FREE BACHELOR DEGREE COURSE NOTES ON CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ORG. AND MANAGEMENT
UNITED CHRISTIAN BIBLE UNIVERSITY
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE COURSE IN
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 010
SPECIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS COURSE
This Course Is In 6 Parts, This Is Volume 010, Volume 020-060 Is For Those Who Want To Further Their Education on the Subjects to Obtain Bachelor Degree in Christian Ministry Organization and Management
ABOUT THE COURSE
The purpose of management in Christian organizations is to create a fertile climate for spiritual service—a sense of shared mission, wise stewardship of resources, and mutual supportiveness.
2. The purpose of a Christian ministry is not excellent management per se. Management is merely a means to the end of serving God.
3. Ministry team members are valued not only for their performance contributions to the ministry, but also because they are members of God’s family.
4. The ministry team is to be a "family" of people who care about and for one another.
5. Management of Christian organizations is to be people-centered and participative.
6. Ministry management places a high value on cooperation and teamwork.
7. Team members are motivated by a shared sense of vision and mission, which is more important to them than personal gain. Goals are pursued selflessly and sacrificially.
8. How Christians work with one another is just as important as what they are striving to accomplish.
9. A key aim of ministry management is to help team members become more Christ like.
10. Management in Christian organizations is ultimately a partnership with God, built on prayer, faith, and obedience.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
In the following domains, Graduates of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry Organization and Management will be able to:
Discipline Knowledge and Understanding:
1. Demonstrate functional knowledge of ‘Ministry’ as an academic discipline with particular attention to at least two fields of ‘Ministry and Practice’, including the spiritual and ethical implications
2. Examine the biblical and theological foundations of Ministry
3. Discuss the functional theological, spiritual and ethical implications of Ministry
knowledge and understanding Inquiry and Analysis:
4. Collect, analyse, evaluate and synthesize a wide range of recognized biblical, theological and social scientific scholarship in inquiry based learning
Problem Solving and Integration:
5. Construct evidence-based perspectives on Ministry issues by using recognized source materials and scholarly literature, evaluating alternate explanations and drawing reasoned conclusions.
Communication:
6. Present functional Ministry ideas, knowledge and principles to, and engage with, specialist and non-specialist audiences using a variety of formats.
Teamwork and Professional Practice:
7. As leader and in groups, apply the functional principles and methods of Ministry in formal ministry contexts and the wider community.
Engagement with the World:
8. Engage with the functional challenges of contemporary Christianity, society and the wider world.
Continuous Learning and Professional Development:
9. Demonstrate a capacity for independent reflection and learning to sustain personal and professional development in Christian ministry
OCCUPATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF GRADUATES:
(i) Teacher or ordained minister in a congregation with responsibility for preaching, teaching, and preparing people for church membership,
(ii) Pastor with responsibility for providing leadership in various ministry contexts,
(iii) Leader able to take part in wider debates in the church, the denomination, or society with respect to interpreting and mediating the Christian tradition in the modern world,
(iv) Teacher of diploma level units of the graduate’s specialization in a theological or Bible
college.
IMPORTANT NOTE: (QUESTIONS ATTACHED)
SPECIAL INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION:
NOTE THIS IS A GENERAL COURSE RESOURCES FOR BACHELOR STUDENTS; IT’S AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE, ONLY STUDENTS WHO REQUIRED DEGREE CERTIFICATES SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS:
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INSTRUCTIONS 2 FOR THE STUDENTS:
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D. SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS ON MONDAY MARCH 4TH 2024,AND PAY YOUR DONATION SAME DAY
QUESTIONS
INSTRUCTIONS ON ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS PART A .
ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS (10.MARKS ONLY) A.GIVE ANSWERS TO TEN QUESTIONS OUT OF THE THIRTEEN QUESTIONS IN PART A.
PART A
1. What are the 3 principles of developing leaders found in Numbers 27:18-20?
2. What is the difference between teaching and discipling?
3. What is the first principle of information management?
4. Why should a church have an information management plan?
5. Why should a leader use his influence before his authority?
6. According to the Bible, what 2 things should a leader use his authority to do?
7. Describe the difference between a mission statement and a vision.
8. Why is it important to involve others in the development of a vision?
9. Why does a leader need both a vision and a plan?
10. What are the 3 principles of developing people within your ministry?
11. What are some ways that you could maintain your focus on accomplishment?
12. What does it mean for a leader to be mission-minded?
13. What question does activity planning answer in terms of a strategic plan?
AND FOUR QUESTIONS IN PART B. PART B
1. 1. What Is Management, Is There Any Difference between Management and Administration
2. 2. What Are the Necessary Tools to Have an Organize Christian Ministry?
3. 3.Why Do We Need To Study Management Principles in Christian Ministry. ?
4. 4. Ministry Success Rises and falls on what.?
5. 5.What Advantage Does Information (Knowledge) Give To The Leader?
6. Christian Leadership and Management Is A Subjects to Be Consider By A President, his Associate Or Subordinate In Ministry
B.INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAMES, ADDRESS, EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBERS ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET
C.SEND YOUR ANSWERS IN PDF FORMAT OR MICROSTOFT WORDS
D. SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS ON MONDAY MARCH 4TH 2024,AND PAY YOUR DONATION SAME DAY
COURSE CONTENTS VOLUME 010
1. Ministry Leadership
2. Being a Biblical Leader
3. Leadership Styles
4. Developing Leaders
5. Spiritual Gifts
6. Managing People
7. Managing Conflict
8. Making Disciples
9. Strategic Planning
10. Managing Money
11. Managing Time
12. Managing Information
Chapter 1
Ministry Leadership
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve, not lording it overthose entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receivethe crown of glory that will never fade away.”
1 Peter 5:2-4
Strong leadership skills are important for every church leader. Without them, many church leaders find it extremely difficult to move ministries forward and engage people in the mission and vision of the church. As this Scripture above points out, there are 3 principles of leadership in the church. First, the leader must be willing to lead. Second, the leader must be eager to serve. Third, the leader must be an example to his followers.In other words, the Bible tells us that leadership is about attitude and servant hood. This is where leadership starts in the church.
When pastors and church leaders are asked what a leader must have to be a leader, the typical responses are traitslike integrity, honesty, trust, wisdom, charisma, and other such attributes. But there is only one answer to this question. To be a leader, a person must
have… Followers! Obviously, if no one follows you, you are not a leader.The best way to tell if you are a leader, then, is to simply look behind you. If there is no one there, then you are not truly a leader.
But what are the skills that a leader must have to be effective? Leadership can be simply defined as those skills that enable an individual to motivate others to achieve a desired goal or outcome. So first of all, a leader must have a goal. He must know where he is leading his followers. Then he must be able to lead and motivate his followers to reach that goal. Next he has to have a plan on how together they can achieve the goal. The leader must also develop people to help him carry out the plan to achieve the goal. And finally, the leader must keep hisfocus on the goal so he is not distracted or loses sight of where they are all going. Leadership skills, therefore, areabout the use of influence, having a vision, having a plan, developing people, and focusing on accomplishing the goal. These are the 5 keys to effective leadership that we will discuss in this chapter.
5 Keysto Effective Ministry Leadership
As stated above, there are 5 keys to effective leadership. They are the use of influence, having a vision, havinga plan, developing people, and focusing on results. These are the things that effective leaders do to move their ministries forward. Let’s take a look at each one in turn.
1. Leaders Use Influence, Not Authority
“The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep byname and leads them out. When he has brought outall his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”
John 10:2-4
Leaders must understand that there is a difference between leadership and authority. They are not the same thing. Knowing if or when to use each one is critical to the success of a leader. Let’s take a look at the difference.
Leadership is about influence. John Maxwell in his book, the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (Thomas NelsonPublishers, 1998), says that “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Leadership is not a position and it is not a title. Leadership is about the ability to influence others to follow you where you are leading them. Just because your title says you are a leader does not mean that you truly are one. Leadership is measured by influence. It is your ability to motivate others to action. It is your ability to get others to willingly follow your decisions. And how exactly do you do that? You earn influence by building up trust and respect. Influence mustbe earned. It is never awarded or granted.
The power of influence over people is well documented. There is one story of a 26 mile marathon race in Malaysia where a group of runners all began the race together but at the half way point in the race no runners could be found. So the race officials sent someone to locate them and find out where they were. That person found them off course by several miles. When the runners were asked how they got off course, they told them that they were all following the leader of the race at a point in time when the leader made a wrong turn. So theyall followed him off course! That’s the power of influence!
Authority is about power. According to the dictionary, authority is “the power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.” Notice the words power and command. Authority is the ability to enforce yourdecisions by use of your power or control. A leader gets their authority by virtue of their position or title, and hence their power is given to them by another, whether an individual, an organization, or a group of people (viaelection). It is usually earned from something they did in the past, or that qualified them, for their position. It could be experience, education, or previous job performance. In any event, it is usually earned in some way (themajor exception is when a leader assumes power by illegal means or through a political takeover.)
What does the Bible say about authority? The Bible says that all authority is given by God. In Romans 13:1, it says “there is no authority except that which God has established.” In other words, God is the one responsible for calling us into positions of authority. Even bad leaders got their authority from God. We may not always understand it, but it is the truth. Understanding that our authority comes from God has implications. God givesus two expectations on how we are to use the authority that He alone gives us.
He first says that we are to use our authority to teach. Titus 2:1 & 15 says, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Encourage and rebuke with all authority.” So first and foremost we should use the authority that God has granted us to teach and train others. It is about passing along our knowledge to those who will follow us. Jesus understood this so well as he spent 3 years teaching his disciples about the
Scriptures,the Kingdom of God, and what following Him meant. He was preparing them to carry on after He was gone. That’s what leaders do. They teach others what they have been taught, and what they have learned, so that thenext leader can continue the ministry effectively.
Second, the Bible says that we are to use our authority to serve. 1 Peter 5:2 says, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve.” So the leader is not supposed to order his followersaround, but rather he is to serve them so they can grow and mature and bear much fruit. This is exactly the opposite of what the world teaches. The world tells us that as the leader we are in control, that we have to make all the decisions, and that our followers are there to serve us, follow our directions, and meet our needs. But Jesus showed us that the correct approach – the way that God wants us to lead - is to serve those who follow us. For in serving them, they will grow and ultimately their growth will fuel the growth of our ministry. As Jesus himself said in Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
One final question. Which is better to use – your influence or your authority? It is always better to lead with your influence than your authority. When you use your influence, people want to follow you. They come alonggladly because they trust you and respect you and know that you have their interest at heart. When you use authority, however, people have to follow you, whether they agree with you or not. This has two implications.
First, you will often lose people from your ministry. If you abuse or misuse your authority your followers willchoose to leave your ministry if they can, leaving you with fewer followers to carry out the ministry. Secondly, you will create opposition. Often when this happens your followers will work at odds with you and try to thwart your efforts. This is particularly dangerous as it can split or divide your followers and cause conflict that paralyzes the ministry. Using your influence to lead people will always be better that using your authority.
But also know that there are times when you will have to use your authority. These are situations that you knowthat God wants you to go in a particular direction but your followers are hesitant. And if they will not respond to your influence you may have to use your authority to take them where God is leading you. Remember that Moses had to deal with his grumbling flock over and over again when they resisted his leadership (Exodus 16 & 17). Just know that when you use your authority, you will likely lose some people and some may stay and continue grumbling against you. So make sure you are following God’s direction and not your own.
Reflection
Take a moment and think about your current position. How might you begin to use your influence more than your authority to achieve your goals? Which of those you listed can youstart doing right away?
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.”
Proverbs 29:18
There are 3 types of sight. There is hind sight (looking behind), insight (looking around), and foresight (looking ahead). Vision is about foresight, looking ahead and seeing the possibilities of what could be or where God maybe leading you. A vision can be defined as a statement about the future, an imagining of something specific
that does not exist today. An effective leader sees this future because God has shown it to him (a “revelation”), and he knows that this is what God wants him to do or where God wants him to go. Without a vision a church or ministry has no direction, and the people “cast off restraint”, which means to simply go their own way or do what they think is best. Without a vision a ministry is like a ship without a rudder in the vast ocean of ministry possibilities. It will keep going around in circles and won’t get anywhere. A vision provides focus for the ministry and will enable the leader to keep his followers moving in one direction towards their ultimate goal. Avision also clarifies the purpose and goals of the ministry, making it clear to everyone involved exactly what the ministry is about or trying to accomplish.
A vision also quantifies the goal and objectives of the ministry. It defines what its ultimate objective is and what specifically it is trying to accomplish. It can also indicate what it wants to be or where it wants to go. The vision has to be measurable in some way. Because if you cannot measure it then how will you ever know if you’ve reached your goal?
Someone once said, “if you don’t know where you are going, then any road will take you there.” Many ministries falter or stagnate because they do not have a vision of where they are going. An effectiveleader is someone that has received a vision from the Lord and understands where God wants him to lead his followers. An effective leader is also able to
articulate that vision in such a way that everyone understands it andwants to participate in it.
Examples of Visions
*To
build a new church facility
in 12 months
*To start 10 home Bible study groups
*To
establish a Christian
school in the community
*To reach 10,000 people with the gospel
A vision also enables a church to achieve God’s purpose for them. A God given vision is not usually something we can achieve easily on our own. It says in John 15:5 that “Apart from God we can do nothing.” God wants to be involved in our ministries and churches. He wants to guide us as leaders to accomplish what He has purposedfor us. A leader can only do that if he or she is connected to the One who gives us the vision! And so, for a ministry or church, it’s imperative to seek God’s leadership first before we can lead others. And God usually has a bigger vision and purpose for us than we can ever see. Matthew 19:26 says, “With man this is impossible, butwith God, all things are possible.” God wants to work His miracles and show His power through us. But we haveto be willing to let Him. Trying to lead on our own, or cast our own vision, will not work. An effective leader knows to look to the Lord for His vision and to continually enlist His help in achieving it!
Finally, a Vision for the church mobilizes and energizes it. When members share the vision they are more likelyto get involved and want to be part of the great adventure. A vision gives members something to work towards. It gives them a mission and a focal point in their ministry for the Lord. It also helps people feel a part of some-thing big and important, and gives them a sense of being a part of the church, not just a member of it.
One final point that needs to be made is very important. A vision is not a mission statement. A mission statement describes what you do, not where you are going. In other words, the mission is what your calling is or what you do. The vision is what you are trying to accomplish for the Lord. The mission statement is descriptive.The vision is measurable. To say that you are called to train pastors and church leaders is a mission statement.
To say that you feel led by God to train 1,000 leaders in 5 years is a vision!
Here are some simple steps you can use to develop a vision for your ministry or church:
How to Develop a Vision
1. Pray for God’s leading & revelation
Ask how God can use you in your
community or the worldAsk what God would
have you do for Him
2. Think BIG
Do not limit yourself by what you haveAllow God to provide
what you need
3. Involve other leaders in its development
4.
Write the vision down and consider
alternatives or options
Take time to think about them and pray
about
themAsk others for input on them
5. Pray and select the vision you feel God is calling you to
6. Communicate the Vision
To build awareness and involvement
To
provide focus and direction for your followers
Take a moment and pray to the Lord right now about His vision for you. Ask Him for revelation and clarity about your role in His global work. Write down what you hear the Lordspeaking to you about.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
Proverbs 16:3
It is not enough to simply have a vision of where you are going. A leader must also have a plan on how to get there. And there is no need for a plan without a vision or goal to achieve. An effective leader knows that in order to achieve the vision that God has given to him he must also organize the resources that God has providedto him in a way that gives him the best opportunity to reach that goal. This is what we call strategic planning, and will be addressed in more detail in chapter 9 of this manual.
A leader must be strategic and plan on how to achieve the vision. Without a good plan he knows he will likely not achieve the vision that God has placed before him. The vision provides the goal a leader is trying to reachand the plan provides the means and strategy on how to get there. The plan helps him organize resources and activities towards achieving the vision. Another way of saying this is that a leader manages God’s resources forGod’s vision. God gives leaders resources such as people, money and things to use and He expects leaders to use His resources wisely. God also expects a return on his investment (Matthew 25:14-30 – the parable of thetalents). So it is very important for a leader to develop a good plan so he can use the resources that God has given him wisely and effectively to achieve God’s purpose.
Part of a leader’s job, then, is to plan the work and work the plan. Some plans will be long and detailed, while other plans may only need to be short and summarized. But in either case, a leader must continually update the plan according to current conditions. A plan is not meant to be cast in concrete. The world is constantly changing all around us. Nothing really ever stays the same. A strategic plan is meant to adjust to current trendsand changes in the environment in which it was made, so that as the situation changes the plan can be modifiedto take those changes into account. Failure to do so will result in completing plans that are no longer viable or workable, or fail to achieve their objective.
So a good plan is flexible and changeable to allow for changes in the environment (economic, demographic, political, etc.).
There are two more points that are worthy of mentioning. First, a good plan helps the leader make better decisions. When a leader has a plan and something changes or a new opportunity arises, he can more easily assess the impact of the change based upon the existing plan. He can then determine the impact of potentialreallocation of resources on the existing plan and other priorities. Second, a good plan avoids wasting God’s resources. Having a plan gives the leader the ability to put God’s resources to the best and most effective use possible at any given point in time. Without a plan, the potential exists to waste these valuable resources on activities that do not produce meaningful results or move the ministry towards its vision.
What are some of the ways you could achieve the vision that God has given to you for your ministry? What resources do you think you will need? Where can you obtain thoseresources? Make a list and begin to outline a plan.
“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gavethem power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preachthe
kingdom of God and to heal the sick..”
Luke 9:1-2
The greatest resource that a leader has is his followers, or in other words, people. A leader cannot always do all the ministry work himself and will need others to come alongside of him and share the burden of leadership. Jesus knew this and is the reason he spent so much time with his disciples, teaching and training them for the work they would do in building the early church after he ascended to Heaven. A similar thing happened to Moses in the Old Testament. The burden of responsibility for feeding meat to all the Israelites was too great for him and he called out to the Lord for help. The Lord told him to choose 70 elders and that He would come downand put His Spirit on them so that “they will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have
to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:17). God does not expect leaders to carry all of the burden
themselves and oftensends them other people to serve as leaders underneath them to help shoulder the workload.
So the Lord provides leaders with people to help them achieve the goals that God has given to them. Here aresome principles to keep in mind when you develop people within your ministry:
1. Leaders make disciples first and foremost (Matthew 28:19-20). The role of every leader is to focus on discipleship of their followers. Leaders should teach and preach the Word in all they do. It is not just about assigning tasks or responsibilities. But it is also imparting the Word to them through that development. Theyshould also teach them to obey the Word as well so that in everything that is done in the ministry, Christ is glorified and its leaders are examples to others.
2. Leaders train and equip others for ministry. One of the key roles of a leader is to develop others to serve inministry. A leader’s job is not just to oversee the operation of the ministry, but to involve everyone in its work. To do that requires that the leader knows and uses everyone’s spiritual gifts. An effective leader encourages ministry participation by others and tries to involve them in ministries that can best utilize their giftedness. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” A good leader engages his followers in the work of the ministry.
3. Leaders recruit and develop other leaders. It takes a leader to raise up other leaders. It is important for leaders to develop the next generation of leaders in order to grow and perpetuate their ministries. They can also raise up leaders for other ministries as well. Just as Moses laid hands on Joshua (Numbers 27:18-20), you too willneed to identify other leaders who are full of the Spirit and commission them for ministry. The more leaders there are, the greater the chance for success there will be! A leader should always spend most of his time with other leaders.
Think about your ministry for a moment and write down the names of those people youthink need more discipleship? Who might be ready to get involved in a ministry? Who might be a potential leader in your ministry?
“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Proverbs 16:3
In order to reach the goal that God has designed or purposed for a leader it is important for that leader to keep his focus on that goal. Too often leaders can become distracted or drawn away from what God would have them accomplish for Him. There are many reasons for this, but principle among them is that Satan is active in blocking and preventing leaders from doing the work of God. When Peter says that the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,” (1 Peter 5:8), he is referring to leaders primarily. BecauseSatan knows that if he can bring down the leader he can bring down the whole ministry. He does not waste histime with inactive believers or mid- level disciples. He goes after the ones who are actually following Christ andtrying to make a difference for God by being Salt & Light in the world.
So, first of all a leader has to maintain his focus on achieving the goals and producing the results that God desires. A leader knows that Satan wants to distract him and so he always keeps the vision in mind and keeps pressing forward. To do that, a leader measures success by the results that are produced. A leader knows that God is the one who produces the fruit (1 Corinthians 3:7), but it is through the leader and his followers that thefruit is produced. And a leader cannot be effective for God if he is drawn away, distracted, or loses his focus on the ultimate goal.
Secondly, leaders focus on areas of greatest return for their investment of the resources that God has given to them to use. A leader channels resources into areas of greatest success, because that is obviously the place whereGod is at work in the ministry. And a leader abandons non-fruitful ministries for the same reason – that God may not be at work in those areas. Again, effective leaders are ones that continue to see where God is at work and then working with Him to accomplish what God has called them to do. Spending time in unproductive areas of ministry generally do not move a ministry towards its goal and do not help it achieve its vision.
Thirdly, leaders understand that activity is not accomplishment. Churches and ministries can often be very busy and have lots of ministry activities happening. But just being busy does not mean that any fruit is being produced. Leaders make sure that they are achieving results and accomplishing something for God. A leader measures ministries by their effectiveness and accomplishments, not busyness. And a leader evaluates activities for their impact on the vision and whether or not they are helping them move forward or not. An effective leader is constantly looking at the results of ministry, at what is working and what is not, and how to create or eliminate activities that will result in true accomplishment for the Lord.
There is a great Scripture story that illustrates this point of focusing on accomplishment and not activity. It is thestory of Mary & Martha in Luke 10:38-42. You see Martha was “busy” in the kitchen and wanted her sister Maryto help her. But Mary was “focusing” on Jesus and just being with Him. When Martha asked the Lord to have Mary come and help her, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10: 41-42) Martha was concerned about “activity” but Mary was concerned about “accomplishment.”
And Jesus confirmed that Mary had chosen the better thing. An effective leader also chooses the better thing,which is to focus on accomplishment and not just activity.
Becoming a More Effective Leader
The process of becoming a more effective leader is in practicing and developing these 5 keyskills. There is no simple formula or list of activities that will ensure your success. But it is in reality the day to day practicing of these skills and in asking the Lord to guide and help you as you lead. Someone once said that practice makes perfect. But in actuality it is that practice makes permanent. The reason that athletes practice before they play a game is to develop their skills so that they become habits that will help them compete at their highest level. The same is true for leaders. Using these 5 key skills daily will help leaders develop these skills so that they too become habits that lead to successful and effective ministry.
What activities in your ministry are moving you towards your vision? What activities are not helping you achieve your vision or producing any results? What changes can you implementto provide more focus on what you need to accomplish for God?
Instructions: Take a moment and write down a mission statement and a vision statement. Remember that a mission statement is what you do - it is your calling. A vision statement is what God is specifically asking you todo for him.
1. Write a Mission Statement (What is God calling you to do for Him?)
 |
2. Write a Vision Statement* (WhatspecificministrygoalisGodaskingyoutoaccomplishfor Him?)
 |
*The Vision Statement should be measurable.
Chapter 2
“I am the vine, you are the
branches. If a man remainsin
me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart
fromme you can do nothing. If anyone
does not remain
in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into thefire and burned. If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will begiven you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:5-8
When leading others, following Biblical principles is perhaps the most important thing a leader should aspire to,because that’s what Jesus came to teach us. Although it doesn’t always appear to make sense to us, if we follow God’s ways instead of our ways, we will have a more effective ministry. As the Scripture above teaches us, “apart from God we can do
nothing.” When we rely on our own intuition, talent, or experience, we often end up in places that not only cause us problems or harm, but likely dishonor God as well. We may possess tremendous leadership ability, but if it is not based on the Word of God, then we are likely leading our followers in the wrongdirection. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness”. That means we can rely on the truth of the Bible to teach us what God wants us to know. Jesus came and showed us how to apply that Word in our lives and in ourrelationships with others. He then left us the Holy Spirit to guide us where God wants us to go. In this chapter we will first look at 10 Biblical attributes of effective leaders and then the challenges that leaders face in the present age.
As a ministry or church leader and a disciple of Jesus Christ, what does the Bible say is the main goal of every leader? Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT to grow attendance and involvement. Rather, it is to see Christ formed in others! This is according to the Apostle Paul when he says in Galatians 4:19, “My dear children, for whom I am in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” It is clear from Scripture that everyChristian leader should be focused on making disciples – seeing Christ formed in others as Paul
says. This is true whether one is a Pastor, Elder, Worship Leader, Small Group Leader, Sunday School teacher, or any other leadership position in a Christian ministry or church. And a Christian leader differs from a non-Christian leader in that he or she knows that they can do nothing apart from God as stated above.
A Christian leader, therefore, is someone who stays connected to God by reading and applying His Word, who relies on the Holy Spirit working in and through them, and leads others into a deeper walk with Jesus. The Biblealso provides us with examples of leaders who demonstrated effective leadership skills. A review of Scripture reveals that there are 10 attributes that an effective leader exhibits. We will discuss each of these next and give a Biblical example of someone who demonstrated each attribute.
10 Attributes of an Effective Leader
1. An effective leader must be a Visionary.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Proverbs 29:18
As a Biblical leader you need to have a vision of where you are going. A leader must look to God for the vision or goal He wants him to achieve. God has a purpose and plan for everyone, especially leaders. The leader muststrive to understand what God wants him to do and where he wants him to lead their followers. Without a vi- sion or a goal to work towards, the leader is not going to achieve anything significant for the Kingdom. Instead, his followers can go their own way or towards their own desires and will not support the leader in what God iscalling him to do. Once the leader knows where God is asking him to take his followers, he can more clearly establish plans and activities that will enable them all to work together to achieve that vision.
A leader must also express the vision in a way that others can share in it and believe in it. It is not enough to justhave a vision. A leader must be able to communicate and articulate that vision in a way that inspires and encourage others to come along with him.
A great Biblical example of a visionary leader was Moses. God gave Moses a vision in a burning bush (Exodus 3) and told him he was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. And while his followers often grumbled and complained, Moses always turned to God for help and he would lead them through thewilderness and to the Land God had promised them. Moses never strayed from the vision and frequently com-
municated it to the Israelites (reminded them) as they followed him.
2. An effective leader must be Mission-minded.
“Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but theworkers
are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest
field.”
Matthew 9:37-38
An effective leader must remain concerned with reaching non-believers. No matter what ministry one is leading, it is imperative that the leader continues to reach out to those who need to know Jesus and receive Hisfree gift of grace. A leader can do this by drawing others into their ministry as they go along, or by picking up people along the way. An effective leader looks for ways to invite non-believers to participate in their ministryand to experience the love of Christ and His grace through their interaction with other Believers. A mission minded leader not only cares for his own flock, but he also looks for other lost sheep who need a shepherd.
A Biblical example of a mission minded leader was the Apostle Paul. He made many missionary journeys and was always teaching and reaching out to others to tell them about Jesus. He never shrunk from his responsibilityto share the gospel while he traveled and ministered to the various churches he visited or planted. Even when
he was in prison, he ministered to the guards and testified about His Lord. Paul once said in Philippians 3:8, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, forwhose sake I have lost all things.” May we all be as mission minded as Paul!
3. An effective leader must be Passionate.
“Now finish the work, so
that your eager willingnessto do it may be matched
by your completion of it, according to your means.”
2 Corinthians 8:11
As a leader you must care deeply about your ministry. You must want to see it produce fruit for the Kingdom.
If you do not care much about your ministry, why should anyone else care about it? Your
passion for your ministry is also contagious. Others who see your passion for the work of the Lord will be inspired to do likewise.Another word for passion is commitment. You must be committed to succeeding. Often in ministry there are many obstacles and barriers to success, usually put there by Satan. He wants to sabotage your work and get you discouraged. And when these times occur, the only thing that will get you through them, besides the Lord, is your passion. When everyone else deserts you, it’s your passion that will keep you going. And God says that Hewill never leave you nor forsake you, and He will give you the strength to endure and succeed.
A wonderful Biblical example of passion is Stephen. He was committed to the cause (Acts 7) and was passionateabout the gospel, even to the point of his death. He was bold and the Bible says “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:5). He delivered an impassioned speech to the Sanhedrin, recalling the work of God and the prophets. He spoke the truth, and it cost him his life. He is credited with being the first Christian martyr. May we all have such passion for the truth in our ministries!
4. An effective leader must be Spirit-led.
“But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to theends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
Often times a leader feels as though if ministry is going to happen then it is up to him to make it happen. In other words, when you are a leader you should lead! While that may be partially true, an effective leader knowsthat is it only by the power of the Holy Spirit that he can accomplish anything for the Kingdom. He understandsthat it is “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)! The effectiveleader knows that ministry is a partnership between the leader and God. God gives us our part to do and then He does His part. But we can never work alone or trust in our own power or abilities. It is about continually looking to God for the power to do what He wants the leader to do according to His purpose and plan.
An effective leader also knows that he must seek God first in all he does to make sure he is in the center of His will and purpose for his ministry. It is not simply doing what a leader thinks is best, but rather looking to God first to show them which way they are to go. That will keep the leader from wasting time chasing after man’s goals and keep him focused on
working towards God’s goals. God wants our obedience, and that means we mustfirst know what He wants. And we can only know that if we are connected to God and communicating with Godon a daily basis. An effective leader stays connected to his power source – which is the Holy Spirit!
A Biblical example of someone who stayed connected to God was Daniel. In Daniel chapter 6, King Darius wastricked into issuing a decree that no one was to worship any god other than the king for 30 days, and if they did they were to be thrown into the lion’s den. His servant Daniel would not deny his God or stop praying to Him,even though he knew the risks. And so he was thrown into the lions’ den. But he was not harmed because Godhad protected him for his obedience to Him. And Daniel became a powerful witness to the power of God in allof Babylon!
5. An effective leader must be a Servant.
“Not so with you. Instead,
whoever wants to becomegreat among
you must be your servant, and whoeverwants to be first must be your slave
– just as the Sonof Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and togive his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:26-28
Perhaps the greatest principle of leadership that Jesus came to teach us was to be servant leaders. Our sinful pride always wants to put us first ahead of God and everyone else. But Jesus showed us that God had a differentplan for leaders. While He calls some of us to lead, it is not to demonstrate our abilities but to show His!
Although Jesus was God, and a King, He “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, butmade himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:6-7) As our Lord and Savior “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28), we too must serve and notbe served. This runs contrary to what the world teaches leaders to be. So, a leader is called to serve his followersand not be served by them.
There is a story that takes place 200 years ago about a group of soldiers who are responsible for a cannon. In those days the cannons were placed on wheels so they could be moved from location to location to fire upon theenemy. One day it had rained very heavily and the ground was muddy and the cannon got stuck in the mud.
No matter how hard they pulled or pushed the soldiers could not move the cannon. Their Sergeant was on horseback and was barking orders at them to move it this way or that
way. But he would not get off his horse to help them. Along came a General who asked what was going on. The Sergeant explained that the cannon was stuck in the mud and his soldiers could not move it. The General asked the Sergeant, “Why don’t you get down and help them? Perhaps if you did they could move the cannon.” The Sergeant replied, “That’s not my job! I’m the officer in charge. Besides, I might get my uniform dirty!” At this the General got off his horse and helped thegroup of soldiers move the cannon out of the mud. That General was George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. He understood servant leadership!
Consequently, a servant leader helps his followers grow & succeed. A servant leader knows that his successor failure depends on the success or failure of those he leads, and therefore he spends his time supporting hisfollowers, not dictating to them. Very few people can claim that they achieved their success all on their own.
Almost every successful person in history needed the help of others, such as teachers, mentors, and other leaders, to help them grow, develop and reach the heights they have achieved. It is no different with pastors andchurch leaders. They needed others to help them reach the position they now hold. And God is trying to tell usthat we can achieve more if we help others than if we try to only help ourselves. And we do that by serving thosewhom we lead.
The greatest example of servant leadership in the Bible is most certainly Jesus. He proved his servanthood overand over again, but made a particular point during the last supper when he took a bowl of water and a towel andbegan to wash the disciple’s feet. When Peter tried to rebuke Him, Jesus told him that “unless I wash you, youhave no part with me.” (John 13:8) In order to follow Jesus, we have to wash each other’s feet (figuratively), which means to serve others first. That is how Jesus led, and is how He calls each and every leader to lead. An effective leader follows the example of Jesus.
6. An effective leader must be Focused.
“Brothers, I do not
consider myself yet to have takenhold
of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what
is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God hascalled me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14
A leader often has many responsibilities and duties to carry out in his position. There are many people to care for, many meetings to attend, many ministries to oversee, and many
opportunities for ministry all around. But the effective leader must stay focused on the vision and call of his or her ministry in order to achieve the goals that God has set for him. With so many ministry opportunities and so many activities going on simultaneously,it is easy for a pastor or church leader to become distracted, either by other needs or other people. It is critical for a leader to not be distracted by issues unrelated to his vision and mission. When your vision is clear it is easier to stay focused. But a leader must also recognize when someone or something is trying to divert his attention. The effective leader keeps his vision clear and avoids these distractions.
Often, it is really Satan behind the scenes trying to keep the leader from accomplishing what God wants him to do. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone todevour.” Satan is active and will attack leaders and try to deceive them, knowing that if he can bring down or
distract the leader he can bring down or distract his followers. That’s Satan’s game, and he is very good at it. Sothe effective leader learns how to spot these distractions and does not let Satan lead them astray.
A good Biblical example of focus was Nehemiah, who needed to focus on rebuilding the temple of Jerusalem inthe book of Nehemiah. But he had many enemies who did not want to see the temple rebuilt. So he prepared his people and developed a strategy so that they could stay focused on what God was calling them to do. He hadhalf the men working while the other half stood guard, so that they would not get distracted or taken away from the work of rebuilding the temple. He also discerned when Sanballat sent messengers to deceive him so the workwould stop. But Nehemiah held fast and completed the rebuilding. He stayed focused!
7. An effective leader must be Courageous.
“Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to
him in the presence of all Israel,
Be strong and courageous, for you
must go with his people into the land that the
Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord Himself
goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you orforsake
you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:7-8
It is important for an effective leader to demonstrate courage when they lead. It is the
ability to stick to one’s beliefs when they are under attack, and to lead with conviction. The world is full of leaders who pander to the wishes of their followers, which is not really true leadership at all. That is simply being out front of a large groupthat is pushing them where the group wants to go. An effective leader must be principled and have the courage to lead in the face of opposition or uncertainty. A leader with courage demonstrates that they are willing to stepout in faith, and to rely on God to equip them and give them the strength they need to do what God has called them to do.
A leader is also willing to take risks to achieve greater success. It is often said that with no risk there is no reward. Nothing that is truly important is ever earned easily or achieved without overcoming difficulties and struggles. Jesus said in John 16:33 that “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcomethe world.” He was telling us to have courage and to rely on the strength that He provides through the Holy Spirit! An effective leader knows that God will equip him and support him to do His will. He also knows that God is there to see him through every trial and to overcome them by His power.
The best Biblical example of courage has to be David and his battle with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. At that time, David was just a boy and a simple shepherd. In the eyes of Goliath and the Philistines he must have seemed like a joke. How can this young boy possibly defeat this great and awesome warrior? But David had something Goliath did not have. He had the power of God’s Holy Spirit within Him; and that gave him the courage to face Goliath and to defeat him! And every Godly leader has that same power to be courageous and to stand for Godwhen facing their own giants in this world.
8. An effective leader must be Trusting.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not onyour own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5
A leader trusts in God, who alone is faithful and true. It can be said that faith is a measure of how much you trust God. So an effective leader puts his trust in God and God alone, and relies on Him to do what His Word has promised. As the Scripture from Proverbs above says a leader does not trust in his own understanding, but rather in the Word of God. A leader trusts God when circumstances may indicate otherwise, because he knows that Gods ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55), and that God has a purpose and a plan beyond what we cansee. If a leader relies on his own understanding he is likely to make a mistake as well as miss the bigger picture that God is painting. When a leader puts his trust in God, he knows that God will “work for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
There are many examples of characters from the Bible who trusted God, but there is one who went beyond whatmany of us might be willing to do. That Biblical character was Abraham, who was told by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac, whom he had waited for so long (Genesis 22). But Abraham trusted in God and in His sovereignpower, knowing that God gave him his son and could take him away just as well. He had complete trust in God no matter what the outcome. And that is the essence of real trust – knowing that our lives are not ours to use for our purposes, but rather for God’s purposes. An effective leader trusts in God so that God’s will is done and Godgets the glory.
9. An effective leader must be Prepared.
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season;correct, rebuke,
and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.”
2 Timothy 4:2
An effective leader must be prepared to minister and serve in a variety of situations, especially those thatare unexpected or unanticipated. As a pastor or church leader, the responsibilities also go beyond just
administration and organization. Often pastors and leaders are called upon to minister to people in times of need, whether it is a crisis or other circumstance. A leader must expect the unexpected and be prepared to lead,manage or minister as needed in any given situation. Virtually all successful leaders have had a major crisis that required their leadership, and being prepared for that situation is what allowed them to be successful.
Therefore,preparation takes sacrifice and planning ahead so that when a challenge comes your way, you are prepared to lead your followers through it.
Someone once said that success is 1% inspiration and 99% preparation. In other words, success comes from being prepared. And it is how a leader leads in such circumstances that will determine whether or not they arean effective leader. And the more prepared a leader is, the better the chance for being successful in how they lead. The Bible says that our faith is strengthened in times of difficulty (James 1:2), and so it is with leadership.
Leadership is demonstrated during times of crisis, and so being prepared is a critical element to being an effective and successful leader.
A great Biblical example of a prepared leader was Joseph. Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery and endedup in prison. But God had another purpose and plan for Joseph and
so he eventually was put in charge of all of Egypt by Pharaoh (Genesis 41). God had given him a vision to foresee a famine and he chose to preparefor it by storing up grains and foods for when it came. And when it came, they were able to survive for 7 years because of his preparation. Not only that, they were also able to sell food to other nations who were suffering sothat the nation became wealthy as well. All of this was credited to Joseph because of his preparation.
10. An effective leader must be Opportunistic.
“Let us not become weary in
doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodto all people,
especially to those who belong to
the family of believers.”
Galatians 6:9-10
As was stated above, a leader must be prepared for unforeseen circumstances in order to be an effective leader in a crisis. But an effective leader must also discern when to seize upon opportunities that the Lord presents to them to also move ministries forward.
Successful leaders are those leaders who are able to navigate throughdifficult times as well as take advantage of new opportunities. There is a Latin expression called carpe diem, which means to “seize the day.” It means that we should take advantage of the opportunities God gives us todayand not just plan for the future or stay stuck in the past. In order to do that a leader must be alert for those opportunities. And when they arise, if they are prepared, they can “seize the day” and lead their followers into new ministries or opportunities that can grow their church or ministry. However, without preparation, many leaders are unable to seize upon, and take advantage of, new opportunities that arise.
Growth opportunities can begin from something very small or very large. For example, a leader who identifies an emerging trend can move their church into new areas or practices that others are still waiting to see if they become real or not (worship styles, population shifts, technology tools, etc.). Also, a wise leader can sometimes make a small change that produces substantial growth (change in service time, change in worship format, appoint or change ministry leaders, etc.). Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-17 for the leader to “be very careful howyou live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.” God wants his leaders to be opportunistic and to seize the opportunities that God presents to them so they can follow His will. That
requires both preparation and discernment. Success happens where opportunity meets preparation.
Esther is a great example of a Biblical figure who was opportunistic. She saved her people from destruction as recorded in the book of Esther. She had been chosen Queen of Persia by the King and was in a unique situationto help her people, the Jews, who were being persecuted by Haman, who detested them. She used great courageto speak to the King at the peril of her own death, to save her people. Her uncle, Mordecai, persuaded her to doso as recorded in Esther 4:14 when he said to her, “and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Seizing the opportunity, Esther spoke to the King and saved her people.
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly
life inChrist Jesus will be persecuted.”
2 Timothy 3:12
Leadership does have its challenging aspects, however. As a leader one often has to make difficult choices and decisions. And often there are people who would disagree or have made different choices. But the fact is that there can be only one leader at the very top. If you are that leader, you must be wise, fair and decisive. Thereforea leader must make sure to consider all the options, weigh the potential outcomes and risks, and then choose wisely. A leader must also understand that sometimes no decision is worse than making the wrong decision.
So it is imperative that a leader not hesitate to make the tough decisions when needed. That’s what effectiveleadership is all about.
But a leader must also recognize that not everyone will agree with them all the time. They should expect challenges to their decisions and realize that people do have different perspectives on issues. The effective leader should be able to defend their decisions with reason and not emotion. The effective leader is able to explain theirdecision and back it up with facts, Scripture, and reasoned judgment. They should also be able to communicate it clearly so that it is understood by everyone, whether they agree or not.
Finally, a leader must remember that “it is easy to win battles but lose the war.” This means that a leader should not lose sight of their long-term vision in their attempt to meet short- term goals. It might be better to give up anargument for the greater good or bigger prize.
Therefore, a leader should keep their priorities straight and their
focus on the bigger picture. They should also be flexible and consider other ideas or alternatives, but never abandon their principles. “To do what is right and just is more
acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” (Proverbs 21:3)
Reflection
Which of the 10 attributes do you think are the most important? Which of the 10 attributesare the most difficult for you? What is your greatest leadership challenge?
Instructions: Score yourself on each attribute according to the following scale:
1=Rarely 2=Sometimes 3=Frequently 4=Usually 5=Always
Attribute Score
1. Visionary
2. Mission-minded
3. Passionate
4. Spirit-led
5. Servant
6. Focused
7. Courageous
8. Trusting
9. Prepared
10. Opportunistic
Total
Total Score Meaning
40+ You possess strong leadership skills. God can really use you!
30-39 You have some leadership abilities, but still have room for improvement.
20-29 You have occasionally exhibited leadership, but need to develop in several areas. 10-19 Your leadership skills are weak. Significant training and improvement are needed.0-9 You demonstrate no leadership ability. Either seek training or another vocation.
Chapter 3
“It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some to be
prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare
God’s people for worksof service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up”
Ephesians 4:11-12
God has called each leader to lead according to their own abilities in order to prepare God’s people for works of service and to build up the body of Christ as the Scripture above says. How we each lead, however, is a matter of personal style and comfort. As leaders, we typically lead, manage, and operate in a way that suits our own personality, giftedness and experiences. In some circumstances the way we lead can be very effective while in others they can be ineffective. Understanding our leadership style and the styles of others, therefore, can help usto be more effective in how we apply our leadership abilities in various situations. In this chapter we will look at4 basic leadership styles and how they might be used and applied for maximum effectiveness.
What are leadership styles?
We must first define what is meant by leadership style. Leadership style is the way that a leader acts in responseto a situation and then interacts with his followers to resolve it. It is the manner in which a leader goes about accomplishing their objectives or responding to crises. According to George Barna in his book, “A Fish Out OfWater” (Integrity Publishers, 2002), there are 4 styles of leadership:
3. The Team-Building Leader
4. The Operational Leader
The Directing Leader is the type of leader that likes to take action. They are typically a visionary per- son who is able to see the big picture and have a clear vision for the future or where a ministry needs to go. Theyare driven to accomplish big goals and do not usually concern themselves with minor issues or problems. They usually focus on achieving results and are not detail oriented. As a result, they are also normally not very good at planning, follow-up or administration. They know where they want to go or what
needs to be done and then delegate it to others and expect to see it carried out.
The Strategic Leader is the type of leader who likes to analyze and plan. They usually like to analyze information and evaluate different ways on how to solve issues or problems. They are adept at organization andmanagement of resources and can often see how lots of different pieces fit together to make something work.
They also like to develop and shape plans for achieving the vision. They are strategic thinkers who are very goodat analyzing situations and coming up with plans to achieve goals. They are very organized and enjoy working with data or information. They are also task oriented and can function well on their own.
The Team-Building Leader is the type of leader who is concerned with people and relationships. Thisleader wants to be sure that everyone is involved or has a chance to participate in the vision or project. They like to organize people to achieve the vision, whether as leaders or as group members. They see people as the prin- ciple resource for any activity and like to see people involved in the ministry of the church. They see the involve-ment of people as more important than the completion of the tasks themselves.
The Operational Leader is the type of leader who develops processes to implement the vision. This person is usually very detail oriented and likes to work with things, and not people. This type of leader likes tobuild systems and monitor results for the ministry and prefers to work alone or with other task oriented people.They are technologically savvy and computer literate and like to see things work smoothly or without problems.
They are good at solving technical problems and developing systems or procedures to facilitate ministry work.
According to Mr. Barna, and his research on leaders, every leader is dominant in one of these 4 styles. How- ever, each leader may exhibit each of the 4 leadership styles as well, and be comfortable in using each of them asneeded, which we will discuss a little later.
In order to understand the differences in each type of leadership style, perhaps a sports analogy will help clarifyeach style. Most everyone in the world is familiar with the sport of football, or as we Americans call it, soc-
cer. The Directing Leader style is like the guy who wants the ball all the time because he knows how to score goals. He says, “just give me the ball, and I will score goals.” He is rarely concerned about others on the team or the plays, just get him the ball. The Strategic Leader style is like the guy who analyzes both teams strengths and weaknesses and determines the best way to defeat the other team. If there is a player mismatch or some advantage they have, he will use it to try to score goals and win the game. If the worst player on the team has anadvantage in some way, he will use that to try to win. The
strategy is most important.
The Team-Building Leader type of player wants everyone on the team to touch the ball before someone tries toscore a goal. This type of player wants everyone involved in the game and doesn’t want to see anyone left outin any way. As long as everyone on the field is involved somehow, they are happy. And finally the Operational
Leader type of player is the guy who is concerned about executing the plays that the coach has called. They want the team to run the plays that are planned and do not want the players to do anything that is not in the playbook. They see victory as the outcome of sticking to the plan and the plays they have practiced.
When viewed from a sports point of view these types of leadership styles become much more visible.
So which is your dominant leadership style? The following test will help you determine what may be your dominant leadership style.
Reflection
What do you think is your dominant leadership style based upon the definitions?Which of these leadership styles have you used?
What is your leadership style?
Instructions: Below is a list of statements about leadership behavior. Read each one carefully, then, using the following scale, decide the extent to which it actually applies to you. For best results, answer as truthfully as possible.
0 = Never 1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Usually 5 = Always
1. I encourage my team to participate in decision making and I try to implement theirideas and suggestions.
2. Nothing is moreimportantthanaccomplishingagoal or task.
3. Respectfor, andvaluing, peopleis myhighest priority.
4. I closelymonitortheschedule to ensurea task or projectwill be completedin time.
5. Ienjoycoachingpeopleonnewtasks andprocedures.
6. Themorechallengingataskis, themoreIenjoyit.
7.
Iencourageothersto becreativeabout theirjob.
8. Whenseeing a complextaskthrough to completion, I ensurethat everydetail is accounted for.
9. I enjoyreadingarticles, books, andjournalsabouttraining, leadership, and psychology; andthenputting what Ihavereadintoaction.
10. I find it easy to carryoutseveralcomplicatedtasks at thesametime.
11. Whencorrectingother’smistakes, Iworryaboutjeopardizingrelationships.
12. Imanage my timeveryefficiently.
13. Ienjoyexplainingtheintricaciesanddetailsof acomplextaskorprojectto peopleI am leading.
14. Breakinglargeprojectsintosmallmanageabletasks is secondnatureto me.
15. Nothing is moreimportantthanbuildingagreatteam.
16. Ienjoyanalyzingproblems.
17. Ihonorotherpeople’sboundaries.
18. I enjoy reading articles and books about ministry; and then implementing the new proceduresIhavelearned.
19. Counseling others to improvetheir performance or behavior is second nature to me.
20. Ienjoyorganizingandplanningactivities.
As
stated previously, according to George Barna, although each leader tends to be dominant
in one of thesestyles, all leaders have some aspects
of each style. This has several implications.
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First, surround yourself with leaders who have other leadership styles.
They will complement your style and help you lead in areas where you do not have a strength. They will also see things in a way that you do not and can act differently according to their gifts and experiences that may prove beneficial to your ministry. The Bible says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”(Proverbs 15:22) Using the leadership abilities of others is not a weakness but a strength for the effective leader.
Second, lead from your strength, not your weakness.
Again, an effective leader learns to use the people around him to help him with his ministry. If there is an area of your leadership that is weak it is preferable to allow someone else to lead who may be better suited to the task at hand because of their dominant leadership style. The Bible also speaks to this issue in Romans 12:6-8, whenit says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let himencourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
Third, understand Situational Leadership.
In other words, your dominant leadership style will not be effective in ALL situations. Therefore, you need todetermine which leadership style will be most effective for a given situation as follows:
Examples
1.
Setting a new course
for your ministry
- use Direct Leadership style. because action is needed.
2.
Developing plans for your ministry - use Strategic
Leadership style. because analysis and planning
is needed.
3.
Resolving conflict
in your ministry - use Team-Building
Leadership style. because working with people
is needed.
5. Using technology in your ministry
- use Operational Leadership style. because systems or processes are needed.
The effective leader will consider letting another leader on their team with the most effective style lead while theyretain ultimate authority. They delegate a project or task leadership to another leader on their team to enable better leadership and results.
Be aware, however, that applying the wrong leadership style in a situation has consequences. First, your leadership could be resisted. Second, you could damage your credibility. Third, you could create unwantedconflict. Finally, the ministry could stagnate or suffer.
Instructions: For each situation listed in the left column, write down the appropriate Leadership style(s) thatshould or could be used (Directive, Strategic, Team Builder, Operational):
Situation Leadership Style(s) to Use
1. Youhavebeenofferedacomputerforyourchurch andneed to determinehowbest to useit.
2. Youarestarting up aprisonministryand do not want it to takeawayresourcesfromotherministries.
3.
 |
Yourworshipteamhascometo you withcomplaintsabouttheworship
leader.
4.
Youknowthatyouwant
to do more outreachinyour community but are not sure how best to go about it.
5.
Youwant to moveyourchurchto a new, biggerlocationthat is ontheothersideof town.
6. Some people have complained about the worship service and want you to consider doing something different.
7.
Yourchildren’sministry is failing toachieve
itsgoalsandattendanceisdeclining.
8.
Peoplehavestartedto leaveyourchurchfora newchurchnearby.
9.
Anotherchurchintownhas askedif
they coulduseyourchurchto holdtheirown
events.
10. Youhaveagossipprobleminyourchurch.
 |
Reflection
Think of a time when you used your dominant leadership style in the past. Was it effective? Should you have used a different leadership style? If so, which one and why?
Chapter 4
Developing Leaders
“So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua, son of Nun,a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar
the priest and theentire
assembly and commission him in their
presence.Give him some of your authority so
the whole Israelite community will obey him.’”
Numbers 27:18-20
With church or ministry leadership there is a huge responsibility for completing the ministry work that the Lordhas called us to. More often than not, we assume that as a leader we need to be intimately involved in every aspect of our ministry if we are to lead it effectively. But the reality is we cannot. We cannot lead every meeting, oversee every detail or make every decision. As leaders, we need to enlist the support and abilities of others if weare to meet our goals. That means that we need to identify other people who are potential leaders and develop them so that they can lead, act, and manage according to our objectives and authority.
The Scripture above cites 3 principles for developing leaders. First, they should be people who are full of the Spirit. Second, we should lay our hands on them and commission them to lead. And third, we should give them some of our authority so that they can lead effectively. Just as Moses laid his hands on Joshua, you too will need to identify other
leaders who are “in the spirit,” and commission them to act on your behalf, and with your authority.Similarly, Jesus hand-picked the leaders (disciples) who would help him in His ministry. Therefore, leaders too must surround themselves with other leaders whom they can disciple and develop to help lead their ministry.
As a leader, you also have to prepare for the future. Someone once said, “there is no success without a successor.”Leaders need to develop someone who may have to replace them one day. Failure to do this may lead to a serious disruption or even dissolution of the ministry if something should happen to the leader.
In this chapter, we will review what a leader is, why it is important to develop leaders and how to identify anddevelop them.
Who is a leader?
According to the Bible, a leader is someone who exhibits the following 4 characteristics:
A leader knows his or her identity in Christ.
The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:20, that “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” The leader understands he is a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and that he was created
to be His servant in this world. He also knows that he is to be a minister for Christ (1 Peter 2:9) and that God has equipped him with the power of the Holy Spirit to do His work (Acts 1:8). He also recognizes that all believers are equally significant to the Body (1Corinthians 12:27) and the leader is encouraged to help others minister for Christ as well.
A leader understands Spiritual giftedness.
The Bible says that every believer is given a spiritual gift(s) (1 Corinthians 12:7) and that everyone is called to use their gifts to serve others (1 Peter 4:10). And a leader is also responsible for getting others to use their gifts (2 Timothy 2:2). How can a leader do that if they do not know the gifts of others? So a leader must not only know what spiritual gifts God has given to his followers, but must also encourage them to use those gifts in ministry.
A leader understands their job is to be Salt and Light.
The Bible says in Matthew 5:13-16, that we are to be the salt and light in our world. That means that as “salt” we are to be people of influence who impact our culture rather than be impacted by our culture. It also means that as “light” we are to take the Light of Christto the world (the gospel). Leaders are also called to be role models (1 Thessalonians 1:7) and examples to the flocks we serve (2 Peter 5:2). Paul uses
the word “Ambassador” as noted above (2 Corinthians 5:17) to describe the role of the leader. That means we are tobe Christ’s representative to non-believers here on earth.
A leader is committed to spreading the gospel and making disciples for Christ.Two of the most important passages in the New Testament are Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19. They are the call to “be His witnesses” and to “go and make disciples of all na- tions.” Leaders know these Scriptures and understand that this is his calling and priority for ministry, and is committed to both of them.
Reflection
Which of the 4 characteristics of a leader do you think is most important? Why? Do you know people in your ministry who demonstrate these characteristics? Are they currently leaders in your ministry?
Why is developing other leaders so important?
In the church there are 3 types of church workers. First, there is the “congregation” as a whole. This is the Body of Christ and all are called to serve the church and others. Second, there is the “committed” group of church workers. These are the people that are always serving and find ways to serve in the church. Typically they are also mature believers who have a strong faith. The third type of church workers are your “core” group of leaders.
These are your inner circle of leaders that help you lead and manage the various ministries and activities of the church. A leader’s focus should always be on the core group. These are the people who help the leader build the church and manage the committed group of church workers. They also help in encouraging the congregation to serve. Graphically it can be represented as follows:
In order for a leader to accomplish the goals that the Lord has set before them, it is important to enlist the help ofother leaders. That is why the leader must focus more of his time and energy on developing other leaders. Thereare 4 reasons why this is important.
First, developing leaders is how God’s Kingdom grows.
Jesus taught the principle of multiplication ministry through his disciples. He hand-picked all of the leaders whowould build His church on earth. His choices were intentional and specific. He then had to disciple and equip all of them for ministry. He spent 3 years with them instructing them and teaching them what ministry and the gospel was all about. He sent them on missionary journeys to have them practice what they had been taught.
And when He rose from the grave and appeared to them to confirm the prophets and God’s plan, He commis-sioned them by telling them to “go and make disciples of all nations.” – Matthew 28:19.
Jesus did not build the church on earth, His disciples did. He told them, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21). Paul went on many missionary journeys and other disciples and followers established churches as well. And the church exists today because of those who took His message and spread it around the world, just as we do today. The early church formation was described in the book of Acts. And we are the continuation of that story. The book of Acts ends with chapter 28. So we are Acts 29 people who arewriting the Scriptures today through our witness and service to others.
Second, developing leaders multiplies your ministry.
It enables leaders to extend their ministry to more people by involving other leaders who can minister to oth- ers. It means that their ministry can impact more lives and can therefore reach further into the community. It helps leaders to accomplish more ministry with less effort and less time because a leader cannot be everywhere and cannot always do everything that the ministry requires. As the disciples learned in Acts 6:2, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word of God in order to wait on
tables.” They quickly learned thattheir focus needed to be on spreading the gospel and they needed others to carry on other work of the ministry.Bringing additional leaders into a ministry also opens up new opportunities that a leader might not see or be able to pursue because other leaders have different gifts to share and have different passions and interests.
Third, developing leaders enables the working of the Holy Spirit within your church. The Holy Spirit works through all people, not just pastors. The Bible says that we are the “‘priesthood’ of all be- lievers” (1 Peter 2:9) and that we were all “baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slaveor free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit empowers all believers as written in Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” By letting others be involved in the leadership and ministry of the church the leader is unleashing the power of the Holy Spirit within their church! And when the Holy Spirit is working through everyone in the church the potential is unlimited.
Fourth and finally, ministry success rises and falls on leadership and the Holy Spirit. Without strong leadership a ministry cannot succeed. Every organization relies on its leaders to produce results by using the resources it places at their disposal. Without strong leadership resources are wasted and results are not achieved. The church is no different. The church needs strong and effective leaders if it is to produce the fruit that the Lord desires. Good leaders can restore poor ministries but bad leaders can destroy successful ministries.But a leader is only as effective as his reliance upon the Holy Spirit as his guide. An effective leader knows thatthe Holy Spirit IS their source of power (“Apart from God we can do nothing.” John 15:5). A leader also recog- nizes that we are only seed planters and that God alone makes things grow. (“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:7)
Reflection
Which of the 4 reasons to develop other leaders do you think is the most important for your ministry? Why do you think many leaders are reluctant to develop other leaders for their ministry?
How do you identify other leaders?
Knowing that a leader needs other leaders to help him is important, but knowing who they are is even more critical. Most pastors and leaders can recall appointing someone as a leader only to discover they had made thewrong choice. Either the appointed leader creates more problems than they solve or they are constantly at oddswith the leader who appointed them. And within the church it is often very difficult and painful to remove a leader once they are appointed. The only solution to getting rid of a poor leader is to never appoint them in thefirst place. Many leaders learn this lesson the hard way. Often pastors and leaders appoint others to positions of leadership because of their friendship, family relationship, or reputation. But these are not the appropriate criteria to use when appointing leaders.
The Bible specifies 3 criteria for choosing leaders, and the effective leader uses these criteria when identifyingpotential leaders for their ministry:
Thefirst criteriafor aleader is a Person of Character.
1 Timothy 3:2-3 says, “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self- controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrel-some, not a lover of money.” This describes a person of character. This is someone who has integrity and treats other people well. They are people who can be trusted and who are respected by others. They follow the exam-ple of Christ and try to live Holy lives worthy of the gospel. They serve and teach others and are self-controlled.
The second criteria foraleader is a Person of Faith.
1 Timothy 3:7 says, “They must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.” And 1 Timothy 3:9 says, “They must keep hold of the dear truths of the faith with aclear conscience.” In other words, this is a person with a mature and strong faith. This is someone who tries tolive out their faith in everything they do. They are daily Bible readers who look to the Lord and His Word for answers and seek to apply them in their lives. They have a Biblical worldview and see their faith as integral totheir life.
Thethird criteriaforaleader is a Person Fullofthe Spirit.
Acts 6:3 says, “Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wis- dom.” Here the disciples are recognizing their need to find people who are Full of the Spirit to take over ministryresponsibilities. This is someone who relies on the Holy Spirit for guidance and support in all of their activities.They have a strong prayer life and seek the wisdom of God when making decisions. They have keen spiritual discernment and are always looking to do God’s will in each and every situation.
These 3 criteria are very basic and dependent upon a person’s relationship with the Lord. They are not based upontheir worldly experience or knowledge. But unfortunately, many pastors and church leaders do not use these criteria when choosing leaders. Instead, they focus on outward things such as Education, Social position, or Ex-perience. When God had chosen David to be King of Israel he said to Samuel that “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the
heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).
So leaders need to be careful not to base their decisions when choosing leaders primarily on these other criteria. These are good things to have but should NOT be the primary criteria. Leaders should be chosen by looking at their heart and whether or not they are a person of Character, a Person of Faith, or a Person that is Full of the HolySpirit. Then, if they have the additional criteria of education or experience, that is an additional blessing.
There are 3 other things to consider when selecting potential leaders. First, select people with a passion for the ministry you want them to lead. If they have a passion for that specific ministry they will be more likely to stay committed to it and work harder to make it successful. Second, select people who are trainable and who are willing to learn. If you find someone who thinks they know everything about the ministry already it is suggested that you stay away from them. They will likely reject your help and often be disobedient and difficult to work with. Finally, select people who possess the necessary or appropriate spiritual gifts for the ministry they are leading. This will ensure that they are gifted for what they will be leading and will not become frustrated in the work they must do for that ministry.
Reflection
Have you ever regretted appointing someone else to a leadership position because it did not work out or it caused you problems? If so, how does that relate to the 3 criteria mentioned inthe Bible? Did you use that criteria or something else? What does that tell you?
How do you develop other leaders?
Now that a leader has identified the potential leaders in their ministry, they now need to focus on developingthem to be the leaders they, and God, wants them to be. This involves several things and we can look to Jesus’example in Matthew Chapter 10, when he sent out the disciples, as our guide. There are 6 steps to developing leaders as follows:
Step #1: Disciple them
Jesus had to disciple His followers in order to prepare them for ministry to others. He spent 3 years getting them ready to go out on their own. He taught them, showed them, and was an example to them of what His ministry was all about. As leaders, we should beprepared to provide our leaders with weekly mentoring, words & acts of encouragement,faith building activities, and leader training. We should spend sufficient time with them to get to know them and their capabilities, strengths, gifts and faith before sending them out to do ministry, just as Jesus did.
Step #2: Delegate a responsibility to them
Once a leader has been discipled and you have a good idea of their capabilities and knowl-edge, it is now time to give them something to lead or manage. When Jesus sent out the disciples in Matthew 10:1 he gave them “authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Jesus gave them authority to do what he had been doing, but did not tell them how to do it. He left that up to them and the examples he had showed them. He was empowering them to get the job done by using their own gifts and abilities in combination with the Holy Spirit. This helped to build their self-confidence and what they could do on their own and apart from Jesus, and is a very important step in the de- velopment of a leader.
Step #3: Communicate your expectations to them
The next step is to set clear goals & help them develop a leadership plan. The effective leader learns to set parameters or guidelines and let the subordinate determine how they will carry it out. Jesus set the objectives for his disciples in verses 6 & 8 when he told them to “go to the lost sheep of Israel” and to “heal the sick and raise the dead.” In verse 16 he further tells them to be “as innocent as doves and as shrewd as snakes.” Jesus was clearly communicating what he expected them to do but not how to do it. Leaders shouldfollow His example.
Step #4: Hold them accountable
It is very important that a leader never delegate responsibility to someone without holdingthem accountable. This means that the leader follows up with them and
makes sure they are on the right track. A leader should expect them to meet the objectives and give advice
and counsel as needed. If there are problems, don’t step in and fix them, let them fix them.Have them bring you a solution to their problem, not just a problem. In that way you can check to see if they already know how to solve it and can reaffirm their decision and helpbuild their confidence. Jesus did this in Matthew 10:32-33 when he told them, “Whoeveracknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” Jesus let them know he would hold them accountable.
Step #5: Review their progress periodically
The next step is to review the progress of your leaders to see how they are doing on their own. A leader should meet regularly to discuss issues and concerns and offer their adviceas needed. Never leave them on their own or ignore them. This tells them you do not think that what they are doing is that important. Show your interest in helping them learnand be successful. Be a mentor and guide them, but do not try to dictate to them or con- trol them. If you do, they will not learn what they need to be successful on their own.
Step #6: Release them into ministry
Finally, the final step is often the hardest and most difficult. And that is that when they areready, let them go - don’t hold them back. Give them a ministry to lead and commission them for ministry work. Trust in the teaching and foundation that you have laid in them and help them function independently. Failure to release others into ministry creates
two problems. One, they will become frustrated in their ministry and leave. Second, andusually worse, is that they become frustrated in their ministry and stay. This will usuallycause more problems in the church and create a difficult environment for everyone. An eagle learns how to fly when their mother kicks them out of the nest. If they struggle and can’t fly yet, the father swoops down and catches them and brings them back to the nest.This cycle is repeated until the baby eagle learns to fly on their own. The same is true when developing leaders. When you feel they are ready, kick them out of the nest, but be ready to support them if needed. Eventually they will learn to function on their own.
Instructions: Next to each ministry leadership position write down the spiritual gifts you
think are necessaryand the skills or experience you think would be helpful for that position.
Ministry Position Spiritual Gifts* Skill/Experience
|
1. Pastor |
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2. Worship Leader |
|
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3. Children’s Ministry Leader |
|
|
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4. Youth Ministry Leader |
|
|
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5. Elder |
|
|
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6. Teacher |
|
|
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7. Evangelist |
|
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8. Missionary |
|
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9. Financial Manager |
|
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10. Prayer Ministry Leader |
|
|
* refer to the list of spiritual gifts found on pages 72-73
Section 2
Chapter 5
SpiritualGifts
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
All these are the
work of one and the same
Spirit, and he gives them to each one,just as he determines”
1 Corinthians 12:7, 11
As the above Scripture indicates, each Christian is given a spiritual gift(s) for use in building the Body of Christ.But what exactly are spiritual gifts? Are they supernatural powers? Are they the same as our skills and talents?
How do we know what spiritual gift(s) we have? And how do we know when and how to use them? These are typical questions many Christians ask when it comes to understanding spiritual gifts and their use in the
church or in the Body of Christ. As a leader, it is important for you to not only know your own spiritual gift(s),but also the spiritual gift(s) of others, in order for you to direct them into areas of ministry where God can use them more effectively. In this chapter we will look at what spiritual gifts are, why they are important, and how they should be used for maximum impact for the kingdom. We will also provide an assessment tool to help determine what your spiritual gift(s) may be.
What are Spiritual Gifts?
Simply defined, Spiritual Gifts are those abilities that the Holy Spirit gives to the followers of Christ to equip them for ministry. Furthermore, we know from the Scriptures above that these gifts are given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7) and they are given as the Holy Spirit determines (1 Corinthians 12:11). They are alsogiven as needed. This means that the Lord can give us a spiritual gift for a specific purpose or task. So even if a gift or ability is not part of our normal skill set, the Holy Spirit can still give it to us so that He can use us to fulfilla particular need at a particular time. This reinforces the concept that God can use everyone and that He can, and will, equip us for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:17)
Spiritual Gifts fall into 3 main categories:
1. Ministry gifts: these gifts are typically a calling to a position.
2. Practical gifts: these gifts are used to minister to others.
3. Charismatic gifts: these gifts are spiritual manifestations and powers.
The Bible mentions 21 specific gifts in the New Testament. There are other spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible,but these are the ones that are most clearly identified in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul. These gifts fallinto one of the 3 categories mentioned above.
The first category of spiritual gifts is Ministry gifts. These are 5 gifts that are usually associated with a position or calling in ministry. They are the gifts of being an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, or Teacher. They comefrom Ephesians 4:11 where Paul says that, “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be
evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” While typically not thought of as spiritual gifts, they are clearly called that by Paul. It is also interesting to note that he combines pastors and teachers rather than
differentiating them. This could indicate that pastors should also be teachers, but there is no confirmation of that.
The second category of spiritual gifts is Practical gifts. These are 7 gifts that are associated with the doing of ministry. These are the gifts of Service, Encouragement,
Giving, Leadership, Mercy, Helps, and Administration. They come from 2 Scriptures. The first 5 of these gifts are from Romans 12:7-8 where Paul writes, “If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” The final 2 gifts are from 1 Corinthians 12:28 where Paul also writes, “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then works of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking indifferent kinds of tongues.” These gifts are the ones that are most useful to the ministry of the church.
The third category of spiritual gifts is Charismatic gifts. These are 9 gifts that are associated with spiritual manifestations and powers, and what many Christians think of when spiritual gifts are mentioned. They includethe gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment, Tongues, and Interpretation. The spiritual gifts are identified by Paul again in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, where he writes, “To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers,to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another the ability to speak in different kinds of
tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.” While these gifts can be very helpful and useful to the Body of Christ, they can also be easily misused. So Paul also issues a warning aboutthem in 1 Corinthians 14:40 by saying that they should be “done in a fitting and orderly way.”
Reflection
Why do you think God gives people different spiritual gifts? What spiritual gifts has God given toyou do you think?
Why are Spiritual Gifts important? Spiritual gifts are important for several reasons.
First of all, they are necessary to fulfill God’s purpose and plan for mankind. Hebrews 13:20- 21 says, “May the God of peace… equip you with everything good for doing His will.” In order for us to do the will of God He must first equip us. We can do nothing of our own ability or on our own accord. It is only through the power ofGod that we can accomplish anything (John 15:5).
Second, they are necessary to prepare God’s people for works of service. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul says we are given spiritual gifts “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”Again, God is doing the work and using us to fulfill His purposes and plans.
Third, they are necessary to attain spiritual maturity. In the very next verse of Scripture Paul writes in Ephesians4:13, “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature.” Using our spiritual gifts enables us to become more mature in our faith as we see what God can do in, and through, us as we serve Him and others.
Fourth and finally, they are necessary to unify the Body of Christ. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.” All believers are part of the Body of Christ and we eachhave a unique and necessary role to play in it. When all believers are using their gifts to build up the Body of Christ the church is unified and comes together in spirit and in service.
Howshould Spiritual Gifts beused andapplied?
This is perhaps the most important question we need to ask ourselves regarding spiritual gifts. It is one thing tohave a spiritual gift and it is quite another to use it. Often times we use our gifts for our own purposes or to ourown advantage. Similarly, we neglect our gifts when we are asked to do something that uses that gift that we arenot particularly fond of doing. But God’s Word is clear on the matter of spiritual gifts and how they should be used and applied. Let’s take a look at the 4 purposes for which God has given each of us spiritual gifts:
First, spiritual gifts are given to us to build up the church.
In 1 Corinthians 14:12, the Apostle Paul writes, “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in giftsthat build up the church.” Clearly we were given spiritual gifts
so that they may be used to build up the church, not satisfy our own wants or desires.
Second, spiritual gifts are given to us to serve others.
In 1 Peter 4:10 the Bible says that “each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Again, we were given gifts not to use only for ourselves but in service to others. To use our gifts solely on ourselves is selfish and out of step with being a follower of Christ.
Third, spiritual gifts are given to us to glorify God.
In the very next verse in 1 Peter 4:11 the Bible says that, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” We see here once again that the focus of spiritual gifts is on God, not us. When we use the gifts that God has given to us for His purposes it brings glory to God!
Fourth and finally, spiritual gifts are given to us to reveal God’s character. When we use His gifts the Holy Spirit can work through us as indicated in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of theSpirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” When we let
God use us the fruit of the Spirit is produced - not only in us but in others as well. This reveals who the Father isand what He represents.
Paul also gives 2 warnings about the use and application of spiritual gifts. First, he says that they should not be neglected.
“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” (1 Timothy 4:14) Here Paul is telling us that our gifts were not given to us to use only forourselves or when we want to use them. But they were given to us to use whenever and wherever God asks us
to use them. So as children of God we always need to be aware of how God wants to use us and our gifts for Hispurpose and will.
Second,Paulsaysthattheyshouldbeusedinan orderlyfashion.
“But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) In the church at CorinthPaul had noticed that the people were not using the gifts in a way that honors God and builds up the church. People were using their gifts in ways only to edify themselves and were therefore not used appropriately.
In order to know what your spiritual gifts may be we have included a spiritual gifts
assessment tool on the following pages to help you determine what they are or may be. The Spiritual Gift Assessment is a discovery tool using questions and multiple choice answers to try and determine a person’s spiritual gifts. Simply go through the questions and answer them to the best of your ability. Then follow the instructions for converting
your answers to scores and rankings. The highest rankings of scores will indicate your gifts. The Spiritual GiftAssessment is also a guideline for helping people find their role in the church. Once a person’s gifts are knownthey can be directed to particular ministries that need people with those gifts.
But the Spiritual Gift Assessment is not absolute. Gifts can change over time and often do. But more importantly, it should never be used to limit a person’s service or ministry. If a person wants to serve in a particular ministry but does not possess the relevant spiritual gifts they should not be denied the opportunity toserve. Remember, gifts can be given by God when or as needed.
List of Spiritual Gifts Apostle
It is the gift whereby the Spirit appoints certain Christians to lead, inspire and develop the churches of God bythe proclamation and the teaching of true doctrine. See Acts 12:1-5, Acts 14:21-23.
Prophet
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to interpret and apply God’s revelation in agiven situation. See 1 Corinthians 14:1-5, 1 Corinthians 14:30-33, 1
Corinthians 14:37.
Evangelist
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables particular Christians to share the Gospel to unbelievers in such away that the unbeliever becomes a disciple of the Lord Jesus. See Acts 8:26-40.
Pastor
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to assume responsibility for the spiritual welfareof a group of believers. See 1 Peter 5:1-11.
Teacher
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables particular Christians to communicate the truths of God’s Word sothat others can learn. See Hebrews 5:12-14.
Music
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to praise God through various forms of musicand enhance the worship experience of the local congregation. See 1
Corinthians 14:26, Mark 12:36.
Exhortation
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to stand beside fellow Christians in need andbring comfort, counsel and encouragement so they feel helped. See Acts 11:23-24, Acts 14:21-22.
Wisdom
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit endows particular Christians with an understanding of God’s will andwork as it relates to the living of life. James 3:13-17
Knowledge
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to understand in an exceptional way the greattruths of God’s Word and to make them relevant to specific situations in the church. See Ephesians 3:14-19.
Serving
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to willingly bear the burdens of other Christians and help them in such a way that they can do their tasks more effectively. See Galatians 6:1-2.
Helps
It is the spiritual gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to willingly bear the burdens of otherChristians and help them in such a way that they can do their tasks more effectively. See Acts 6:2-4.
Leadership
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to motivate, direct and inspire God’s people in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to do the Church’s work effectively. See Hebrews 13:7, Judges 3:10, Exodus 18:13-16.
Administration
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to understand the goals of a given segment ofthe Church’s ministry and to direct that area effectively, keeping the Church on course. Acts 12:12-21.
Giving
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to offer their material blessings for the work ofthe church with exceptional willingness, cheerfulness and liberality. See 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.
Mercy
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to feel exceptional empathy
and compassion forthose who are suffering so that they devote large amounts of time and energy to alleviate it. See Luke 10:30-37.
Discernment
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to know with assurance whether some behavioris of God or of Satan. See Acts 5:3-6, Acts 16:16-18.
Faith
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit provides Christians with extraordinary confidence in God’s promises, power, and presence so that they can take heroic stands for the future of God’s work in the church. See Hebrews 11.
Hospitality
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to open their homes willingly and offer lodging,food, and fellowship cheerfully to other people. See Genesis 18:1- 15.
Craftsmanship
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit endows certain Christians the ability to use hands and minds to build upthe Kingdom through artistic, creative means. See Exodus 28:3-4.
Intercession
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to pray for extended periods of time with greatpositive effect for the building of the Kingdom. See 1 Thessalonians 3:10- 13, 1Timothy 2:1-2.
Healing
It is the special gift whereby the Spirit employs certain Christians to restore health to the sick. See James 5:13-16,Luke 9:1-2.
Missionary
It is the special gift given by the Holy Spirit to certain members of the body of Christ (local church) to ministerwhatever other spiritual gifts they have in a second culture or second community.
See 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
Chapter 6
“Do to others as you would
have them do to you.”
Luke 6:31
Luke 6:31 is often called the Golden Rule. It seems that we all know it so well yet are unable to keep it most of the time. The church is a people business that is based upon relationships – relationships with God and with each other. Jesus taught us this principle so that we might live in harmony with each other, and with God, andto demonstrate to the world the love that He died for. When you manage people, you are in a relationship withthem, not just in a position of authority over them. Managing people is not about telling others what they can do for you, but rather asking them what you can do for them. It is a daily practice of the Golden Rule as Jesustaught us. In this chapter, we will look at the importance of managing people, some principles for managing people, and how to manage people.
Why is managing people so important?
Many believe that the role of the pastor or church leader is to simply preach and teach the Word. While that is amajor role, most of the time a pastor or church leader spends is in tending his flock. That involves dealing withpeople, whether leading, teaching, counseling, inspiring, encouraging or fellowship. Learning how to manage people, therefore, is critical to the success of the church or a ministry. There are several reasons for this.
First of all, the church is all about people.
I used to work for the telephone company and we used to say that we were not in the telephone business, but rather in the “communication business.” In the same way the church is not in the religion business but in the “people business.” Understanding the nature of what your organization does or the business it is in is important.What the church does all relates to people and relationships. The Apostle Peter calls the followers of Jesus a chosen people and a royal priesthood. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peoplebelonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) The church is not a building, it is people, and the focus of ministry should always be on people, not things. We build church buildings to have a place to minister and gather so that we can build relationships - with God, with Christ, and with each other. The church is not about practicing religion, it’s aboutbuilding relationships with God and other believers.
Second, people are the church’s greatest resource.
Some think that money is the church’s most abundant resource, but it is not. A leader can still minister to someone and share the gospel without having any money. Pastors and
evangelists do this all the time in many parts of the world. Even buildings, books, instruments and other church things are only tools that are used by people to minister to one another. People are the church’s most important asset and it is how all ministry is accomplished. Furthermore, God has gifted people so that they can bring many gifts and skills to the church. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). These include both spiritual gifts for ministry and skills for service. And so investing in people provides for the greatestreturn to the church in terms of new believers, new relationships, new ministries and church growth.
Third, ministry is accomplished through people.
People do ministry and are ministered to. As stated above, other assets (things) are tools to assist people anddo no ministry on their own. And as Peter said, we are all ministers for Christ. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians
12:6, “There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” God works throughall people and all people have spiritual gifts that they can use to build up the Body of Christ. People are not
only called to faith in salvation through Jesus Christ, but they are also called “to serve one
another in love.” (Galatians 5:13). We know that Jesus’ ministry was to the hearts of people, and so it is people that comprise thechurch and do the work of ministry.
Fourth, church members are volunteers, not employees.
As an employer a leader can fire or dismiss someone from their company. But in a church people are volunteers and not employees, so they need to be treated differently to bear fruit for the church. Volunteer people need inspiration.They must feel led by God and inspired to do His work by the leader and the Holy Spirit. Volunteer people also needencouragement.
They need reassurance about what they are doing and that they are doing it well. Volunteers also often need to work past difficulties and need the encouragement of the leader to do so. Volunteer people also need motivation. Since they are not paid, they need something to keep them going. They should be motivated by the gospel, and nothing more. But sadly, some followers need additional motivation that only the leader can provide.
Fifth, and finally, managing people is important to avoid conflict.
Conflicts within a church usually occur between people. It could be between the pastor and a follower or one follower and another. The effective leader must therefore learn how to handle people in conflict in order for thechurch to keep moving forward. Failure to identity and resolve conflict is a major stumbling block to church progress and growth. The next chapter in this manual deals specifically with how to handle conflict Biblically.
Reflection
Do you like to work with other people? Would you prefer to do things on your own or in teams ofpeople? Do you view other people as an obstacle to your ministry or a vehicle through which you can accomplish more ministry?
In order to manage people effectively it is important to understand a little bit about human behavior. Having agood grasp of what needs people have and what motivates them will help the church leader to use them more effectively in ministry. The following 8 principles will provide a good foundation for the leader who wants tomanage people more effectively.
Every person is an individual created uniquely by God. This is clearly stated in Psalms 139:13 where it says, “Foryou created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” There are no two people on the earthwho are exactly alike. Even twins,
triplets and other multiple birth siblings have different personalities and traits,even if they do look alike. And even if two people look alike, they undoubtedly grew up in different homes withdifferent values so that they are not the same. Each person has unique skills and experiences based upon where they live or how God has gifted them. They also have unique ideas and personalities that are developed from their environment and how they grew up. So it is important for the leader to treat people as individuals and not as groups so that they can address the unique needs and aspirations of each person in their church or ministry.
People were created by God to be with other people. That’s why he created a partner for Adam in Eve. “The Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) People are most basically put in families as their primary group, but people also have a need to be with other people as well in some form of community or shared interest. People like to feel a part of something and generally dislike being lonely or alone. Jesus also recognized our need for fellowship and was often eating with orteaching his disciples. The need for community and belonging is part of our created being, and people look for itin many different places. The church was created for
people to be together in fellowship and unity. And if peopledon’t belong to the church, they will find another group to belong to.
3. People Want To Participate.
Another characteristic of people is that they want to participate rather than just watch. People desire to be involved rather than being a spectator, especially when they have a skill, talent or gift to offer. People desire touse their gifts and skills where needed, and it gives them satisfaction to be a part of what is happening rather than to be excluded or left out. People desire to make a contribution, no matter how small. When I think of participation I think of the young shepherd boy, David, who watched his older brothers go off to war against the Philistines while he had to stay behind and tend the sheep (1 Samuel 17). But when his chance came to take supplies to the army, he went to the battle lines and saw them tremble in fear at Goliath. But despite his
small stature he had killed a lion and a bear before with his bare hands and now wanted to take on the giant. Hesimply wanted to participate and use his gifts in the battle! People in the church want to do the same.
All people have the need for significance in their lives. We all need to know that we matter to others and to God. That is essentially the gospel message, that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) In other words, people want to be valued and feel useful to others and to society. The Apostle Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus, oneof the men he was mentoring in the faith, to receive Onesimus as someone of value and useful to Philemon. “I
appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you,but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 1:10-11) Paul recognized Onesimus’ need to feel useful and was telling Philemon to value him as well. If people are valued, they’ll volunteer and be willing
to help in the ministry of the church. If people are not valued, they will likely not volunteer and thus miss theblessing of being part of the church’s ministry.
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:17 that we should “Show proper respect to everyone.” Another principle of managing people is that people want to be treated with dignity. They want to be respected as individuals and have their opinions and ideas valued and considered. No one likes feeling as though they are invisible to others or considered as inferior or unequal. God created everyone equally and no part of the Body of Christ is less
important than any other part of the Body. Paul writes that “there should be no division in the body, but that itsparts should have equal concern for each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:25). We are all significant to the church and each person should be respected as someone with something to contribute.
No one wants to feel taken advantage of or have their work credited to someone else. All people desire to be recognized for the things they do or accomplish. It is no different in the church. People need to feel appreciatedfor their contribution, however small. And everyone dislikes having someone else take credit for what they’ve done, whether intentional or unintentional. If people are not recognized for the contributions they make they will stop making contributions, and thus the church will suffer. Paul acknowledges our need for recognition
in 1 Corinthians 16:17-18 when he writes, “I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours also. Suchmen deserve recognition.” When a leader recognizes others it builds their confidence so that they will want to contribute again or in other ways. On the other hand, not recognizing others will tend to cause others not to want to help or contribute in the future.
While some people like to lead, most people want to be led. They want their leader to be someone with a vision that they share and are willing to follow. In other words, they want direction. They want their leader to share the vision and to inspire and motivate them to join him in making it happen. The leader must keep everyone focused on the overall goals. As Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.” So the leader should coordinate efforts to ensure that everyone is working together. They should not permit activities that they are not aware of or that do not fit the church vision or goals. This would keep his followers from being distracted and working on things that do not help achieve the vision. An effective leader should also use the most effective leadershipstyle for a given situation as discussed in chapter 3 and apply different styles as needed for each. They should also delegate responsibilities and tasks as needed to others so they can also participate in the ministry and feel valued.
The final principle is that people want to be kept informed of what is happening in the ministry or church. Communication is an important aspect of managing people because people cannot help move the church or ministry forward without the information necessary for useful and appropriate contributions. A leader should communicate their
objectives and expectations to their subordinates and make sure everyone understands their role in the process. A leader should not assume people know something. They should be clear and tell them andbe willing to share all pertinent information. Psalms 13:16 says that “every prudent man acts out of knowledge.” So an effective leader makes sure that his followers have the knowledge they need to be prudent and act in ways that contribute to the vision of the church or ministry.
Reflection
Which principle is most important to you? Which principle do you think is most important forothers? Which principle is the most important to accomplishing your ministry goals?
Which principle have you failed to truly incorporate in your ministry?
Here are some basic steps you can follow to better manage people:
1. Include them.
Invite them to participate in ministry activities and church projects. Encourage them to use their spiritual gifts in service to the Lord and others. Don’t let your followers be spec-tators only. Be sure to invite them personally to become involved in ministry.
2. Respect them.
Seek their input and ask for their ideas. Be sure to acknowledge them and show them youvalue their contributions to the church or ministry. Do not criticize what people do for the church and always be grateful for what they offer or contribute.
3. Train them.
Spend time training your followers for church work or ministry. Help them to develop their skills and abilities so that they can make significant contributions. Consider sendingthem to training or train them yourself if necessary.
4. Recognize them.
Be sure to acknowledge their contributions and give them credit for their accomplish- ments. Make public statements to encourage and support them. Never take credit for what others do, however small it may seem.
5. Reward them.
It is a good idea to show your appreciation with a little gift when a significant
contributionis made. However, it should not be something too big or expensive that might encourage others to seek gifts for doing ministry work. Treat them to lunch or a cup of coffee is alsosomething you can do to reward others.
Managing different types of church workers.
In some churches that are large enough there is the need or possibility of paying church workers. This is verycommon in the developed countries but less so in underdeveloped countries. So if there are paid church employees then they need to be managed differently than volunteers. There are actually 3 types of church workers – paid church staff, volunteer church leaders, and volunteer church workers. Let’s discuss the management of each type of church worker.
Paid church workers.
Typically paid church workers are the pastoral staff and sometimes other ministry leaders.They are part of your ministry team, so treat them well & support them as team members.Team work is a priority, so you will need to all work together to accomplish your vision and goals. Remember that you will need to delegate responsibilities to them, not activi- ties. In other words, assign them goals to accomplish, not tasks to complete. Allow them to use their own ideas and ways to meet the goals instead of telling them how you want them to meet them. Each staff person will require clear areas of responsibility and author- ity as well as clear goals and objectives.
Volunteer church leaders.
Church leaders who are not paid are vital to the success of the ministry. Be sure to assignthem to specific areas of focus or ministry while you maintain your authority and overallleadership. Be there to provide guidance and assistance and to provide on-going training.Treat them with great respect and include them in your ministry planning. Meet with them regularly to disciple, train and communicate your vision. Be sure your leaders com-municate a consistent message to the church.
Volunteer church workers.
With volunteer church workers you need to be an encourager and motivator. Set specificobjectives for them and assign tasks with due dates & follow up to ensure completion.
Provide mentoring to develop future leaders and encourage innovation or new ideas. As-sign them to a leader or staff person for direct management.
Instructions: For each situation listed in the left column, write down the appropriate Principle of ManagingPeople that applies:
Situation Managing People Principle
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1. A church member comes to you and says thatthey would like to serve on the worship team. |
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2. One of your ministry leaders ask you for a list ofall church members and their spiritual gifts. |
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3. A family leaves your church and tells you thatthey hardly knew anybody there. |
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4. The youth in your church are upset because noone takes their requests for resources seriously. |
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5. Your children’s ministry leader comes to you and wants to know how their ministry fits into theoverall church plan. |
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6. The people in your church are reluctant tovolunteer to help with a major project. |
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7. Two of your church ministry leaders are havinga disagreement over how to achieve a church goal. |
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8. A long time volunteer in your children’s ministry suddenly stops serving in that ministry. |
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Chapter 7
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be calledsons of God.”
Matthew 5:9
Every church or ministry leader should know that conflict is inevitable in any organization that deals with people. As was said in the last chapter, the church is a people business and is based on relationships. Conflictwith God is called sin. Conflict with each other can also lead to sin, and so we must take care not to get caught in the sin “that so easily entangles us” as it says in Hebrews 12:1. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:9, He said, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Jesus calls us all to be peacemakers, and since conflict is going to occur, we need to be prepared for it and have a Biblical way of
dealing with it. Failure to resolve conflict is one of the major reasons that churches stagnate or split apart. So it is important for the church leader to not only address conflict within the church, but also to manage it effectivelyso the church can move forward. In this chapter, we will discuss the importance of managing conflict, what the sources and reasons for it are, and how to recognize and resolve it Biblically.
Whyislearningtomanageconflictsoimportant?
First of all, whether we realize it or not, conflicts exist in the church all the time. Whenever you deal with people, there is going to be conflict. That is because while there may be an absolute truth, there is relative understanding. Every person has their own personality, ideas, experiences and education that results in differingopinions and perspectives. Many conflicts go virtually unnoticed, but they are still there nonetheless. Most conflicts are also kept beneath the surface. In other words, they are hidden from the church as a whole because they are kept private or may not impact others directly. But once they come out into the open they must be dealtwith and resolved to prevent further damage to the church and its people.
Secondly, most church problems are related to conflicts. It’s hard to imagine a church problem that isn’t a resultof a difference in opinion or thought among the church members
or its staff on issues ranging from the worshipservice, the use of technology, the church budget, or church property. Conflicts can grip a church and prevent growth. This happens because the church must take time to resolve conflicts - time that could be better spent doing ministry work. Additionally, tiny conflicts can become big problems if they are not dealt with in a timelyfashion. It is like a nick in the windshield of your car from a stone. If you don’t fix it right away, it can spread until it forms a huge crack and the whole windshield has to be replaced.
Thirdly, conflict can easily split or divide a church. Jesus said in Mark 3:25 that “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” This occurs because a conflict can create opposing camps or viewpoints in the church. Some people take one side while others take the other side. Then the two groups begin fighting with oneanother and before long it has spread to the whole church. Similarly, if another leader disagrees with you and then solicits support from among your members, that other leader then can create a division that challenges yourauthority and leadership. This undermines your authority and can limit your ability to lead effectively.
Finally, managing conflict effectively enables a church to move forward. When conflict exists it takes up timeand resources that could be better used to advance the cause of the church. Dealing with conflict in a timely and effective manner removes obstacles to growth and allows the church to focus on its vision and goals.
Furthermore, managing conflict effectively creates a framework for understanding and future conflict resolution.When a church is good at dealing with conflict it is able to anticipate and resolve conflicts before they become obstacles and bigger problems.
Virtually all conflict is between people and the things that people desire. In James 4:1- 3, the author paints apretty clear picture of the source of conflict. “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they comefrom your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but youcannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on yourpleasures.” As the author points out, conflicts arise from our own selfishness and wanting things our way.
And this results in our conflicts with others as we each try to have things our way. There are several sources ofconflict between people, then, that arise within the church.
The first source of conflict is between church members.
They each have different perspectives and different experiences on a variety of issues. As we said in the last chapter, every person is unique, so we should expect there to be differences in the ways each person thinks and acts according to their own life experiences. For example, a person who grew up in a Christian household is very likely to have a different perspective and set of experiences than a person who grew up in a non- Christian household. One is not necessarily right and the other wrong, they are just different. Church members can also have different goals & agendas for themselves or for the church. One person may see discipleship as the most important issue while another person thinks that evangelism is the priority. The fact that every person is uniquewill give rise to differences that can lead to conflict.
The second source of conflict is between the pastor and church members. The pastor is called to be the shepherd of the church and to lead the church as they follow God. The pastor often casts the vision for the church and must share that vision and encourage others to follow him. But, there are church members who also feel that they are called to be a leader in the church, and they may have strong feelingsor a different vision than what the pastor sees. This results in different objectives and different motivations that can cause conflict. And there is also the issue of different styles of leadership or management. Church membersmay not like or agree with the leadership style that the pastor is using, and vice versa. This can also lead to conflict if both sides do not recognize the gifting and personalities of others and the fact that different styles canproduce the same results in the end.
The third source of conflict is between traditional and modern views. The traditional view sees worship as very formal and following a prescribed structure or format, whereas the modern view sees worship as more informal with lots of freedom to speak or move as the Holy Spirit directs. The traditional view sees the church as needing to be comfortable and familiar, whereas the modern view seesthe need for the church to be relevant and to change with the times. And the traditional church stresses the need for consistency in worship and practice, while the modern view desires flexibility and adaptation so that worship does not become stale or too repetitive. Again, there is no right or wrong way to conduct the church ordo worship, and leaders need to be sensitive to the different views that members may have.
The fourth source of church conflict is between generations.
There may be many long time members of the church who are used to having church done in a certain way all their lives, and this format may not be attractive to non-members or newer members. This creates the “now versus then” view or the
“young versus old” view, which can lead to conflict. Often this difference also leads to an issue related to sound. Older people prefer softer and more gentle worship music while younger people prefer louder and more lively worship music. Both styles of music are goodand acceptable but can lead to conflict if the church members have different preferences. Leaders need tobe aware of these differences and find compromises and solutions that prevent conflict from erupting.
The fifth and final source of church conflict is between ministries. In most churches there is a competition for the resources of the church among its various ministries. Itmay be competition for people, competition for equipment or facilities, or competition for publicity.
There is an old saying that says the “squeaky wheel gets the grease”, meaning that the ministry that begsthe most or complains the most often gets a larger share of the resources. If a church does not have a wellthough out strategic plan that has been universally agreed to, this can cause conflict as ministries try to grab the resources they feel they need to support their ministry. Conflict over church resources can be avoided with a clear vision and good planning, which is discussed in further detail in Chapter 9.
These 5 sources of conflict exist within every church, and the wise leader is aware of them and seeks to minimizethem through effective communication and planning.
Reflection
Which of the 5 sources of conflict do you see the most in your ministry? Which of the 5 sourcesof conflict is your biggest concern in your ministry?
We saw above what the sources of conflict are within the church. But there is an underlying cause for all conflict that manifests itself in the above sources. We need to recognize the true cause of conflict if we are to resolve conflict peacefully and appropriately. The Bible clearly defines the causes of conflict, and it comes from 3 sources:
1. Satan
Satan is always around tempting us to sin. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) Satan is real and at work every day trying to destroy the people and plans of God. He is called the “author of lies” and “the deceiver.” He tempts the
people of God to do things against the will and purpose of God, or to ignore God altogether. He is constantly active and looking to lead God’s people away from the truth. To ignore him or discount him is both foolish and perilous. And when other people hurt us or are in conflict with us, don’tbe surprised if it is really Satan behind the attack. Often times another person is not the true enemy – Satan is!
2. Our Sinful Nature
We are born sinful. It is our nature. Ever since Adam & Eve all humans have been born in sin. As a result, we have a nature that is contrary to God. Paul describes this situation quite accurately in Galatians 5:17. He says, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” We are indeed in conflictwith our own bodies and our own minds. And only through seeking the Holy Spirit and the ways of God can we ever hope to overcome our own sinfulness. It is our sinful naturethat often causes us to be selfish and to disagree or argue with others, causing conflict.
3. The Sinful World
We live in a world that is corrupt and will try to corrupt us. The Bible says, “For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 1:16) The culture we live in today has strayed so far away from Godliness that it has become very easy to see, yet difficult to avoid. We are told to be in the world but not of the world(John 15:19, 1 Peter 2:11), and so we struggle every day to combat and battle the forces that would try and lead us away from God. We need to be discerning and strong in faithso that we do not fall away from the Truth and the Way.
Weneed to stayalertandrecognizetherealcause of conflict in thechurchand in ourownlives. We canall be ledastrayand so beforewe attacksomeoneelsefortheirdifferentview ortheir actions towardus, let us rememberwho or what is ultimately behindtheconflict. Acknowledgingthetrue causewillenable us to findpeaceand be reconciledwithourbrothersandsisters.
Reflection
Which of the 3 causes of conflict do you see the most in your ministry? Which of the 3 causes of conflict is your biggest concern in your ministry?
We’ve discussed the sources and causes of conflict, so now let’s look at the reasons for conflict in the church.There are 5 major reasons for church conflict:
1. Unclear Vision or Goals
If there is no central vision or set of goals for the church then the members will create their own. The Bible says, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.” (Proverbs 29:18) This means that people will focus on whatever their own agenda or purpose is instead of what God has called the church to do. It is imperative that the pastorshare the vision that God has given them for the church and to inspire others to share thatvision with him. If groups or people have different visions or goals that clash then there will be conflict.
2. Lack of a Strategic Plan
If there is no strategic plan in place that allocates or prioritizes resources then people willcompete for resources based on personal needs and not the corporate needs of the church.People will also likely compete for resources based on their current and not future need, which could impact future plans and goals. The strategic plan helps a church to define how it will use its resources to its best advantage to achieve its vision or goals. If there is no organization of church resources, then conflict will ultimately be the result as church members fight over who gets what share of what the church has.
3. Inadequate Discipleship
If people in the church have not been taught the Bible and Christian principles then they will not understand their sinful nature and the need to serve others and not themselves. As stated above, our own selfishness and sinfulness is a major cause of conflict, and we can avoid it by teaching the Word. Also it may be that Christian values have not been exhibited by church leadership, and so the church members see no example of how to getalong with others or serve others instead of themselves. Remember that a picture is wortha thousand words and people will
often act as their leaders act. Finally, if Biblical conflict resolution has not been taught then the people will not know how to handle and resolve conflict themselves. So leaders should be teaching conflict resolution as outlined by Jesus in Matthew 18.
4. Poor Communication
If there is little or no communication by the leader then the people will be unaware of otherchurch needs. When people know the church’s vision and plan they can more easily un- derstand how the church is using its resources and can thus avoid conflict over them. Andif the people don’t communicate with one another on a regular basis then this can also lead to conflict as they may not all have the same information or set of facts. Finally, if commu- nication is reactive rather than pro-active then there is little chance to avoid conflict. It is always better to err on the side of too much communication than too little communication.
5. Not Dealing With Problems
One final reason for conflict is when the church does not adequately address its problems. Failure to deal with conflict is common because it is either not easy to resolve or leaders do not want to make it public. Often current conflicts are ignored altogether in the hope that it just goes away. Many leaders don’t like conflict and so they may not deal with it ina timely basis. Similarly, past conflicts may have never been resolved and so they just keepperpetuating themselves over and over again.
Finally, potential conflicts are not anticipat-ed and so they have a habit of creeping up on the leader and becoming a bigger problem than if they had dealt with them earlier or before they happened.
All of the above reasons for conflict can be effectively dealt with by the leader if they act quickly and practicea little prevention. The best way to resolve conflict is to not have conflict in the first place. And the wise and
effective leaders avoids conflict through a clear vision, better planning, better communication, better discipleshipand better responsiveness.
Reflection
Which of the 5 reasons for conflict do you see the most in your ministry? Which of the 5 reasonsfor conflict is your biggest concern in your ministry?
It is important to recognize conflict if the leader is going to be able to manage it properly. There are both obviousand less obvious signs of conflict. One obvious sign is emotional outbursts, when people get visibly angry
or upset. That usually means there is something underneath the surface of an issue which could be conflict. Another obvious sign is written complaints, when people email the pastor or leader about problems in the church that need some sort of resolution. The final obvious sign is gossip, when people start spreading rumors about others. This could indicate a conflict exists between the ones being gossiped about. Each of these obvious signs give the leader an opportunity to check out the facts and determine if there is a conflict that needs to be dealt with.
But there are also less obvious (warning) signs which are less visible and need some follow up to determine if there is conflict. For example, one less obvious sign is a withdrawal from church activities. When a person who has been active in the church suddenly stops participating, this could indicate they have a conflict with thechurch or someone in the church, which caused them to stop coming. Another less obvious sign is when there
are project delays. This could indicate that people are in conflict and can’t agree on key project issues that wouldenable them to move forward. Finally, another less obvious sign is when there is no communication. When people stop talking to one another it usually indicates that a conflict exists that people do not want to talk about.An effective leader looks for the less obvious signs as a warning that there is a conflict in the church that they need to address.
Identifying conflict is the easy part. Resolving it is far more difficult. Fortunately, Jesus left us instructions on how to resolve conflict between people. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just
between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take oneor two others along, so that every matter may be established by two of three witnesses. If he refuses to listen tothem, tell it to the church; if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or tax collector.”(Matthew 18: 15- 17) So we have a process that we can use when we work for peace and to resolve conflict. It still is not an easy task, but with the guidance of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we stand a good chance of success.
There are 2 types of conflict the leader may need to resolve. One type is when the leader is in conflict himself with another person. The second type is when the leader must mediate
between two other people in the churchor ministry who are in conflict. These will now be discussed separately.
1. When you are in conflict with someone else:
Jesus also gave us instruction about resolving our conflicts with another person. In Luke 6:42, He said, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye.’ When you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye.” It is clear from this passage that we must be careful when approach- ing others to discuss a conflict and to first look at ourselves and what we have contributedto the conflict. We must approach others from a point of humility and not pride or ar- rogance if we want to resolve conflict.
Let’s look at the process we should use based upon these 2 Scriptures:
1. First, identify how much of the conflict is your fault. Be honest with yourself and identify theareas of the conflict you are responsible for. Did you use harsh words or foul language? Did you spread gossip or were you impatient? Did you do something unintentionally?
2. Next, admit and confess the part of the conflict you are responsible for to the other person. When you approach the person you are in conflict with, do it with this intention. Remember tobe humble and respectful.
3. Seek forgiveness for your wrongdoing. Once you have asked for forgiveness from the otherperson for the wrong you have done to them, and received it, you can now speak to them aboutwhat they did to you.
4. If forgiveness is given, then speak to them about their part of the conflict and work to resolveyour conflict.
5. If the other person will not forgive you, then get 1 or more people as per
Matthew 18:15-17.
2. When you are called upon to mediate a conflict:
The process is a little different when you must mediate a conflict. Here are the steps you should follow when mediating between two parties:
1. First, identify the conflict. Be sure that you identify the actual problem and not the symptom. Dig as deep as you need to in order to get to the true source
of the conflict. Make sure everyone involved agrees on what the problem is and who is responsible for what. If necessary, write downthe sins committed by each side so that they can be forgiven one by one.
2. Next, identify the participants. Determine who exactly is really involved and how they are involved (what are their sins?). Be sure to include all relevant persons. Determine why are theyinvolved as well.
3. Solve it Biblically! Have each party admit and confess their faults (Luke 6:42). Then have eachparty ask for forgiveness of the other. If forgiveness is given, then the conflict can be resolved. If forgiveness is not given, then proceed with witnesses (as per Matthew 18:15-17). Remember to Glorify God in all you do!
Remember to solve it peacefully as well. Conflicts can provide new opportunities forunderstanding and reconciliation. Do not sin in your attempt to resolve a conflict and do not make matters worse by guessing. Get the facts.
Remember the greatest
commandment is to love God and one another. “Jesus replied, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is likeit: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37 & 39)
There are a few things we need to remember and think about in order to get beyond the conflicts in our lives.
First, we are only responsible for our own actions.
We cannot control what other people do, but we can control what we do. The Bible says to be careful how we liveand to live wisely. “Be very careful then how you live – not as unwise but as wise...” (Ephesians 5:15). We must make sure that we exhibit self-control no matter what others are doing or saying. We must also remember that God is the only one who can change hearts. Try as we might, we cannot change other people. Only the Holy Spirit can truly change a person. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 10:6, “The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you
in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” So let’s controlourselves and leave others up to God.
Second, know that forgiveness is power.
Refusing to forgive others only makes you a slave to your anger and does nothing to resolve conflict. Forgivenessputs conflicts behind you and allows you to move forward. Hanging on to pain and bitterness will only destroy you. Forgiving others allows you to be free of the
conflict. In Jesus’ words, it means to “go and sin no more.” “Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
Third, be a peacemaker.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Resolving conflictmeans to be a peacemaker, and it is not always easy. But the rewards of conflict resolution are tremendous andenable the leader to move forward in ministry and experience God’s many blessings.
Finally, it is important to know that conflict is not always bad. It is possible to have conflict without sin. In otherwords, there can be two different opinions as to how to solve the same problem, and when both are working together they can achieve the best result for a common good. Conflict can also identify something that needs to be addressed. For example there may be a process that needs to be fine tuned or procedure that needs further definition. That might not have been obvious without the conflict.
Reflection
What conflicts do you have that need resolving? What conflicts are you ignoring and hoping theywill go away? How can you apply Matthew 18 to your conflicts?
Instructions: For each conflict, list some steps you might take to resolve them.
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Examples of Church Conflicts |
Potential Solutions |
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1. Your youth ministry leadership is unhappy with the resources and space that they have been allocatedand say they need more. |
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2. Your Board of Elders is in disagreement with the pastor over anew direction for the church. |
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3. Some of the older members of yourcongregation have started to complain about the new worship music you are using and want to domore of the “older” songs. |
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4. Two families in your congregationare in a bitter legal dispute over some land and you see members starting to take sides. |
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5. There are rumors about your worship leader having an immoralsexual relationship. |
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Chapter 8
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of theSon and of the Holy
Spirit.”
Matthew 28:19
The church on earth was created to draw people into a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ.“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17) As church leaders, our main priority is not to manage the church, but rather to lead others to Christ. We call that discipleship.
Whether we are preaching, teaching, evangelizing or worshipping, it is imperative that our motive be to “see Christ formed in others” as the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 4:19.
Jesus final word to his disciples was to go and make other disciples as stated in the Scripture above. And Acts 1:8 calls us to go into our local communities, to our nation and to the rest of the world as well! This is referred to as the Great Commission,and it is the sole purpose of the church. In this chapter, we will discuss discipleship, its purpose, principles and process, and the importance of ongoing evaluation for every church and ministry.
What is the difference between teaching anddiscipleship?
Many people think that teaching and discipleship are one and the same thing. But they are not. Teaching ispassing along knowledge or information. It is about knowing.
When we teach others we are simply givingthem knowledge or information that we have learned from someone else. Discipleship, on the other hand, is about applying that knowledge or information. It is about doing. Discipleship is not complete until the
student applies what they have learned. And because discipleship is about the student applying what they have learned, it is much harder than just teaching. A teacher cannot make their student apply their teaching, they can only encourage them to do so. Whether we or any student applies what we have learned is totally up to us asindividuals. It has been said that “to know and not yet do is to not yet know.” If we want to disciple others, we will need to go the extra distance to see that they have applied what we have taught.
Another related question is can we actually make disciples as it says in Matthew 28:19? We know from Scripturethat it is the Holy Spirit that brings us to faith (1 Corinthians 2:10 & 13, John 6:65) and causes all things to
grow (2 Corinthians 3:7). So how can we make disciples if it is the job of the Holy Spirit to do that? That is an interesting and somewhat perplexing question. I believe that the answer is found in the following verse of
Matthew 28, verse 20, where Jesus tells us to “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” So we arecalled to teach them what he taught and also to obey it. Our job is to not only teach but to encourage obedience as well, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in the other person’s life to make it happen. We are co-participants
in the process and have a very critical role to teach what we have been taught and to
encourage others to follow Christ and obey His teaching. But we must never forget that it is the Holy Spirit that changes hearts and convictsa person to follow Christ. And what joy and blessings we receive when we see the Holy Spirit at work in others as He works through us!
Discipleship is the process whereby a follower of Christ is made. It is not a diploma, it is not a completion certificate, but rather a life-long journey of an individual to become Christ-like. It is not only about knowing what Jesus taught (the Bible), but it is also about doing what he taught. James 1:22 says that we should “notmerely listen to the Word, and so deceive ourselves. Do what it says.” So a disciple of Christ is someone whotries to be obedient to what Jesus taught. Let’s now look at the reasons why we are called to disciple others.
First, it is to see Christ formed in others.
The apostle Paul says in Galatians 4:19, “My dear children, for whom I am in the pangs of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” This is THE goal and purpose of the church. The church exists to make disciples and to teach others what Jesus taught. And all heaven rejoices when one lost child is found! “In the same way, I tellyou, there is rejoicing in the presence of angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10) But we also rejoice when God’s children grow closer in faith and obedience to His Word. Becoming more like Christ every day is the goal of every Christian, although we will never fully attain it due to our sinful nature.
Second, through discipleship we develop the Spiritual Gifts of others. Every person is gifted by the Holy Spirit. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7) As we disciple others we are working to bring out the gifts already within them. As a leader we are called to encourage our members to use the gifts they already possess for the good of the whole church and
the Body of Christ. God has gifted each believer and it is the job of the leader to get themto use their gifts to further the cause of Christ.
Third, through discipleship we train and equip others for ministry.
The role of the leader in a church or ministry is to pass along the teaching and to raise up followers of Christ aswell as other leaders. Paul did likewise with his student, Timothy, and wrote to him in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The leader needs to train and equip their members and followers so that they can minister to church members as well as those who are outside thechurch. Peter calls us the “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) and
everyone is called to minister for Jesus Christ.
Fourth, through discipleship we produce church growth.
Disciples make other disciples. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19) As a leaderdisciples others, especially other potential leaders, they in turn will be compelled by the Word to disciple othersas well. This is how the church grows. And maturity in faith is seen when a disciple is able to disciple someoneelse. As a follower studies God’s Word and grows in knowledge and faith, the Holy Spirit will convict them to be obedient to Christ’s teachings and to go and make disciples too! That will enable the leader to extend their ministry to more people, which in turn grows the church!
Fifth, discipleship is a prerequisite to developing other leaders. Potential leadersmust be discipled first before they can be given any responsibility to lead or direct others. And as we learned inchapter 4, a strong faith is a critical criteria for leaders.
Without a firm foundation in the faith a leader has the potential to lead others astray and away from the truth of God’s Word. Jesus spent 3 years training and equip- ping his disciples, or his future church leaders, before sending them out to do ministry and to lead others. AndHis disciples built the church we are part of today.
Reflection
Are you focused on making disciples in your ministry or just executing programs? Can you identify people in your ministry who are growing in faith? Who in your ministry are you equipping to minister to others? Is your church growing more in members or disciples?
There are several things to remember when discipling others. These are the principles of discipleship and arehelpful to keep in mind as we mentor and teach others to become disciples of Jesus Christ.
There are 6 principles:
1. Discipleship never ends.
The Bible says in Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.” Faith is a journey as we grow in our knowledge of God, HisWord and His Son. We can read the Bible every day and go to Bible classes every week but we will never reach the end of the journey called discipleship. There is always more that we can learn. No one ever graduates or receives a diploma in
discipleship. It is a life-long pursuit to become more like Jesus. And the journey is as important as the destina- tion, because we can receive many lessons, as well as many blessings, along the way. James 1:2-4 says that we should “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials
of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” It is mainly through trials and challenges that our faith grows and we becomemature. And we can enjoy the blessings that we receive from our obedience to Christ aswell. “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
2. Discipleship is the #1 priority of the church.
As we stated earlier, making disciples is the purpose of the church. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) That makes it the #1 priority. Everythingin the church benefits from it. For example, as people are discipled they will serve more. A disciple of Jesus knows that they are called to serve others. They will not have to be asked. As people are discipled they will get involved in ministry. Disciples see that they are a minister for Jesus Christ as well and are called to be His ambassadors to a lost world.As people are discipled they will give more to the church because they will understand the Scriptural command to tithe and give back to God from what they have received. If you were asked if you would rather have a church of 25 disciples or 100 members, which would you choose? Most pastors I have encountered would choose the 25 disciples, be- cause they know that they will minister to others and be a help to the pastor in growing the church.
3. Discipleship takes time.
Because it is a journey through all of life it will take lots of time for a person to become mature in their faith. As a leader, one should not expect to see those they mentor rapidlybecome disciples. It doesn’t happen overnight or quickly. Some people grasp spiritual teachings very fast while others take longer to process Biblical truth. How do you climb a mountain? You take one step at a time. The same is true for discipleship.
Each persongrows in their own way and in their own time, and the effective leader is patient and al- lows the Holy Spirit to do its work in the lives of those they lead.
4. Discipleship takes effort.
As we said in the beginning, discipleship is about doing and applying the Word in one’s life. Therefore, it will take a great deal of effort on your part as the teacher and mentor as well as the person you are discipling to see that they put what they learn into practice.
People will need assistance to grasp the truth but also to apply it in a relevant way to theirlife. They will also need encouragement because often it will be difficult to
either change their behavior or persevere through the trials that come. Finally, people will need ac- countability from the leader so they can avoid backsliding or procrastinating in applyingthe Word in their life.
5. Discipleship takes people.
While the leader can often mentor another person themselves, it is much better to enlist others in helping disciple your members. People are often shaped by all of the people around them and those they let influence them. So the wise leader gets other people to share in the process of making disciples. Testimonies are very effective tools the leader can use to influence and shape the actions of those they are discipling. Letting other people share how God has helped them through a difficult time will also encourage oth- ers facing the same issues. Every Christian needs a brother or sister to walk with them andthe more people there are walking beside them the stronger their faith will be. “If one fallsdown, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
6. Discipleship takes desire.
Finally, the leader must want to “see Christ formed in others” as Paul stated in Galatians 4:19. The leader must put forth the effort and the time to see others grow in faith, and that will take desire to see it through. It will not necessarily be easy, but the end result is well worth it! In addition, all of us must desire to grow in our faith. There is an old adagethat says, “you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.” The same can be said for discipleship. As a leader you can lead someone to Christ and His Word, but you cannot make him want to be a disciple. The person must want that for themselves.
The Bible says in James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” The choice is up to us whether or not we want more of God and a stronger faith. No one canforce us to come to Him, so it will take our own desire to want to know Him more that will make us more like Jesus.
Reflection
Are you giving enough time and energy to making disciples in your ministry? Are you enlistingthe support and help of others to disciple your church members?
The goal of discipleship is to continue to grow to be more like Christ. As Hebrews 6:1
says we must “go on to maturity in our faith.” And it is the role of the leader to teach
and equip his followers to become mature
disciples in Christ. So the question then becomes, how do we know if someone is mature in their faith? The bestway I know of is to observe their walk with Christ and their involvement in ministry. We often call these the signs of discipleship. Let’s look at what they are.
A. What are the signs of discipleship? There are 6 signs of discipleship:
1. Faith
The Bible says, “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) So it would follow that a disciple is someone who walks in faith and trusts God. A disciple tries to live out their faith in practical ways and holds onto faith in times of trouble. Our faith can simply be measuredby how much a person trusts God. And a mature believer learns to trust God in every situ- ation, regardless if it is good or bad. A mature believer will exhibit and demonstrate their faith in ways that make it obvious to others, either through their words or deeds.
2. Worship
Jesus said, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and withall your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) when asked what the greatest commandment was. He was stating very clearly that a disciple is someone who worships the Lord. A disciple acknowledges God as sovereign and always gives God the glory! A true disciple attends worship regularly and seeks opportunities to praise and thank Him, whether in church, at work, or just in and around their community. A disciple lives a life of worship, demon-strated by their recognition of God in all the do and say. A disciple knows that worship isa lifestyle and not a once a week observance.
3. Bible Study
God gave us His Word in the form of Scripture so that all humanity might know more about Him. The Bible is the primary tool God used to speak to us that would be recordedfor all time. The Bible even says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) God Himself was acknowledging that His Word, along with Jesus, is the basis for the Christian faith.
So a disciple is always learning God’s ways and desires God’s wisdom. They look to God’sWord for answers and strive to apply His teachings into their life. It is impossible to do the will of God if a person does not know God’s Word. Daily Bible
reading and regular Bible study are essential for a disciple of Christ to grow into maturity.
4. Prayer
The Bible simply says “Pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer is communicat-ing with God. A disciple talks to God daily and listens for the Lord’s response. Prayer is the tool that God gives us to come to Him with our struggles, our joys, our requests and our needs. And He is faithful to respond to us if “we ask with pure motives.” (James 4:3) A disciple lives in the Spirit and talks to God at every opportunity, trusting that He will answer prayer. And it is through prayer that a disciple discovers God’s will for their life. Again, it is impossible to know God or His will and purpose for our life if we have never spoken to Him.
5. Service
A disciple understands that they are called to serve. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, be- cause you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) Just asJesus “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28), His followers also must do likewise. Therefore, a disciple serves the Body of Christ and serves other people first.They follow Jesus’ example and consider others more highly than themselves. A disciplewho will not serve is no disciple at all.
6. Mission & Witness
One of the key signs of spiritual maturity for a Christian is when they can comfortably share their faith with anyone. The Bible calls us all to be His witnesses. “But you will receive power when the Hoy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jeru- salem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” (Acts 1:8) A discipletells others what God has done and goes where God leads them. They look to God for guidance and direction and trust in Him to give them the words to say to others. A ma- ture disciple also makes other disciples, because they know they must pass on the gospelto others in order to help build God’s Kingdom. God’s plan to reach every human being with the message of the gospel is to use every follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. And amature believer accepts this challenge and responsibility.
Reflection
Do you have a plan for making disciples in your ministry? Do you have people in your ministrydiscipling others? Do you annually evaluate the discipleship of your ministry? What activity in your ministry seems to encourage the most faith building?
B. Formulating a Discipleship Plan
Is there a prescribed discipleship program, though, that works for every individual? No, there is not. But we can put forth a series of steps, or a plan, that outlines how to go about it in a more systematic way. We must first
develop a set of goals for discipleship. We must identify what we want to accomplish and how we will measure it.Second, we need to identify potential leaders and teachers that can help in the process of discipling our church or ministry members. It is essential that the leader recruit others to help them make more disciples. Third, we need to be intentional and proactive. We can’t sit back or wait for others to come to us for teaching, we must go to them and seek ways to disciple others. Finally, we must develop a strategy for discipleship, like the one below:
Step 1: Invitation to Worship
It all starts with an invitation to come to worship. That seems to be the normal way. Butyou can also invite them to a home Bible study or home fellowship. The important thingis that they experience the presence of the Holy Spirit with other Believers. As the leaderyou should also pray for the Holy Spirit to touch them in a special way, and as they be- come touched, encourage them to receive Christ and to make a public profession of theirfaith. We call this evangelism, or helping to lead others to Christ. This is always the first step of faith – to receive Christ!
Step 2: Enroll Them In a Bible Study
Once a person has accepted Christ and become a Believer, the next step is to get them intoa Bible study so that they can begin to learn about the Christian faith. Teach them the basics of Christianity and what it means to live by faith. Encourage personal daily Bible reading and to develop a Biblical worldview, which means to see things through the lens of Scripture. Teach them the importance of always looking to the Bible for answers and
to know God more. Let the Scriptures speak to their hearts and minds.
“Consequently,faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
Step 3: Encourage Prayer Life
Prayer is not something that people necessarily know how to do. They need to be taught. Even Jesus’ disciples needed to be taught how to pray (Matthew 6:9). So as leaders you should also provide prayer training and teach them how to pray and communicate with God. Do not assume they know how. It is also a good idea to teach them how to pray Scripture. That is one of the most effective ways to help them learn
the Bible and to enablethem to minister to others. You can also involve them in prayer ministry at your church. Help them develop a consistent prayer life and to always be ready to go to God for guid- ance or help.
Step 4: Involve Them In Service
A follower of Christ must be a servant of others. So every disciple needs to serve in theirchurch. As a member of the church they need to support the church and as a member of the Body of Christ it is mandated. “Rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)Our church calls this a community contribution. Have them serve according to their abilities (talents and skills they possess) and based upon the spiritual gift(s) they have (seeChapter 5). This will ensure that they are working in areas where they are gifted and willbe fruitful. Help them to see their role in the church and what God’s purpose for their lifemight be in terms of ministry.
Step 5: Move Members Into Ministry
Serving in the church is important, but it is also necessary to get the followers of Christ involved in a ministry. This could be serving, teaching, witnessing, intercessory prayer, orany activity that encourages them to minister to others with the gospel. Encourage them to see their service to the church as a ministry and an opportunity to share their faith withothers. Offer mission trip opportunities (local, national, and international) and provide evangelism training to help them reach out to others. Have them prepare a testimony
and a list of people for them to witness to or invite to worship. Train potential leaders forchurch or ministry leadership
Step 6: Move Members From Being Disciples to Discipling Others
As you disciple others, encourage them to help others grow in their faith. You need to train them to train others so that the Body of Christ can grow. Just as Paul mentored Timothy, every mature believer needs to disciple another believer. This is the principle ofmultiplication ministry and needs to be taught and encouraged.
And you will know that a person has become a mature believer and a true disciple when they are able to disciple someone else.
Following this plan does not guarantee you will have success in making disciples. But if you don’t have some plan then it is very likely that you will be unsuccessful, or at the very least, producing less disciples than you arecapable of.
It is important that you annually assess your discipleship progress. This is in order that you can determine if youare having successes or not, and where. Failure to adequately assess your level of discipleship really means thateither you assume it is happening or you don’t care. Either attitude is dangerous because it does not demonstratea love for others and concern for their faith. Here are some simple questions you can ask yourself or your church/ministry:
Evaluation Questions
How many member are actively involved
in the discipleship process?Where are we having
success?
Are
our members growing
in faith individually?
Is it bearing fruit
for the church?
For the individual? If so, how?What
has been the impact on our church? Our community?
As you review the answers to these questions, make adjustments to your plan as needed. Encourage participation in successful classes or courses you are offering or teaching. Use testimonies to encourage them further. Celebrate the successes and analyze the failures to see how the plan could be improved. By evaluatingyour discipleship program annually you will ensure that you are making progress towards making disciples!
Instructions: Complete the chart below with your ideas or suggestions as to what topics to include in each levelof training:
New Believer Level 1 (Faith Beginnings)
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1. Who is God? |
5. |
9. |
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2. Baptism |
6. |
10. |
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3. Communion |
7. |
11. |
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4. Bible Overview (OT & NT) |
8. |
12. |
Basic Believer Level 2 (Faith Foundations)
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1. Creation - Genesis |
5. |
9. |
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2. Spiritual Gifts |
6. |
10. |
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3. The Christian Life - NT |
7. |
11. |
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4. The Trinity |
8. |
12. |
Stable Believer Level 3 (Faith Growth)
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1. OT History |
5. |
9. |
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2. Satan & Evil |
6. |
10. |
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3. Faith - Hebrews |
7. |
11. |
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4. Spiritual Growth |
8. |
12. |
Strong Believer Level 4 (Faith in Action)
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1. Teaching the Word |
5. |
9. |
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2. Ministry Leadership |
6. |
10. |
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3. Missions |
7. |
11. |
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4. End Times - Revelation |
8. |
12. |
Section 3
MANAG E ME NT
Chapter 9
StrategicPlanning
“Suppose one of you wants
to build a tower. Will
henot first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone whosees it will ridicule him.”
Luke 14:28-29
Planning is an important element in church leadership. Robert Schuller, author and Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in California, says, “those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Having a clearly defined plan helps a churchorganize its resources and apply them in such a way as to best achieve their vision. Without a plan, churches waste limited resources and valuable time, and inevitably fall short of achieving what God has called them to do.Having a plan does not restrict a church to a prescribed course of action, but rather lays the foundation upon which the church can strategically deploy its assets for maximum effectiveness. In this chapter, we will discusswhy a church needs a strategic plan, the elements of a strategic plan, and how to develop one for your church.
What is Strategic Planning?
To begin with we must first define what is meant by strategic planning. Strategic planning is the process of setting goals, organizing activities and deploying resources to achieve a vision. A Strategic Plan tells you whatresources you are going to use, when you are going to use them, and how you are going to apply them, in order to accomplish what God has called you to do. All of your available resources are given to you by God (James 1:17) and His desire is that you invest and manage them wisely in order to produce fruit for the Kingdom. A strategic plan helps the leader to do just that.
Why does the church need a strategic plan?
One of the questions many church leaders ask is why we should have a plan at all, since we are supposed to beled by the Holy Spirit who directs us as He desires. But we must remember that even a strategic plan is directedby the Holy Spirit, and as we start to organize and decide how best to deploy the resources that God has given to us the Holy Spirit is right there with us guiding our decisions and plans. The strategic plan is not for God’s
benefit, but for ours. It is a tool that helps us stay focused on the Vision that God has given us and to manage ourresources wisely and effectively.
It is also important to remember that our God is a God of planning. Scripture includes
references to God’s planfor salvation (John 3:16) and His plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11). It
also includes references to our use of planning(Psalms 20:4, Proverbs 15:22 & 16:3, and Isaiah 32:8). Here are some additional reasons why churches and ministries need a strategic plan:
1. To chart a course for the future
A strategic plan helps us to build a foundation for future growth and development. Jesus illustrates this in Luke 6:46-49 when He says, “Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”Jesus is encouraging us to always build a solid foundation, whether it is our faith or our ministry. Having a plan assures us that we have a strong ministry foundation that will notbe swept away or collapse when difficulties arise.
A strategic plan also enables the leader to direct and guide the many activities and ministries of the church. As a church or ministry grows it becomes increasingly more difficult to manage all of the church’s resources. Having a well written plan enables the leader to know where the resources are going and how they are helping the church achieveits vision.
2. To avoid distractions
The strategic plan will help to keep the focus of the church or ministry on its vision and mission. Churches and ministries are often presented with new opportunities ornew avenues of ministry. And therefore it can easily be distracted from its primary
mission or goal. So the leader must stay focused on what He is being called to do for the Lord. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The writer is warning us to avoid the things that pull us off course or lead us astray and to follow the path that Godhas laid out for us.
3. To utilize its resources effectively and efficiently
One of the primary benefits of a strategic plan is to enable efficient resource deployment.As part of the planning process the leader must choose how to maximize output from the available resources. God does not want us to waste His
resources so the leader mustbe wise in how and when they are deployed. Just as we do not want to squander the giftsGod has given us personally, the leader must not squander the resources God has given his or her ministry.
4. To prevent further conflicts
When you have a strategic plan and everyone is aware of it, it helps avoid conflicts aboutavailable resources. This is because the leadership team has already decided how best to use its resources to accomplish its goals. So when new situations or opportunities arise, the church can better foresee resource conflicts, evaluate the impact against the current plan, and determine the best way forward for the church. It may be that the new opportu-nity helps the church reach its vision in a better way and so the plan can change to ac- commodate the new reality. Without a plan in place it is more likely that a poor decision might be made as to which course to follow, resulting in a conflict.
What does a strategic plan involve?
There are 7 elements to a strategic plan. They are:
1. Statement of Vision
The statement of vision describes the desired outcome that you are attempting to ac- complish. It answers the question of what your ultimate goal is or where you are going. It should be something you can measure so that you know when it is completed. If youcannot measure it, it is not a vision or a goal. This becomes the entire basis for the plan.Without a vision or goal to achieve there is no need for a plan.
2. Statement of Needs
The statement of needs defines what you need to accomplish the vision. This is usually expressed in terms of the resources needed, such as people, money, time, equipment, etc. This element should identify what is necessary to achieve the vision, not how to obtain orapply them. That comes in the next element, activity planning. This is perhaps the mostcritical element of the plan because it lays the groundwork for what is needed to accom- plish your vision, or ultimate goal.
3. Activity Planning
Activity planning is the element that identifies the activities you are going to implement for each need. It answers the question of how each need will be achieved and what you are specifically going to do to achieve them. You will also determine which activities havepriority over others by specifying the order in which activities
or projects must be com- pleted. It is often necessary that some activities must precede others. Additionally, some activities may be critical to the success of your overall plan and therefore are of utmost importance. For example, the plan to build a church will fall apart if you do not have the land to build it on.
4. Timing
Timing is the element of the plan that answers the question of when something needs to happen. Timing specifies when you are going to do an activity, how long each activity will take, or when an activity must be completed. Time can therefore be expressed as elapsed time or a specific point in time that an activity might require. Timing is especially impor- tant in order to prioritize the various activities so that more important ones or the first things needed are accomplished before others. For example, before you can plan to put a roof on a church you must first lay the foundation and build the walls or posts to hold it up.
5. Resources
The element of Resources answers the question of what is needed in more detail. A goodstrategic plan considers first the existing resources that are needed. This includes what people from the church may be needed to do the work, the equipment you have that might be needed, or what financial resources from your existing budget might be re- quired. The second type of resource to be considered are those new resources that may beneeded to be acquired, either by donation, rental or purchase. This may include facilities,equipment or people as well. Finally, the third type of resource that should be consideredis training. Do you need to train people for the tasks they are asked to complete in the plan?
6. Tactics
The element of Tactics identifies specific opportunities that you have, either in terms of resources or timing, and answers the question of why you are including an activity in yourplan. This includes determining how to best utilize the gifts of your members or how to take advantage of resources you already have. For example, if you have an architect in your church, then perhaps they will donate their time to draw up a plan for a new church so that you do not have to hire an architect.
7. Organization
The final element is Organization, which answers the questions of who is either going to complete a task or who is responsible for completing a task. The element identifies whowill have what authority, either for project decisions or financial decisions. It determineswho is to be responsible for meeting project goals or for getting tasks accomplished. It also determines what teams are needed, who will be
on them, and who will lead them.
How do we develop a strategic plan?
The development of a strategic plan is a process and should be done with attention to detail and with collaboration with others to assure that it is a comprehensive and well thought-out plan. If it is done quickly oronly by one person then there is a greater likelihood that there will be errors or things missing that could resultin poor results or outright failure. So it is important to take the time necessary to get it right and to involve others in its development so that all points of view and options are considered. Here are some basic steps to usewhen developing a strategic plan:
1. Organize a strategic planning group.
The first thing you want to do is to put a team together who will develop the plan. Whileone person can develop a plan by themselves, it is always better to have others involved who can perhaps see things from a different perspective or challenge conclusions to makesure they are appropriate. You will need to pick key people who have appropriate skills orbackground in what you are planning. Be sure to include people with planning experi- ence if possible. Also consider those with a passion for the project, as their interest in theoutcome will result in strong participation and a thorough plan.
2. Outline your plan.
The next thing you will want the team to do is to simply outline the plan. The starting point to any plan is a simple outline that defines your vision and key needs. Take your time to consider all options and alternatives. Getting this step right will ensure that youdon’t make mistakes or get off track later on in the planning process. Simply ask your- selves these 2 questions: where are we going? and what do we need to get there?
3. Add details to the plan.
After you have a good outline, determine the list of activities you are going to implementfor each need that you have identified in order to achieve the vision. Discuss the elementsof each activity in detail including their timing, resources, tactics, and organization. This is the part of the process where you focus on how each need is to be accomplished. Con- sider all ideas and suggestions from the team and let the plan evolve. It is a good idea to have more than one meeting and to continue to update and revise each activity until you are sure it is complete and what you want. Make sure that you write the plan down at thispoint in draft form so that you can see the extent of the plan and identify anything that might be missing
or incomplete.
4. Gather input from others in the church.
Once you have a draft of your plan, ask others within the church or ministry for their thoughts and opinions. This will enable you to augment the plan or introduce new ideasthat you had not thought of. It will also allow you to gain other perspectives, which canbe very helpful, and will help avoid getting stuck or hitting a roadblock in the planning process. As thorough as you may think your team has been or the plan is, bringing in an outside perspective can reveal your blind spots and biases that can affect the developmentof a good and effective plan.
5. Prepare a written document.
The next step is to write out a final plan document. Writing a plan down helps to clarify itand uncover missing activities or ideas. If you cannot write down what you intend to do, then how can you effectively do what you intend? The plan can then also be distributed for others to comment on and provide a base point for discussions and reference. The plandocument is also a tangible output from the planning process and documents what you intend to do to achieve your vision.
6. Finalize the plan.
To finalize the plan means to prepare the final written strategic plan that the team mem- bers can review for accuracy and completeness. I would further suggest that you have each person on the planning team sign the document to acknowledge their agreement and to avoid future conflicts. This ensures that everyone agrees to the plan and cannot saylater that they either did not understand it or agree to it.
7. Communicate the plan.
The last step in the planning process is to communicate the plan to team members and tothe church or ministry. You should provide written copies to key church leaders as well andpresent your Plan to the congregation or ministry. This can be done in written form or inconjunction with a meeting. The important thing here is to communicate to the church what the plan is and what your intentions are. Doing this will avoid future resource conflictand encourage support and participation by the church in its implementation.
A strategic plan is not meant to be carved in stone, meaning that it can never change. A good strategic plan must change because our environment and situations are constantly changing. Nothing really ever stays the same. And because things change, the plan must change and adapt to the changes that affect it as well. Some ofthe assumptions included in the plan are no longer valid. Some of the people you had counted on to implementthe plan are no longer at your church. Some of the costs you estimated have gone way up or way down since theplan was made. All of these changes will impact the plan and must be taken into consideration if the plan is to be implemented effectively.
Having a strategic plan also allows you to determine the impact of these types of changes on your plan and your ministry. Without a plan in place you could make erroneous assumptions or inaccurate evaluations on the true impact of the change. Assessing how the change will impact your plan may result in having more resources available than you thought, or perhaps less. Taking the time needed to evaluate the impact and make adjustments to your plan and use of resources will enable the church to better manage its resources and more effectively achieve its vision.
The next page is an exercise on strategic planning but also contains a sample plan format that you can use tooutline a plan.
If we pray for God to direct our steps, why do you think we should still plan? If you have a plan for your ministry, which of the 4 reasons is the most important reason for it? If you do not have aministry plan, which of the 4 reasons would cause you to develop one?
activities for how toachieve
that need. Vision Statement
Managing People
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Need #1:
Activities: 1.
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Need #2:
Activities: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Need #3:
Activities: 1.
2.
3.
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Need #4:
Activities: 1.
2.
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5.
Chapter 10
“You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24
Virtually all ministries require some level of finances to operate. Typically, they rely on the donations and gifts that they receive from their members or the general public. As a church leader, you have the responsibility to make sure that all donations are recorded accurately and that all ministry expenses are legitimate and accounted for properly. This is typically a legal mandate, but, more importantly, it is a Biblical command as well! Managing your church or ministry finances well demonstrates to God, and your membership, that you are trustworthy. TheBible warns us that failure to maintain the highest level of integrity only leads to ruin and suffering (Proverbs 10:9), and that includes finances.
But what is integrity and what does it mean? Integrity can be defined as the place where your ethics and morals intersect. Your ethics are what you say that you believe in. It can be thought of as your personal code of
conduct. For the Christian this is the Bible. Your morals, on the other hand, are what you actually do. It is yourbehavior. So you have integrity when your morals (behavior) agree with your ethics (code of conduct). If you believe in the Bible, then you have integrity when your behavior matches what the Bible teaches and what you say you believe. To not have integrity means to do things that are contrary to the Bible and your stated beliefs.So integrity is acting according to your beliefs. Having integrity with money is managing money according to what the Bible teaches about money, and is the subject of this chapter.
In this chapter, we will look at why managing money well is so important, what are its principles, how to practicefinancial integrity (good money management), and what are its benefits.
Why is managing money well so important?
The Bible says that we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). So it is clear that we can only haveone Master, and that is God. It also means that money, or the love of it, is what often draws us away from God and into sin. And often money can represent other things that we worship or covet instead of God. So how weact with regard to money is a key indicator of how we worship, obey and honor God. If we handle money well and in its proper relationship to God, then we honor God and will be blessed. But if we handle money poorly then we dishonor God and submit ourselves to its
consequences. Let’s look at a few reasons why managing money is so important.
1. The Bible says that money can cause many problems.
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” In otherwords, worshipping money brings all sorts of negative consequences. First of all, poor money management leads to stress and other sins like lying, stealing, coveting, gambling,etc. According to Proverbs 13:6, “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wick- edness overthrows the sinner.” The love of money often causes us to do things we might otherwise not do. Secondly, the love of money can also destroy relationships. “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9) Third, we need to understand that money is not the goal, but rather it is a means to a goal. Money is a resource that you use to achieve a goal, but is not the goal itself. Money usually represents the goal we are actually seeking. We must also be aware that God will provide the resources you need to do His work. Fourth, the power of money over people is well documented. It often results in bad decisions or it can result in imprisonment. Fi-nally, money can become a god or idol of worship. The Bible says, “You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) To pursue money is to pursue a false god. You lose your freedom in Christ by becoming a slave to money.
2. Using money inappropriately is cheating God.
Money given to the church is given to God. As a pastor or church leader, then, you are simply a steward (manager) of what belongs to God. That is also true for each one of us.James 1:17 says that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from theFather of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” As individualswe are also just stewards of what is rightfully His. While we may claim that what we haveis ours, in truth it ALL belongs to God and He gives everything to us to use for His pur- poses. God indeed has a plan for our treasures and what to do with them, and so we mustlisten to Him as to how to use them.
So misuse of money given to the church is the same as stealing it from God. When we robfrom the church we are robbing from God (Malachi 3:8). And stealing does not demon- strate love. “Love does no harm to its neighbor.” (Romans 13:10)
3. Poor money management is poor stewardship.
Poor stewardship is not managing money (God’s resource) wisely. Jesus taught several parables to demonstrate how God wants us to handle money. For example, in the parableof the 10 talents (Matthew 25:14-30) He shows us that He wants us to invest and use His resources for His glory. Consequently, using God’s gifts wisely will produce fruit for theKingdom and according to His will and purpose. Managing God’s gifts well and for His purposes will also glorify God. The good steward always seeks his owner’s (God’s) pur- poses and invests His resources in ways that will produce fruit and glorify Him.
4. Good money management builds trust.
How you manage money (i.e. - God’s resources) demonstrates how much you can be trusted. Jesus said in Luke 16:10 that “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also betrusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Jesus also taught that if you can’t handle money, then you can’t you handle spiritu-al things. In the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16:11, Jesus said, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly
wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” So how you handle money becomes a measure of your trustworthiness. Additionally, it will also be true that people will trust you if you trust God. The greater your faith in God and His promises is, the greater your trust in Him will be. And the greater your trust is inHim then the more likely it is that others will trust you as well.
What are the principles of managing money?
The key to managing money is to see it as God’s first and foremost. When we see money as ours we begin to worship it or treat it differently than what God intends. When viewed from this perspective it allows us to thinkmore clearly about how God would have us spend His money. It puts the focus on God and not us. God tells usthis truth in Luke 3:13- 14 when He says, “Don’t collect any more than you are required to. Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely-be content with your pay.” He is saying to be content with what God has given us to use for His purposes. When we treat money as our own, then our sinful nature will expose our hearts andlead us to covet what money can give to us, rather than to want what God gives to us. Let’s look now at 8 key principles to managing money.
1. Be content with what God provides you.
As the Word says above we must be content with what God gives us to work with. So we must ask Him only for what we need. When we ask for more than that we are really tell- ing God that He is not providing enough to satisfy “our” wants. James 4:2- 3 says that we “do not have because we do not ask God.” And when we ask we do not receive because we “ask with wrong motives, so that we may spend what we get on our pleasures.” We need to learn to trust God to provide for all of our needs, knowing that he also knows ourdesires and will bless us with those as well (Psalms 37:4).
2. Don’t use money for purposes it wasn’t intended for.
God usually provides for our needs in response to our requests. It is wrong then to receiveGod’s response and then not use it for what we asked for. We dishonor God when we askfor money for one thing and then use it for another. We must honor people’s giving and God’s provision by using funds for their intended purpose.
However, sometimes God re- sponds with more funds than we truly need for a particular request. In that case, in order to use the excess funds for other needs our ministry might have we need to get permissionfrom those who gave us the funds to do so. If they agree then it is permissible to use thoseexcess funds for another purpose. If they do not agree, then those excess funds need to stay with their original purpose and we should seek God as to how He wants them used.
3. Don’t use church money for personal desires.
Money given to the church is for the church. Never take money from the church to satisfya personal desire or want. It is acceptable to use money given to the church for a salary orliving expenses provided it is budgeted or an acceptable cultural practice. But these fundsshould go for your family needs, not for things that you want or desire above your needs. Also, do not give church money to others for
personal desires or wants. God’s money should always be used to pay for true needs and not for what we desire.
4. Account for all money received.
Regardless of how much money you receive in your church or ministry you should always account for everything God gives to you. Therefore, you should record ALL income and gifts received as well as the requested purpose. This should be done for all donations so thatyou will honor them. Keep accurate and up-to-date records so that there will be no hint of misuse of funds that may call your integrity into question. If someone gives you money ex- pressly for your personal use then it does not have to be
recorded as church income.
5. Account for all money spent.
Similar to the gifts you receive you should also record ALL expenses that you incur on behalf of the church or ministry. It is important to show how the money that was given was spent so that the church honors the giving that was provided. It is also a good idea tokeep receipts for all expenses as much as it is possible as a record of those expenditures.
Again, this is an integrity issue and your records will show that you are trustworthy.
6. Establish procedures for large purchases.
In order to prevent one person from spending a large portion of your receipts, it is recom-mended that you do not allow one person the authority to make a large purchase. Estab- lish a check and balance system for all major expenses by requiring an approval form or other document to dispense money for large purchases. Without such a system in place
it would be possible for someone to either put you in financial crisis or misuse all of the money the church has.
7. Regularly publish a financial statement.
In order to show that the money received and spent is appropriate, a church should issue afinancial statement that shows the amount received, the amount spent, and the balance on hand. Preferably this should be done monthly but at a minimum it should be done annually.This not only helps you manage the finances that you have but will also demonstrate to your church that you have integrity with the church’s money. Failure to do this could cause some people to think you are hiding something or not using the
church’s money properly.
8. Utilize independent people to periodically analyze church finances. Another good idea is to have someone from outside the church review your financial re-cords. This is called a financial audit and should be done annually. This ensures that yourrecords are accurate and truly reflect your financial condition. It also helps to assure thatyou have integrity with your finances.
Howdoyoupracticegoodmoneymanagement?
There is no process or set of steps for good money management, but there are some key actions you can take to demonstrate that you desire to be a good steward of the money that God provides to you and your church or minis- try. Here is a list of 4 things you can do to
show you have financial integrity and practice good money management:
1. Teach the Biblical mandate of tithing (10%).
The Bible teaches us that we should give back to God 10% of all that we receive. “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” (Deuteronomy 14:22) This is called tithing and demonstrates our obedience to God’s Word. As a leader, you must lead by example. Be a tither! Also, you should encourage first fruits giving. “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” (Proverbs 3:9) We should not give to God whatever is left over after we have spent our income on what we want. Weshould give to God first what is His and then use what is left over for our needs accordingto His purposes.
2. Demonstrate financial integrity.
While God knows your heart, other people do not. And so it is necessary to show oth- ers that you are trustworthy and have integrity with how you handle God’s money. You should record ALL income and expenses and publish a monthly financial report. Alwaysremember to pay your debts first and use money for the purposes for which it was given. Finally, put procedures in place to audit and review church finances to show their accu- racy and enable you to manage your finances more effectively.
3. Trust God to provide for your needs.
Ultimately, managing money well is a matter of faith and trust in God’s provision. Peopleoften misuse money when they either fear it is not enough or they do not trust God to truly provide for their needs. God will give you what you need and we must all trust in Him and His Word that He cares for His people. “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”(1 Timothy 6:17)
4. Allow members to see church finances.
A key way to demonstrate your financial integrity and that you manage money well isto allow other people to see your finances. Do not hide your finances from your church
members so they will not be tempted to think you may be dishonest. Be open and honest about all receipts and expenses so that there is no question about your trustworthiness orintegrity in managing money.
Whatarethebenefitsofgoodmoneymanagement?
There are 3 key benefits to managing money well as follows:
1. You will build trust with your church members.
If your church members trust you with money, they will trust you with other things. This is a key principle to remember. When your church members trust you they are more likelyto follow you as well. As we said in Chapter 1, trust is the foundation of leadership and influence. They will also be encouraged to trust you to handle bigger financial issues or other important things as well. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalms 20:7)
2. You will avoid potential serious problems.
If you practice integrity with money then Satan’s temptations will not be able to cause you to do something you shouldn’t. Put another way, greed will not get the better of you. Youwill remain pure and righteous and a good example to your flock. “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.” (Proverbs 13:6)
3. You will learn what the power of God can do.
When you put all of your faith and trust in God and His provision, you will see first- hand how God provides for your every need. This will reinforce your trust in His promises andyou will learn to seek Him first in every circumstance. “But seek first the Kingdom of Godand His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
Reflection
Do others trust you with your church or ministry funds? Which principle of managing money is most important to you? Why? Which principle of managing money is most difficult for you?Why? Are you truly content with the money the Lord has provided to you for your ministry?
For your family?
Instructions: List the things you can do today to improve your management of money. 1.
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Chapter 11
“…and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For
there is a proper time and procedure forevery matter...”
Ecclesiastes 8:5-6
No matter what profession or vocation that each of us chooses or is led to, we are all trying to accomplish manygoals with the resources and time that we have at our disposal. And while many resources can be purchased
or acquired, time is one resource that can never be bought or refilled. Once time is gone, it is gone forever. It cannot be re-used and it cannot be regained. Therefore, we must be very careful as to how we spend our time and what we use it for. We also do not know how much time we have in total to use. Since none of us knows when the Lord will call us home, it is very important that we make the most of the time we have been given and use it wisely. Many books have been written on time management, and we intend to give you a summary overview of some principles and methods that will help you manage your time more effectively. In this chapter,we will look at the importance of time management, some principles of time management, and how to manageyour time. We will also provide 2 tools for effective time management.
The Importance of Managing Your Time
In the world there are 3 types of people with respect to time. There are time wasters, time spenders and time in- vestors. Time wasters are people who do not use their time wisely and therefore waste the precious time that Godhas given them. It could be wasted on non- productive activities or simply inefficiency in how they use their time. Either way, it is a poor use of this valuable resource. Time spenders are those people who spend their time on various activities, but they may not be producing anything for themselves, their families, or for God. They spend the time they have doing valuable things, but not necessarily things that produce something beneficial for their future. Time investors, on the other hand, are those people who look to use their time wisely by investing it in activities that produce future growth, either personally or for God. God wants us all to be time investors, peoplewho take the resource of time that He gives us and use it to produce value in the future. He wants us to focus on today and to seek Him first (invest our time in Him) so that He can produce a bountiful harvest through us. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
1. It will help you get more ministry work accomplished.
When you manage your time well it helps you to accomplish what you set out to do. It helps you focus on the most important work and make sure you get it done on- time. Youare able to accomplish more because your time is spent more effectively and on activities that produce more fruit, which produces better results.
2. It will avoid wasted time.
Good time management enables you to be a time investor and not a time waster. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15 that we should “Be very careful, then, how you live
– not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Heis calling us to be time investors and not to miss opportunities that God may present to us because of wasting our time or not using it wisely. When you manage time well you won’t spend excessive time doing low priority activities and you will be conscious of non- productive time. You also won’t waste time deciding what to do next, which is often called“the paralysis of analysis.” Overanalyzing situations or delays in making decisions usuallyresult in lots of wasted time.
3. It will enable you to meet important deadlines and goals.
A good time manager is aware of timetables and deadlines so they don’t miss them. Theykeep their activities and tasks organized and prioritized so that time is not wasted or usedineffectively. It also enables steady progress towards a goal or vision. Failure to prioritize and organize activities often leads to poor time management and missed deadlines. Goodtime managers also have good strategic plans that keep them on track and on-time in their projects.
4. It helps reduce the stress of the job.
When time is managed well it reduces the worry of missing something important and givesyou more control over your activities and schedule. It lets you make time for leisure and rest,or to work on other lower priority activities. Sometimes we just need to learn to let go and let God! “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalms 37:7) and “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 47:10) are two Scriptures that remind us of God’s pres- ence and help that is always available to us so that we don’t waste time worrying about how to do something that God is already prepared to help us do when the proper time comes.
5. It frees up time for you to be available when you are needed. Managing time efficiently not only enables us to get the important things done that
need to be done, but it also frees up our time so that we can do other things that we cannot pre-dict or project will happen during our typical work day. This is sometimes called having margin in our lives. We don’t want a schedule so tight that we cannot handle things that happen on the spur of the moment. It enables you to handle short-term crises that arise and it ensures that priority issues are dealt with in a timely fashion.
There are some basic time management principles that ensure that one is using their time wisely and efficiently.These principles will help a leader get control of their time, prioritize their activities, and organize their daily work. Understanding these principles helps a leader make decisions about how to best use their time to producethe greatest return for their time. Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15, that he should “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your
progress.” In other words, he wants him to manage his daily work effectively to that he can make progress in the Lord. God calls all of His leaders to do the same. Here, then, are 6 basic principles of time management:
1. Prioritize Your Activities
The first principle to managing time is to prioritize one’s activities so that their importanceis taken into account. So the leader will need to organize their activities according to theirimportance or according to when it needs to be done. You will also need to differenti-
ate between what is urgent and what is important. There are some activities that are bothurgent and important and some that are neither. Those are easy to prioritize – the formerto the top of your list and the latter to the bottom of your list. But often activities may beimportant but not urgent, or urgent but not important. If it is important but not urgent, you may have more time to complete the task. So it can be done later. But if it is urgent and not important, you may need to take care of it sooner rather than later even though it is not critical. Do not forget to take into account your commitments as well so that youmake sure you do not miss them.
2. Set Specific Goals
It is important for the leader to determine exactly when a task needs to be done or how much time to give to an activity. This will help establish its urgency and importance, and thus its priority. The leader should be specific as to the time involved and the goal to be reached or accomplished. They should also specify who needs to do the work or activity as well. Then they will be able to determine if it needs to be worked on today or complet-ed today or could be done tomorrow or at a later time.
It is very helpful to group similar activities together to build efficiency. This includes things like phone calls, reading and responding to mail or email, counseling sessions, sermon and teaching preparation, and meetings. Grouping or “bundling” them together keeps you focused on that type of activity. Don’t jump from one type of activity to anotherbecause you can tend to lose focus or forget what you’ve already done. In the manufac- turing process, companies expect to waste raw materials or time in changing production lines from one product to another.
This is called changeovers. Manufacturers can save money by reducing the loss of time or raw materials in the changeover process. The same is true of time management. When you bundle activities together you will waste less time in changeovers. A lot of time gets lost when you switch from one activity to another. Once you have a process working, such as phone calls or meetings, it is more efficient to keep going with one type of activity than to change to another.
4. Organize Your Decisions Every Day
In order to organize your day effectively it is important to also organize your decisions. When making a decision you basically have 3 choices. You can Delay decisions that canbe made later, Delegate decisions to others who may be better qualified to make them, or Decide on issues that need your decision right away. The important thing here is to makea choice and do one of these 3 options. Not picking one of these options will cause you towaste time agonizing over what to do.
5. Maintain Flexibility In Your Daily Schedule
As was stated earlier, it is a good idea to leave margin in your day so that there is some flexibility in your daily schedule. Don’t build such a tight schedule that uses every min- ute. You need to expect the unexpected to come up and affect your schedule. You will also need to allow time for breaks and meals. Allow God the opportunity to change yourpriorities or schedule either through a new ministry opportunity or through a new per- spective. Keeping some time available in your daily schedule will allow you to have theflexibility to meet other opportunities or obligations.
6. Handle Interruptions Quickly
Finally, interruptions can be a significant time waster for us – but only if we let them. Inter- ruptions can sidetrack us and cause us to waste our time on something that is not urgent or important. It is very important to handle interruptions quickly so you can get back to doing what was perhaps more important. Don’t try to solve an interruption that could be solved later. First, listen to the problem and then decide whether to delay it, delegate it, or decide it.If you can make a quick decision, do so, but then move on. Typically you can either delay it or delegate it to someone else so that you can go back to what you were doing at the time of the interruption. Be aware as
well of people who waste your time. They are often referred to as professional time wasters. These are people who come into your office, sit down, and proceed to talk about things that are not important or urgent. But we often feel obligated to sit and listen while the clock ticks away our valuable time because they are our friends, fam- ily, or co-workers. But you do not have to allow this to happen unless you want to.
Learn
to handle these interruptions diplomatically and with sensitivity so that you get done whatneeds to be done without damaging your relationships. Ask them to meet later so you cancomplete what needs to be done now. But do it gently so as not to offend.
Managing time is more of an art than a science. There are no strict rules you need to obey. It all comes back to priorities - the importance and urgency of what you need to do. And that is based on your own judgments and no one else’s. You will work on whatever you think is most important or urgent at the time. Our problem with time management arises when we attach too little or too much importance or urgency to an activity. When that occurs we end up spending time on one thing when we should have spent our time on another. It is always a matter of our choices. So in order to make better choices, we need to think through the importance and urgencyof each activity so that we get it right. Here are 4 things you can do to help you evaluate each activity and be more efficient with your time.
1. Organize Your Day
You can first make up a list of what you need to do today. This is often called a to-do list.
Identify what must be completed today, what must be worked on today, or what must be decided today. Do that first and then you can identify what else you would like to dotoday if time is available. To do that you need to have well- established goals and priori-
ties and know what is most important. Remember to plan for short breaks – your body &mind need occasional rest. Determine your most productive time and do the most impor-tant things then when you are fresh and have energy. Don’t make real important decisions at the end of the day when you are tired because you could make a mistake. You should also schedule low priority activities at low energy times (after lunch or late afternoon, etc.)
2. Think Efficiency
Think about what activities you have to do today and consider how you can group them together to be more efficient. For example, make all your phone calls together at one time. You can also schedule some uninterruptable time for study or sermon preparation. Try toavoid getting diverted into non-essential issues or conflicts. Do
3. Don’t Spend Time On Things Others Can Do
One way a leader wastes time is to do things that other people should be doing. A good leader delegates work to others, not only to train them, but also to free up the leader’s timeto do more important things. The disciples faced this issue in Acts 6:1-
7. They delegated the responsibility of feeding the widows to others so that they could focus on their min- istry work. In the same way, leaders need to delegate some activities to other responsible leaders, if possible, and avoid doing things others should do unless absolutely necessary.
There’s an old saying – “Do someone a favor and it becomes your job.” It means that little things you do for others can become regular habits or commitments that are hard to stop. A leader will always be more productive when they do the things that they are called to door need to do and leave everything else up to others.
4. Manage Effective Meetings
In the USA most business people will claim that meetings are the biggest waste of their time. Meetings are often not productive or waste valuable time. There are only 3 reasons to have a meeting. First, you need to communicate something to a group of people. Sec-ond, you need to discuss an important issue with a group of people.
Third, you need to make a decision with a group of people. If you are leading a meeting you need to considerthat you are taking up other people’s time. And while for you the meeting may be very important, it may not be for all participants. Be sensitive to this and make sure everyone you invite needs to be there. Include a devotion and prayer to guide you as you lead. Al- ways prepare an agenda so that everyone knows what the meeting is for or is trying to ac-complish. Avoid discussion of items not on the agenda. This is where most time is wastedin a meeting because either people are not prepared to discuss the issue or because it is not about the topic under discussion. Stick to the agenda and timeframe and your meet- ings will be more productive and effective.
Remember to only discuss proposals and recommendations that can be decided on. Don’t have discussion topics unless you want to gather input. This will help the meeting to stay focused on the key topics and will enable discussions to lead to decisions. It is also a good habit to give assignments to meeting participants. It builds ownership in the process and teamwork and makes everyone at the meeting accountable for something. Otherwise, why are they there? Always document the discussions, decisions, and agreements through a Meeting Summary that is distributed to all participants. Write down what was discussed, what was decided upon, and the assignments that people agreed to. This will avoid miscom-munications and misunderstandings.
Two Tools For Effective Time Management
Finally, there are 2 tools that will help you to manage your time more effectively.
1. Make a Time Sheet (or use a daily or monthly calendar)
Use a calendar or time sheet like the one on the next page to track your time during a week or to schedule events. This will help you keep organized and analyze where your time is being spent. Simply fill in activities for each block of time on each day during aweek as shown on the sample time sheet that is on the following page.
2. Make a To-Do List
A list of activities will help you organize your day, week or month. It will ensure that you will get the more important ministry work done first and will help avoid forgetting impor-tant activities and commitments.
Reflection
Do you need to be more efficient with your time? Which activities seem to waste the most timefor you? What prevents you from meeting goals and deadlines, if anything? Where are you investing your time for the most return to the Kingdom of God?
Chapter 12
One of the most overlooked resources of the church is information. This may be information on church members, or information about its ministries, activities or available resources. There is a wealth of information available to help us do the ministry we are called to and it is important to know where that information is or how to access it. Some information must be collected and stored by the church, especially information on its members and their activities or giftedness, etc. Other information is now available on the internet or at a libraryor bookstore. Many churches and ministries assume they know where information is or that they can access it only to discover that it is not being collected or stored or is more difficult and time-consuming to find. In order to access the information we need in a timely fashion, we must have it readily available or know where it is to getit. This is the process of managing information. A computer comes in very handy for doing this, but you don’t need a computer to store or access information. You can use other methods that can be just as effective. In this chapter we will look at the importance of managing information, some principles of information management, and how to collect and store information for future ministry use.
The Importance of Managing Information
Someone once said that “information is power.” It basically means that the person who has accurate or up to dateinformation usually is in a better position to make wiser decisions than those who do not have the right infor- mation. For example, in war, if one side knows the secret codes of the other side they will be better positioned to know what their enemy is planning to do and then know how to defend against them or exploit their weak- nesses. Or if they know the terrain better or have more accurate weather information it gives them an advantage.Thus, knowing something someone else does not know can create an advantage over them in a given situation, or power. For the church leader, information, or knowledge, gives them an advantage in decision making and use of their resources. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:13 that “Every prudent man acts out of
knowledge.” Addi- tionally it says in Proverbs 10:14 that “a wise man stores up
knowledge” and in Proverbs 24:5 it says that “a wise man has great power; and a man of knowledge increases strength.” So there is wisdom and power in information and God is encouraging us to pursue it.
Here are some additional reasons why managing information is important for the church leader:
1. It increases your knowledge of the resources you have at your disposal. When you have a plan to manage information it enables the leader to know what information exists or does not exist in the church or ministry. This might include information on your member’s spiritual gift(s) and skills, information on other church resources (books, videos, Bibles studies, etc.), or information on church activities and ministries. This givesthe leader a good idea of what is being collected and stored or what information is actually being used, and what information is lacking that is needed.
2. It will avoid wasting time looking for information.
When the leader knows what information is available and where it is, it will save time in locating it. They won’t spend excessive time searching for documents on their computersor in their files and will know who to go to for specific needs.
Additionally, they won’t have to contact numerous people to find out who has the information they seek.
3. It will enable you to make better decisions.
Decisions are only as good as the information they are based upon. Therefore, having in- formation available when it is needed is often critical in order to make wise and informeddecisions. Knowing is always better than guessing. And the more assumptions one makesthe greater the likelihood that the ensuing decision will be a poor one. A wise leader bases his decisions on facts and information, not estimates and guesswork.
4. It is essential to good planning.
Like decisions, a plan is only as good as the information it is based on. If the facts are wrong or inaccurate then the plan will produce inaccurate results. Consequently, poor information leads to poor results. You can’t plan what you don’t know, and building a plan on bad information is like building a home on a poor foundation (Matthew 7:24-27).Information is the foundation upon which good plans are built.
5. It enables you to see opportunities for ministry.
Having good information at your disposal or knowing what you have available enables you to be creative. It enables you to see or pursue ministry possibilities because of resources you have available that perhaps are not being used fully. These opportunities can come from knowledge of member’s gifts and passions or knowledge about communityneeds. For example, if your church has many nurses or doctors in it then perhaps there are medical ministry opportunities that your church can pursue internally or in the community at large.
Principles of Information Management
While managing information seems on the surface to be rather simplistic, in reality it is a discipline. While thereis information all around us, it often goes uncollected or unnoticed until it is needed. It takes discipline to capture data or store information for later use, and many times churches and leaders just assume data is being collected or that they will be able to get it when they need it. But all too often this is not the case. It is very difficultto go back and capture information after the fact. For example, if a church wanted to know who attended what Bible study classes in the past year and it was not collected during the year, it would be very difficult to go backand determine who was at each Bible study that was held during the year. It is much easier to keep a class attendance sheet at each meeting and record and save that information. A leader needs to determine what information might be needed or will be used and then set up a process to ensure that the information is actually collectedand stored for later use or access. This takes discipline, foresight and wisdom. As Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise.” Leaders need wisdom and foresight to manage information effectively.
Here then are some key principles for managing information:
1. Collect & store only information you want or need.
Collecting information can be a burden. So it is important to only spend time and effort gathering information that a church will actually use or need at some point. This is typically information needed for decisions, information needed for running the church, or information needed to help members find their role in the church.
People will stop collecting information if they feel it is not used or needed because they do not want to spendtime doing something that is not going to matter. So spend some time thinking through the information that you truly need or will use.
2. Update information on a regular basis
Information ages rapidly and sometimes gets out of date faster than one might think. Some experts estimate that most data is either obsolete or old in only about 6 months time. So it is important to keep your information up to date. This will require the churchto develop processes to capture information on a regular basis.
This might be from class attendance sheets or new member information forms. A leader can also use church leaders to gather information on ministry participants or ministry results & activities.
Churches should use an annual update form for church members to capture change of ad-dress and new phone numbers, email addresses, etc.
3. Protect personal information
In its data collection a church will likely gather personal information that the individualmay not want shared outside of the church. Therefore, do not publish or print personal information unless the member agrees. Some confidential information should be storedin a locked cabinet or protected computer. Maintain confidentiality at all times and respect your church member’s privacy.
4. Store the information so it can be accessed easily.
Gathering information is of no value if you can’t find or access the information in a timelybasis. Therefore, the leader needs to consider where & how to store the information so that it can be accessed quickly or easily. The information could be stored by function (topic, purpose, use, etc.), by ministry, or by member name, for example. Obviously, a computer makes this process very simple. But even if you have paper files you can still organize them so that they can be accessed in various ways.
5. Have a plan for using the information.
One of the biggest issues with data collection and storage is to justify the effort put into it since it adds no current value to your church. Consequently, it is wise to have a plan in place for how the information will be used and why it is being collected in the first place. Don’t just collect information without a plan for using it. Know the purpose for each typeof information being collected so that you can justify its capture. If you don’t need it, don’t collect or store it. This will not only save time but will avoid potential conflicts withthose people who are asked to gather it for you or the church.
6. Manage the information.
Peter Drucker, a highly recognized management expert, once said that “what gets measured gets managed.” He was essentially stating that whatever information you are gathering to make decisions will ultimately get managed because it is important to your operation or organization. If you do not collect the data or use it to evaluate your status or progress then you have no need for the data or to manage it. So if you are going to collect and use information you not only need a plan to do that, but it becomes necessaryto oversee and manage that plan. Don‘t simply assume information is accurate, being collected or stored, check it out and verify that processes are in place and effective.
For Example...
In one of my corporate positions I discovered that data I thought was accurate
on our customers turned out not to be. When I checked out the origin of the data I learned that the person who was responsible for entering the data would often be confused or not know what code to put into the system for a particular customer.
If there was no one around to ask what the proper code should be, rather than wait they would simply enter a default code for that customer just to go on to the next one. The code entered was inaccurate and there were many others like it as well. Eventually we had to go back and verify every
customer’s record and correctthem so that the data was accurate. So keep your information up to date and regularly review your data needs. This is what is meant by managing information.
Managing information is a process of defining your needs, setting goals and then determining the activities thatwill achieve those goals or meet those needs. In many ways it is very similar to developing a strategic plan. Youbegin with what you want to know or believe you will need to know in the future. Next you determine where that information is or what information needs to be collected that does not exist today. Finally you develop a detailed plan that includes exactly how you are going to capture, store, maintain and access the information.
Let’s look at a series of steps that you as a leader can take to implement such a process.
1. Determine the information you want or need.
Before you can develop a process to manage information you will need to know what information you want or need to collect. This could be information on church members,church activities, church resources (books, rooms, equipment, etc.), or community re- sources (hotels, conference rooms, local suppliers, etc.) Take time to think through all ofthe possible information needs you or church will need or could possibly use. Once you have compiled a comprehensive list you can then remove those needs that may not be essential or would be difficult to obtain due to availability or cost.
2. Collect and store information on church members.
Once you have determined what church member information you want and need you willneed to implement a process to collect and store that information. This might include their names, address & contact information (phone, email), their spiritual gifts, their skillsand experience, or their church connections (other church members they know.) Some of the information can be gathered by ministry leaders or though church forms, such as
new member forms. Be sure to verify the accuracy of this information. If it comes directlyfrom the church member it is usually more accurate.
3. Collect and store information on church activities.
Knowing where your church members serve or are active in church ministries is very valuable information. This can help you determine their level of discipleship or areas where they may need to serve or grow. This type of information would include worship attendance, Bible Class attendance, or small group attendance. You may need to develop forms that leaders can easily use to record the information.
Remember to make it easy forthem to do as they may be resistant if it involves too much time or effort.
4. Develop a s y s te m f o r o r g a n i z i n g and locating specific information. It is not enough just to collect and store information. Accessing the information in a timely fashion is just as critical. Information is of no value if you cannot find it or have it available when it is needed. Therefore, you need to develop a process or system that lets you quickly know where information is stored (computer or paper file) and how toget to it. This includes things like indexes, useful internet sites, or a list of who has the information you are seeking.
5. Develop a plan for using the information.
It is good to document your information management plan. This plan includes what information will be collected, what the purpose is for each type of information, and who is responsible for collecting the information. The exercise at the end of this chapter
contains a worksheet that you can use to document your information needs, purposes and responsibilities so that you have a clear idea of how you are managing your information needs.
6. Assign someone the responsibility for managing the information.
Having an information management plan is an effective tool. But you must also give someone the responsibility of carrying it out and overseeing the plan and its implementation. That person must also be responsible for keeping the plan up to date as well as the information and its collection and storage process. Information collection is ongoing so it must be managed and verified. Giving someone this specific responsibility willprovide a central resource for all information and enable proper planning and maintenance.
Reflection
Do you think managing information is important for you and your ministry? What information,if you don’t have it, would be the most valuable for your ministry? How could you get it? How much time do you spend looking for information you already have? How can you reduce that?
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