Tag: Staffing

5 Key Leadership Traits of a Great Campus Pastor

Pastor Appreciation Ideas: Over 50 Creative Ways to Bless Your Pastor and Staff

5 Key Leadership Traits of a Great Campus Pastor

The concept of the campus pastor is a genius kind of idea.

For more than a decade, the roles and responsibilities of a campus pastor have been innovated by hundreds of leading multi-site churches.

Campus pastors, while many are very capable communicators, they focus more on leadership and shepherding than on teaching and preaching.

The weekend sermon from the primary communicator is broadcast to all campuses. The senior pastor or a small teaching team typically carries that responsibility, thereby saving time for the campus pastors to invest more in the people of their campus.

Some multi-site churches choose live teaching nearly every week by their campus pastors. But in these cases, they meet as a team and construct the sermon together which accomplishes similar goals. First, the team makes the sermon better, and second, it gets it done faster. (Saves time.)

The multi-site model is efficient. It has the potential for incredible stewardship of time and talent.

The word efficient doesn’t sound very warm and fuzzy. It’s not a relational word. But the more efficient your church is, the more relational it is because you have more time for people.

The word inefficient, on the other hand, is a word that relational or not, no leader likes to hear. It wastes time and energy. A key question is: How do we design systems to invest more time in the things that really matter?

Effective is the idea that trumps both efficient and inefficient. Measurable progress, according to the goals of the vision, is the bottom line of effective leadership.

Effective campus pastors are a formidable force for good.

Because campus pastors are typically not required to do things like write sermons, deal with the overall church budget, and oversee administrative functions from buildings to leading a church board, they have more time to invest in people.

Don’t misunderstand; campus pastors are among the busiest leaders I’ve ever known, primarily because they do devote themselves to helping people grow spiritually and leadership development!

In the launch of a multi-site campus, there is nothing more important than your selection of the campus pastor.

Here are our choices for top leadership traits for campus pastors.

First, a quick list of assumed foundational characteristics, such as:

  • Humble
  • Godly character / Loves Jesus
  • Smart
  • Strong work ethic
  • Leadership drive

5 Key Leadership Traits of a Great Campus Pastor:

1) Team player 

A great campus pastor has an entrepreneurial spirit but can work within systems and flourishes on teams.

The entrepreneur in a great campus pastor gives them that edge that provides drive, ideas, and the courage to be the point leader.

Yet at the same time, they are willing to listen, take ideas and direction from others, and play team ball. Candidly, that’s not a typical combination of skill and attributes.

It’s common for leaders with drive and courage to want to be out on their own, but this unique person sees the potential of what can be accomplished through teamwork. They understand how their willingness to join a team can often advance the Kingdom in more significant and faster ways.

2) Developer of leaders

The best campus pastors are quick to roll up their sleeves and jump into the messiness, pain, and struggles of everyday life with people.

However, they are keenly aware that they must protect time to train and equip quality volunteers for ministry. Ephesians 4:11-12 makes that clear. (Equip the people for ministry.)

The best campus pastors develop other leaders. They are very good at identifying potential leaders and developing them to the point where significant responsibilities can be entrusted and released.

Surprisingly, the art of empowerment can be so difficult. It’s one thing to develop a leader; it’s quite another actually to trust them to lead and give them the keys. Great campus pastors do that every day.

3) Shepherd’s heart and strong people skills

As I just mentioned, great campus pastors jump in quickly to help people. The focus is spiritual growth, but sometimes the need is more basic, for example, a parent is struggling with one of their kids. No one campus pastor can meet all the needs, but they possess a heart that causes them to do for one what they desire to do for many.

In addition to a shepherd’s heart, the importance of strong natural people skills can’t be overestimated.

The ability of a campus pastor to connect quickly with all kinds of people, love them, and care about them is essential. 

Campus pastors think fast, but they intentionally slow down to see and meet the needs of people, including carrying an evangelistic zeal into the community to reach people.

Loving people is at the core of a great campus pastor.

4) Vision wins over a passion for communicating

At 12Stone Church, all of our campus pastors are skillful communicators, and most really love to teach. But their vision to reach people is greater than their passion for communicating regularly.

(This does not mean that teaching and reaching more people are mutually exclusive. I’m merely focusing on the characteristics that make a great campus pastor.)

Let me give an example where all campus pastors are required to be good communicators. They cast the overall vision of the church at their respective campus. They do this on the platform as well as other gatherings at their campus.

It is not necessary for all great campus pastors to be strong vision creators, but all must communicate the vision and be outstanding vision carriers into the lives of the people at their campus.

5) Cultivates and transfers church culture

The ability to embrace and transfer the true culture of the church is one of the most sophisticated and necessary skills of a campus pastor.

This ability is needed both on the platform during the worship services and throughout the week with leaders and the congregation in general.

This, of course, works best when the church’s culture is healthy and clear to everyone.

This takes strategic and intentional effort from the top leaders and everyone on the team. It carries three distinct elements.

First, the entire staff must care about the culture, and all agree upon the key values.

Second, the campus pastor must intentionally cultivate that culture, including enhancing the good and eliminating what is not desirable.

Third, the results are that the culture is noticeably present and healthy in every campus.

I’d love to know what you think.

What would you add or delete from this list of five? 

Original article appeared here. 

Dan Reiland is Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for 20 years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY. To read more of Dan’s articles, click here. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

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The Top 3 Qualities in a Youth Ministry Hire

The Top 3 Qualities in a Youth Ministry Hire

The Top 3 Qualities in a Youth Ministry Hire

Someone once asked me, “Jonathan, we’re looking for a new youth pastor. What would you look for in a youth pastor?”

What would you say?

Good speaker?

Kids like them?

Organized?

(Those are the ones I hear from people frequently.)

To be honest (see what I did there?), none of those three above make my top three. Sure, they’re great qualities. In fact, being “organized” is probably the fourth most important quality on my list. It’s very important…but not as important as these three below.

Here are the top three qualities I’m looking for in a leader, and some ways you can test to see if they have them. Then…what is the top quality you look for? (Chime in, in the comments.)

1. Humility/Teachability
The first thing I look for in any interview is humility. When I ask questions, do they come across like they know all the answers, or as someone who is a fellow learner? (Because I’m still learning, so I’d rather work with others who are still learning.) In fact, do they demonstrate an eagerness to learn (not just a willingness)? Do they want a mentor? Are they open to suggestions?

One way I seek to discover this is by asking behavior-based questions, asking for examples from past behavior. I might ask, “Tell me a lesson you learned the hard way this last year.” Or, “What is something you learned from a mentor recently that you were able to apply in your ministry?” In fact, when I call their references, I’d ask them specifically for examples of teachability they noticed in this person.

Why such the big focus on humility?

Because humility trumps everything! I know, it almost sounds counterintuitive. But Jesus taught this, laying out the cause/effect relationship between humility and leadership (Matthew 5:5). Jesus also modeled this (John 13). Humble leaders are the best leaders. In fact, humility is actually the key to Christianity—the admission that we can’t do it on our own and we need a savior. Those who don’t humble themselves are rather shortsighted. Humility is unavoidable. If we humble ourselves, we’ll be exalted. If we exalt ourselves, we’ll be humbled (Matt 23:12).

Do they need Jesus? Do they demonstrate this?

Watch out for the person who thinks, “I’ve got this humility thing handled!”

2. Reliability
Does this person’s yes mean yes (Matthew 5:37)?

This trait is rapidly becoming extinct in our world. I can’t tell you how many times people tell me they’ll do something…and nothing happens. They don’t even think twice about it. “I didn’t have time.” “Something came up.”

I always just want to reply, “No, you just don’t come through whenever it gets tough!” (Psalm 15:4)

A good way to test this is give them some small tasks as part of the application process. Ask them their preferred method of contact, then contact them that way and see when they respond. Ask them how soon they can complete an application and then note when they actually turn it in. Make an appointment with them (if they’re local), show up early and note what time they get there. If someone shows up late to an interview…that is an omen, my friend!

The best way to test this is to start by hiring people in a temporary position and observe how they work. This isn’t always possible if you want to hire someone from New York and you live in Texas. But even then, I’ve seen churches hire a position for one year, with full disclosure that they will re-evaluate at the end of the first year.

We need people who will actually do what they said they’d do.

 3. A Team Player
Does this person play nice with others? Do they have a history of building a team of leaders around them, or do they like to do it alone…“because if you want something done right you have to do it yourself!” Do they see the importance of recruiting volunteers?

A huge part of this is the ability to recruit and equip volunteers…a skill completely unrecognized and devalued in many ministry circles. Has this person ever done the math and realized they can get more done if they can delegate to others (the second most important quality of a leader according to Forbes).

Ask this person, “Tell me about the last team of people you worked with.” “What did you like/dislike about working with them?” “How many volunteers did you start with…and did you end up with?”

Don’t hire the Lone Ranger (I’m showing my age with that example).

 

These are just the top three. I also value work-ethic (are they a self-starter), organizational skills, ability to teach…and do they like deep dish pizza instead of that skinny stuff you have to fold over?

These three above give me insight to the foundation of our faith—loving God and loving others. It starts with humility and dependency on God, then integrity, then flows to how well they treat others.

What about you?
What are the qualities you look for?

How do you discover these?

Original article appears here. 

Jonathan McKee is the president of The Source for Youth Ministry, is the author of over 20 books, including the brand new If I Had a Parenting Do Over, 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid; Sex Matters; The Amazon Best Seller – The Guy’s Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket; and youth ministry books like Ministry By Teenagers; Connect; and the 10-Minute Talks series.

He has over 20 years youth ministry experience and speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers and parents on his websites, TheSource4YM.com and TheSource4Parents.com. You can follow Jonathan on his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help. Jonathan, his wife, Lori, and their three kids live in California.

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

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Before You Hire That Staff Person: 8 Red Flags

5 Apps to Increase Productivity

Before You Hire That Staff Person: 8 Red Flags

As staff recruiting in ministry world continues to evolve and become more competitive and sophisticated in recent years, churches and recruiting firms have developed a keen sense of red flags during the recruiting process that relate to whether a candidate is a good fit for your church or not. Those red flags may be a bit different from church to church, but there are many red flags that are fairly consistent across the board.

Now a red flag doesn’t necessarily mean that a church should stop recruiting a candidate, even though that’s very possible, but it is a cause for concern and gives reason to hit the breaks on the speed of the process and dig deeper with the candidate.

So after being on both sides of recruiting, both being recruited and recruiting a number of hires, here are some of the biggest church staff recruiting red flags.

Candidates That Are Overly Concerned With the Opportunity to Teach

If teaching is really important to the candidate and you’re not hiring them to a teaching role then don’t hire them. Let them go plant or pastor their own church.

Candidates That Are Indecisive

If they need to go date other churches then let them. Just don’t marry them.

Candidates That Freely Speak Negatively of Their Current Church

If they talk badly about their current church, they may have a difficult time taking personal ownership and as a result have a low E.Q. And by the way, if they talk badly about others, they’ll probably talk badly about you. 

Candidates That Don’t Ask Good Questions

If they don’t ask good questions, they’re not going to be a very critical thinker or strategic and will have a hard time moving the ministry forward at your church.

Candidates That Treat People They Have Nothing to Gain From Poorly

If they only treat people with perceived power and influence well (those they seem to gain something from) and overlook others, or even worse treat them poorly, then they have a serious character defect that will hurt your team.

Candidates That Are Too Eager

If they are too eager to jump ship and join your team then they’re probably running from something or chasing something; either way they’ll have a hard time leading in the here and now if they join your team.

Candidates With an Overbearing Spouses

I know you’re not hiring their spouse, you’re hiring them, but sharp people typically marry sharp people. If their spouse is overbearing, you’re probably going to want to pass.

Candidates That Change Jobs Too Often

If they have a track record of changing jobs every few years, chances are they’ll leave you soon too.

Original article appears here. 

Paul Alexander, a ministry consultant at the Unstuck Group and has more than 20 years of experience serving in the local church. He has served on the Sr. Leadership Teams of some of the nation’s leading mega-churches. Currently, Paul is serving as the Executive Pastor at Sun Valley Community Church, a large multi-site church located in the Phoenix area.

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Read more Ministry blogs at MinistryJobs.com/blog

The Right Way to Leave Your Church

The Right Way to Leave Your Church

There is a right way for you to do it. There are also several wrong ways to go about it.

Few people address this topic publically. Yet, we need to apply some wisdom to this necessary occurrence.

Pastor, you don’t want to handle this wrong. It doesn’t matter whether you are a paid or a volunteer staff member; leaving wrongly will jeopardize your future opportunities.

There is a right way and a wrong way to leave the pastorate (tweet this). Too often I learn of tendered resignations that are not grace-filled departures.

If you give me the opportunity to help before the resignation, you’ll think I’m trying to talk you out of it. Why? Because you might be trying to leave without going through the painful conversations that lead to a right decision.

What is the wrong way to leave your pastorate?

  • If you think it doesn’t matter how you leave your pastorate, perhaps you lacked the spiritual maturity to serve in the first place.
  • You are forced to leave because of unrepentant sin, you will leave wrongly.
  • If you simply leave without praying about the matter over the course of several weeks, you will leave wrongly.
  • You make the decision to leave without discussing the matter with your spouse, you will leave wrongly.
  • If you leave without discussing the matter with the advice of peers that know you well and the wisdom of those who are over you in the Lord, you will leave wrongly.
  • You think that the decision to leave is solely your decision and that it does not matter what others think, you will leave wrongly.
  • If you leave without actually leaving, but stay in the mix as advisor emeritus, you will leave wrongly.

My big point is this: In spite of how discouraged you are, how poorly you might have been treated, or how irreplaceable you think you are, you are accountable to God and others for how you leave.

What is the right way to leave your pastorate?

  • The right way is to leave voluntarily because you sense that God’s perfect will for you is changing. He has a slow and steady way of making it crystal clear when He has a new assignment for you.
  • I pray you are not forced to leave because of the habitual practice of willful sin. However, if you are asked to leave, for this reason, do so in confession, repentance, and with the assurance that you are doing the right thing.
  • You should be prayerfully assured that it is God’s will for you to move on. This process should rest in Scripture and supplication.
  • Discuss it with your spouse and come to an agreement. Your ministry is not entirely dependent upon you since the marriage covenant means that two become one.
  • Acquire the godly counsel of those who can testify that they have been there and done that. You can learn from their mistakes and from their successful departures.
  • You need to talk with those who are over you in the Lord. Their discernment can help you know whether or not you should leave and help you make a wise transition.

For ministers who are members of my tribe within the Kingdom of God, let me speak frankly.

  • Pastor, please do not officially resign your pastorate until after consultation with your district (conference) superintendent. God places authority over you to help protect you. When you submit to God-ordained oversight, He empowers you to do more for Him.
  • Pastor, please understand that the authority to shut down your local church belongs to your district presbytery (conference council) and that can only be done with their approval, even if you founded the church from scratch. Member congregations within our organization are under the responsible oversight of these godly people who want to help you do the right thing for the Kingdom of God at large.
  • As a credentialed minister, you are accountable to your overseers. They don’t seek to hold you back. They want to help you fulfill your ministry.

Know this: seeking wisdom and counsel from others does not deny your competency as a leader. Instead, it causes you to grow and enhances your reputation as a person of wisdom.

Leaving well qualifies you as a person of good character to continue serving the Kingdom of God (Click to Tweet). If you’ve been looking for a sign to tell you how to leave well, this article could be it.

Ministry transitions can be filled with grace for everyone involved when handled with care and prayer. What would you describe as the right way to leave?

More on “How Not to Leave Your Pastorate” can be found here. Click over and keep reading. Join the discussion, leave a comment, and pray for pastors and churches in transition. If you are in the process of leaving, leave well my pastor friend. Leave well.

Written by William Strickland. Pastor of Harvest Christian Center in Cantonment, FL. Husband to Lisa and father to three kids. To read more of Williams’s work, take a look at his blog and be sure to follow him on social media. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Read more Ministry blogs at MinistryJobs.com/blog

8 Things To Consider As You Manage Remote Employees

Make Every Effort

8 Things To Consider As You Manage Remote Employees

I pray your church is doing well and managing through this new normal of uncertainty.

I know it has not been easy learning to have virtual church services, adjusting budgets to fit new giving trends, and managing employees from afar.

As you continue to manage remote employees, try to be aware of how they are managing this new normal, and work to provide the support and resources they will need until they can return to the office.

8 Things To Consider As You Manage Remote Employees

1. Communication

Church leaders understand the importance of communication.

Now is the time to take communication up a notch and communicate, communicate, communicate.

Talk to employees and ask their preferred communication method.

For instance, some employees need the social aspect of communicating.

Offer an option to do a Google chat or Zoom call for those social styles that crave interaction.

Communicate via technology with those employees who prefer that format.

Set up times to chat on email or messenger.

Find the preferred method and then determine the appropriate frequency for interactions.

Let employees know how often you will be communicating and what you will be asking to talk about.

Try to remember; more is always better!

2. Mental Health

Many employees have been thrown into the drastic change of working from home, learning to homeschool children, and trying to juggle the new norm.

Be aware of the stress and challenge employees are experiencing and provide resources to help them manage.

For instance, sometimes, employees simply need to talk about their struggles.

Provide a resource for employees to discuss their challenges.

This resource can be an organized zoom call with a pastor, a trusted mental health professional, or a support group with other employees.

Regardless, employees benefit from sharing challenges and learning coping skills from others.

Remind them of God’s promises with Bible verses about stress and anxiety.

Support their mental health, and you support the employee.

3. Resources

Employees who don’t typically work from home are not equipped with a comfortable workspace.

Make sure employees have access to fast internet, a working computer, and any other necessary office equipment.

For instance, if your accounting staff is now required to work from home, make sure they have a working printer and scanner to help them process weekly contributions.

Also, make sure there is technical support if employees have technical issues with their WiFi, computer, or other office equipment.

Downtime from technical issues is a waste of time.

Manage this by providing that support.

4. Balance

Employees are juggling a lot.

Help them with balance by allowing flexibility in their schedule and reinforcing your commitment to work-life balance.

Particularly during this time when employees are carrying so many additional responsibilities.

For instance, if employees are now responsible for homeschooling their children, allow them to modify their work hours, so they have the option to work evenings or weekends.

5. Reassurance

These are uncertain times for everyone and no one really knows how life as we knew it will look when the dust finally settles.

Be aware that employees have these concerns.

Share with them the steps the church is taking to manage its operation during this pandemic so they don’t worry about being let go.

Reassure them by reminding them that God is in control and He will work all things out.

6. Listen To Employee Concerns

Life is different when you work from home so talk to employees and ask them how you can help.

Listen to any concerns they have and follow up by either addressing their concerns or explaining why the problem can’t be fixed.

For instance, if employees have an old laptop that keeps crashing, work quickly to either get the laptop fixed or send them a new one.

Remember, it is better to not ask the question than to ask the question and not follow up with a resolution.

7. Try Not To Micromanage

Try to remember that just because you can’t see employees working doesn’t mean they aren’t productive.

Give employees the benefit of the doubt about how they manage their time and focus on ensuring they meet job requirements.

Be more concerned with getting the job done than the actual time they are working.

For instance, if a team member is responsible for updating the website weekly, focus on making sure it is updated by a predetermined day of the week, rather than what they are doing every day to get that done.

8. Be Available

Great managers have open-door policies, and now is the time to practice that management model.

You will hopefully connect with employees daily.

However, you should also reassure employees that you are there to help.

Allow them the flexibility to reach out when they have an issue or a barrier to getting the job done – even if your phone meeting was a few hours ago.

As the new norm continues, take the time to talk to employees, support their personal and mental health needs, and you will find that your team is productive amidst this new work from home model.

This too shall pass! God bless you for all you do!

Article was borrowed from Smart Church Management. To find out more about Patricia, click here. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Read more Ministry blogs at MinistryJobs.com/blog

7 Essential Guidelines for Pastors Entering a New Pastorate

7 Essential Guidelines for Pastors Entering a New Pastorate

7 Essential Guidelines for Pastors Entering a New Pastorate

As sure as there is a right way to leave your pastorate, there is an excellent way for you to enter a new pastorate. Dare I tread into this highly opinionated subject? Somebody needs to go there. Right?

The proper way to enter a new pastorate begins with leaving your former pastorate correctly. Read about “the right way to leave” here. If you did not exit with the right motives, you are destined for a rough landing.

Deal with any unresolved issues before you move forward (read “How Not to Leave Your Pastorate” here). If you left the last church because you were running away from problems, they will catch up with you. You will find another set of similar issues in your near future. Difficulties in ministry cannot be avoided. Therefore, deal with them as they arise and learn all you can from them. This will help you and the congregation maintain spiritual health.

Assuming now that you left the last place with the proper motives and according to God’s timing, you are ready to move forward. You are spiritually healthy and prepared for the next assignment. Right?

What is your modus operandi? 

Is this your second, third, or fourth pastorate? Have you learned anything about proper transitions?

Every church is different. Every pastor is different. 

Some churches want no change, regardless of what they told you during the candidating process. Some new pastors wish to change everything as soon as they arrive. Both extremes should be avoided to the uttermost.

Here’s my reality. No one can provide a proven strategy, guaranteed to work with every pastor and church match-up (tweet this). Each process needs to be customized by how the Spirit of God is leading that particular transition.

Nevertheless, I can share some thoughts to serve as guidelines. Use these to develop your entering strategy and the rate at which you facilitate change.

  1. You are not the only player in this drama.

     There are lay leaders and staff members for which this transition is tricky too. Give them some Christ-like tender loving care.

  2. You will have an immediate request for a brief meeting from a handful of folks in your first few weeks.

     Be careful with this interaction. Some want to tell you that they campaigned for you to be their pastor. Some are not mature and seek to manipulate you. Some are power players that want to set you straight. Proceed with caution. Love the people and pray for them but do not cave into premature pressure for unclear agendas.

  3. You should not make any promises that would bind your future.

     For example, upon entering the pastorate, you could say, “I won’t be making any changes for six months.” That’s a vow you shouldn’t make. Change is a part of this transitional process. There is no need to smother what could be God’s will.

  4. You should know that both assumptions and presumptions can be dangerous.

     Some congregations assume their new pastor has taken the time to research their history and knows the obstacles that tripped former pastors. Some new pastors like to presume this adage; “it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.” Both can lead to early troubles.

  5. Your beginning title is, pastor, but you are not really in charge.

     This means you are not the church’s chief decision-maker. Most congregations of less than one hundred will not trust you to be that person for a few years. In the eyes of the most influential in the congregation, you are the preacher and the family chaplain. That’s not ideal, but your role can evolve and improve with tenure.

  6. You need to build relationships with the key people of your congregation.

     Who makes up this group will vary depending on the congregational size. Board members and staff members are where you should begin. Listen, learn, and befriend them. You will find it much easier to lead your congregation and reach your community with a group of friends than with a group of adversaries.

  7. You should get to know the outgoing pastor, if possible.

     You might not become best friends, but it could be a beneficial relationship. Don’t assume your predecessor was a know-nothing hireling. There was likely some sound reasoning behind most of what you’re walking into. Don’t feel threatened by your predecessor’s insights.

On the way to getting established, I would advise you to ask questions. Ask lots of them.

Therefore, I must ask you, what have I left out of this list? What else would you add to these guidelines? Join the conversation, leave a comment, and let’s pray for pastors and churches in transition.

Written by William Strickland. Pastor of Harvest Christian Center in Cantonment, FL. Husband to Lisa and father to three kids. To read more of Williams’s work, take a look at his blog and be sure to follow him on social media. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Read more Ministry blogs at MinistryJobs.com/blog

Pastor Appreciation Ideas: Over 50 Creative Ways to Bless Your Pastor and Staff

Pastor Appreciation Ideas: Over 50 Creative Ways to Bless Your Pastor and Staff

Pastor Appreciation Ideas: Over 50 Creative Ways to Bless Your Pastor and Staff

The #BlessYourPastor movement was started to provide free grant-funded materials to Christians, church boards and congregations to help them creatively show and share God’s love with their pastor and church staff. There is a great need for an outpouring of personal care and support, since most pastors and church staff faithfully serve and love their congregations while often facing real financial struggles. 

Research by the National Association of Evangelicals shows that many pastors are operating with limited financial resources to meet their families’ current and long-term needs. Fortunately, God is bigger than church paychecks and has many ways he can provide for his shepherds and workers through the generosity of God’s faithful people.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 calls Christians to show their deep appreciation to those who minister to them. Galatians 6:6 says people are to share all good things with the one who teaches them. So, the Bless Your Pastor movement invites church leaders and Christians to intentionally show and share God’s love for their pastors and staff members.

Here is a list of over 50 creative ideas for how you and others can Bless Your Pastor and staff.

Faithfully Pray

The best way to help your pastor and staff is to faithfully and regularly pray for blessings for them. Some ideas for specific blessings include praying for: • Intimacy with God • Marital love and unity • Spiritual protection • Divine guidance • Emotional and physical well-being • Parenting skills • Genuine friendships • Financial provisions • Daily wisdom • Personal encouragement • Helpful mentors • Effective ministry • Time management • Quality study and prayer times • Helpful training, courses and books • Leadership skills

Fondness

Let the pastor and staff know how God is specifically using them to bless, help and teach you to follow God. Remember their birthdays and anniversaries with a card, gift or social media post. Show appreciation for their strengths and give grace in their weaknesses.

Freedom

Give their spouses the freedom to be themselves and to find their own niches at the church. Let their children “be kids,” care about them, and pray for them.

Food, Fellowship & Fun

Prepare meals or baked goods for them (ask about favorite meals or certain foods to avoid). • Give them a gift card for groceries, restaurants, gas, fast food or coffee shops. • Give them food from your garden, orchard, hunting or fishing trips. • Invite them to your home or a restaurant for a meal. • Invite them or their family members to go fishing, sailing, camping, hunting, to the gym, concerts, plays or sporting events.

Offer to cover some or all of the costs. • Offer them sports, concert or event tickets. • If you have a vacation home, timeshare, recreational vehicle or camping gear, offer to let them use it. • Share frequent flyer miles that can be used for conferences, vacation, mission trips or holiday travel. • Offer them the use of your dependable vehicle, SUV or minivan for a holiday family trip or vacation.

Freely Share

Share your skills and time to help with any of the following items: • Babysitting • Auto maintenance and repair • Home repairs, maintenance and projects • Decorating, painting and wallpapering • Haircuts and beauty treatments • Medical, dental and chiropractic care • Lawn and garden upkeep • Legal, estate and financial services • Tutoring or lessons for children

If needed, communicate in advance if there are any out-of-pocket costs they will need to cover (e.g., parts for a car repair or materials for home repair).

Finances

Faithfully give to your church, so your pastor and church staff can be properly compensated. Beyond the church salary, the Lord may prompt certain individuals to provide personal funding to help with any of the following items: • Bless Your Pastor and Staff Appreciation Offering • Marriage conference or retreat costs • Christian camp fees • Back to school fees, clothing or supplies •

Children’s school tuition or contributions to 529 College Savings Plans • Mission trips • Lessons or tutoring • Family or couple’s vacation or getaway • Pastor’s conference, seminar or training • Seminary courses or sabbatical • Student loan debt • Retirement savings • Medical expenses

Pay It Forward

Most people have heard about “paying it forward.” Do you know you can also pay it forward by passing along possessions you no longer use or need? Possible items could include appliances, furniture, musical equipment, clothing, sports equipment or electronics. Ask if the items you may have available are actually needed and wanted by your pastor or staff families. Also, be sure they are in good condition and will not need costly repairs.

Note: Please be prepared to graciously allow your pastor or staff member to decline anything that you offer. Also note that most items mentioned here are not normally tax-deductible to the giver but are to be given out of gratefulness to God for what he has given to you.

For free PDF copies of this “50 Ways” list and a grant-funded 7-minute Bless Your Pastor training video and toolkit for church boards, visit BlessYourPastor.org.

Written by Brian Kluth. Brian is the national director of NAEfinancialhealth.org and spokesperson for the BlessYourPastor.org movement. Article was taking from Church Executive.

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Balance is A Dirty Word: 4 Reasons Ministry Leaders Should Stop Striving for Balance

Balance is A Dirty Word: 4 Reasons Ministry Leaders Should Stop Striving for Balance

Balance is A Dirty Word: 4 Reasons Ministry Leaders Should Stop Striving for Balance

Ministry is tough work. It is demanding of our time, energy, and presence. The reality of stress and burnout is always there. One of my favorite lines that I have ever written is this: “Those who work in ministry walk a fine line between being motivated by our mission and being overwhelmed by it.”

Many smart people write and speak about the need for ministry leaders to find balance in their lives. Balance your ministry, family, and personal responsibilities, and you will succeed! I’ve read several books and articles and listened to many seminar speakers address this topic. They are well-intentioned and do point out the many dangers of living an unbalanced life. Here’s the deal – I think they are wrong. They get the problem right – stress and anxiety. However, their prescription of balance to solve what ails you is wrong – and could be harmful.

I am not fond of the word balance. Here’s why:

Four Reasons You Should Stop Striving for Balance



1. Balance is nearly impossible to achieve

Balance is like a unicorn. You can spend a lot of time and energy searching for it but never find it. Two weeks ago I looked at my calendar and realized that I had a ministry-related meeting or event 7 nights in a row (including the weekend). I knew that this would be stressful and I wouldn’t be spending much time with my family – I would be out of balance.

I looked to see if I could get out of some of the meetings. Nope. I was leading 6 of them! Ugh. It was a busy week. If you work in ministry, you know what I know – finding the zen-like state of balance and staying there is nearly impossible. There are busy seasons in ministry that demand more of you.

You can attempt to implement more balance in your life, but you are unlikely to achieve balance.

You will always be neglecting something. I cannot think of a time when all of my work, family, and personal responsibilities have been balanced. Balance is not realistic. It is not attainable.


2. Seeking balance causes stress.

Think of a tight rope walker at a circus. They are balanced as they carefully walk the rope. One step at a time, carefully placing one foot in front of the other. There is a reason they always look nervous and tense – one little slip-up, their balance is ruined, and they fall. Who wants to live their life like that? In order to achieve and stay in balance, you are always walking a tight rope.

One thing goes wrong, one unexpected event occurs, and your state of balance crashes. Those who focus on achieving balance live in a constant state of stress, worrying that something will go wrong to upset that balance. Balance promises less stress in your life, but by its’ nature, balance is stressful.



3. Your ministry will suffer.

You know that there are times when you will have to give more to your work, and you will feel unbalanced. If you are trying to attain balance, there will always be a low-grade tension aimed at your ministry for keeping your life out of balance. This tension will eventually turn into resentment. You will blame your ministry for your unbalanced life. Live like this for a while, and you will flame out. If balance is your goal, you won’t be leading your ministry from a strong foundation.



4. Your family will suffer.

Balance naturally pits one thing versus another. If you are walking a tight rope, it is the weight on your right side versus the weight on your left side. Trying to balance your weight and diet? It is calories in versus calories out. If you are a ministry leader trying to achieve balance it is often ministry versus family. Balance sets up an either/or scenario.

Either things are perfectly in balance, or you are favoring one at the expense of the other.

Either your family wins, or your ministry wins.

There are almost always more family and work demands than we have the energy for, so in reality, neither wins! Don’t intentionally pit your work against your family for the sake of balance. Neither will win. You will lose.

Balance is an awful goal. It is a worse strategy for ministry leaders because it ends up causing the problems it intends to solve.

Balance is not the solution.  RHYTHM is.  I’ll write about that another time.

 

Bryan Blackford works with ministry leaders to help their ministries grow. He walks with ministries through a planning process and resources ministry leaders, so they are equipped to lead well. Bryan serves as an Executive Director at a large church, so he gets ministry and the everyday struggles of ministry leaders. Check out his resources at blackfordsolutions.org

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

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10 Characteristics Of An Amazing Leadership Team

10 Characteristics Of An Amazing Leadership Team

10 Characteristics Of An Amazing Leadership Team

Last night I walked out of the room shaking my head.

God, I don’t know how you pulled this off, but this team is simply amazing.

Unified. Visionary. Encouraging. Fun. Passionate. Gifted. Transparent. Gracious. These are just a few of the words I’d use to describe the people who faithfully serve on CCV’s Leadership Team.

Your church may use a different name – Leadership Council, Governing Board, etc. – we simply use the phrase “Leadership Team” to describe the group of people called to serve the function of what the Bible calls “Elders.”

Whatever you call them, my prayer is your group is as gifted and passionate as the volunteer servant leaders I have the privilege of serving alongside. I tell Senior Pastors that I coach that every church ought to know the joy of being led well.

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Since these kinds of things rarely happen by accident, I’d like to share with you 10 reasons why I think this team is such a special group.

  1. I’m not the smartest person in the room.
  2. I’m not the best leader in the room.
  3. I’m not the most committed Christian in the room.
  4. I’m not the oldest person in the room.
  5. Everyone knows how to humbly submit to each other.
  6. Nobody is afraid to speak the truth, in love.
  7. When they ask me to jump, I might stop to ask, “How high?”
  8. We have each other’s backs.
  9. We hold our tongues in meetings and only speak to something when we are 100% sure we have something of value to add. I speak fewer words in those meetings than anyone in the room.
  10. We tremble at the realization that God is actually leading His local church here in Philly through us, and therefore, are sober-minded in our task.

I’m sure the same thing could be said about your Leadership Team. If not, how these leaders act and serve would be good things to emulate.

What are other qualities you’d add to the list to make an amazing Leadership Team?

Written by Brian Jones, Senior Pastor at Christ Church of the Valley.  – to find out more about Brain, click here!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

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12 Interview Tips for Youth Pastors

This is it! You’ve been working with a youth-ministry goal in mind, and you’re about ready to go in for your first interview—but how do you prepare?!

Don’t freak out. We’ve got you covered with 12 tips that will help you nail that interview.

1. Do your research

The church is not just looking for a rock star youth pastor. They’re looking for someone that can be an asset to their team. Their main concerns are finding a candidate who will fit with their culture and fulfill their mission and vision.

If you’re able to convince them that you’re that person, the job’s yours. Adversely, if you go in knowing nothing about them and simply talk about yourself, you’re likely going to miss out on this opportunity.

So make sure you:

  1. Scour the church website paying particular attention to their goals and mission.
  2. If possible, visit the church on a Sunday morning.
  3. Read up on the senior leadership. Check out their social media feeds.
  4. Discover what you can about the church’s history.
  5. Read this list of interview questions for youth pastor candidates, and prepare for each one.

2. Don’t overdo spiritual talk

While you definitely want to confirm your calling and show that you have a legitimate relationship with Christ, you don’t want to come in with your spiritual guns blazing.

They’re trying to get to know you, and stacking the conversation with too much spiritually charged language actually makes their job harder. It might feel like it helps you, but your interviewer will feel like they didn’t get to know you—and you might even come across as flaky.

3. Get your testimony under 2 minutes

It’s likely that the interviewer will want to hear how you came to know Jesus, so be prepared. If you’re not prepared, you’re probably going to ramble. You don’t want to do that. Practice your testimony until it’s a tight two minutes.

4. Turn your ringer off

Having your phone ring or alert you to notifications during an interview probably won’t ruin everything, but it’s definitely not going help. Nothing’s more awkward than that moment when you have to apologize and sheepishly remove your phone from your pocket in order to mute it.

It’s best to do it ahead of time.

5. Communicate your understanding of youth issues

You know that youth work isn’t all about pizza parties and shut ins. It’s about helping kids negotiate their way through the cultural minefield. Be prepared to communicate the major issues facing teens today.

The key here is not to simply focus on the obvious national issues that anyone could come up with off the top of their head, but to be able to also articulate local needs and concerns.

6. Have a plan to grow the youth group

Remember, you’re not simply selling your experiences and successes. You’re working to convince your interviewer that you’re the best candidate for the job. By coming in prepared with a plan to grow their youth group, you’re:

  • Communicating your preparedness and attention to detail
  • Addressing a specific concern for the church
  • Demonstrating that you understand how to grow your group

7. Be honest about your goals

There’s a strong pull to share the things you think your interviewer wants to hear. That means that you might be tempted to hedge on certain questions. For instance, if they ask you what your five-year goals are, you might be worried about telling them that you plan to be pastoring your own church by then.

It’s in everybody’s best interest to be honest. If you’re thinking about taking a youth working job as a stop-gap measure, the church deserves to factor that into their decision. And your honesty might even open up job opportunities in this church that you weren’t aware of.

8. Demonstrate that you understand the big picture

I know that you’re interviewing for a youth worker position, but you can’t allow yourself to be that myopic. The church is a community and by ministering to individuals, you serve the church. Be able to show that you can see the bigger picture.

You may be working closely with the youth, but you’re actually ministering to families—and, ultimately, the church. Your ministry isn’t happening in a vacuum, and they’re going to breathe a sigh of relief when they discover that you get it.

9. Be prepared to share your successes

This one can be really difficult. If this is your first interview for a youth position, you might not feel like you have enough wins to really sell yourself. Prepare by thinking about all of your accomplishments and academic, church, or work acknowledgements.

Try and come up with five successes that you can share, and make sure that you can communicate how they apply to this position or demonstrate that you’re the right candidate for the job. Make sure to prioritize those those accomplishments from most important to least. If the conversation veers away from this topic, you don’t want to have started with your weakest material.

10. Have a list of influencers

You can almost count on being asked about theologians, authors, and bloggers that have influenced you. If you’re not prepared for this question, your brain will go into panic mode and just give you white noise. Then, no matter how well read you are, you’ll end up giving the most obvious names.

Think through this question so that you can answer well. You don’t want to simply pull from the first A-list Christian celebrities that come to mind. They want to know that you’re thoughtful, and pulling out obvious choices is going to convince them otherwise.

11. Be able to articulate your call to ministry

Ministry isn’t just a job—it’s a calling. Be prepared to cogently (and briefly) explain when and how you knew that God had called you into ministry, and who helped to confirm that calling.

12. When asked about your weaknesses, be honest

If I ask a candidate what their weaknesses are, I’m not looking for a reason to disqualify them. I want to know how honest they are and, more importantly, how introspective and self-aware. It’s a huge strike against them when they give me answers like:

  • I love too much
  • I work too hard
  • I’m too focused on my spiritual life

Be honest about your struggles. If it helps, be able to communicate the strengths that those weaknesses represent—and the steps you take to mitigate those problems.

Nailing an interview is a skill

When you’re prepared, you feel confident. When you feel confident, you help create an environment where everyone is comfortable and affable. Remember the most important element of any interview is the prep that goes into it. If you’re adequately prepared, the interview should be a breeze.

Good luck!

Written by Jayson Bradley – to find out more about Jayson and read more of his writings, check out his blog!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!