Help for Every Ministry Leaders to Equip & Disciple Team Members
Has this ever happened to you? You receive a call or perhaps have been stopped in the church parking lot on Sunday and someone pleads with you to serve on a ministry committee. Of course, the pleader was chosen strategically as they were a friend of yours who was most likely to get a guilt-ridden yes response from you. Or perhaps, have you been the chosen pleader? Too often, arm-twisting, pleading, and lowering serving expectations have become part of churches nominating and recruiting practices. Here (one, two) are two different blogs on recommended shifts for a more effective and healthier nominations process.
Ministry leadership can be difficult. Exhausting. Frustrating. We hear you, stand next to you, and offer these thoughts and recommendations to help you equip and disciple your ministry team.
Provide job descriptions for all church positions (paid and unpaid). Providing a clear understanding of how to serve, what is expected, identify intended outcomes from the ministry, and what fruitfulness in the ministry looks like. Join our complimentary Resource Hub to find ministry job description examples and other ministry resources.
Provide equipping opportunities and feedback so those serving feel comfortable and confident. Use this simple, yet effective approach for equipping as outlined in Gear Up: 1) I do. You watch. We talk. 2) I do. You help. We talk. 3) You do. I help. We talk. 4) You do. I watch. We talk. 5) You do. Someone else watches. You talk. I move on to equipping others.
Create a covenant for each ministry team defining how the team will do their ministry together, the expectations of one another, and how to hold each other accountable. Here is a blog outlining further details about the importance of a covenant and how to create one.
Use the accountable leadership cycle (found in Mission Possible and Mission Possible for the Small Church) to align your ministry team with your church’s mission, vision, and core values. This helps ministry team members see how their ministry focus is part of the church’s fruitfulness. The accountable leadership cycle also guides the ministry team to identify the intended outcome and how to measure ministry fruitfulness before launching or continuing ministries. It also offers the reminder to evaluate the ministry for the intended outcome, fruitfulness, and alignment. The accountable leadership cycle is also available in the Resource Hub.
Shift from an organizational structure of standing committees to a structure of teams for ministries. Teams come together for a specific purpose, but disband when their work is complete. People are more apt to serve on short-term teams than on standing committees for years.
Recognize and show appreciation for ministry team members. (See blog post). Highlight how their participation in the ministry has provided an impact in the church and beyond.
Refer to this blog for even more powerful steps to equip ministry teams for missional impact.
Understand that part of leading a ministry team is the responsibility and honor to disciple the ministry team members. Link the ministry outcomes and their ministry team participation to their own and others discipleship journey.
Use this plethora of resources to launch healthy, vital ministry teams of growing disciples who serve willingly with gratitude while using their spiritual gifts for Kingdom impact.
