grids that people use to conceptualise these categories of ministry. One pragmatically driven, but effective, example would be programs – outreach – worship – administration (not in any order). At last week’s Exploring Effective Ministry Under God conference, Andrew Heard and Tim Sims presented another one: Magnification – Membership – Maturity – Ministry train & recruit – Mission. Whichever grid one uses, through an appropriate combination of paid staff and lay people, all should have a ‘point person’, who will also need to be supported.

In my next post, I plan to turn to the question of the operation of our Parish Councils. But for now, what other ‘grids’ do you use to design, develop, and delegate your church ministries?

Feature photo: Highways Agency