How can we create a culture in our team of encouragement and honour? How can we grow and develop our team? And how do we handle the disappointments and stresses?

Leadership in the New Testament is [...]]]> Some notes from my Bridge training session on Christian Leadership.

How can we create a culture in our team of encouragement and honour? How can we grow and develop our team? And how do we handle the disappointments and stresses?

Introduction: The vital importance of raising up other leaders

Leadership in the New Testament is always a ‘plural’ rather than a purely individual enterprise. (Acts 1: 21, Acts 14:23).

When someone casts a compelling vision and gets people excited about it, they’re going to have to build great teams to support that vision. You simply can’t build a prevailing church unless you build great teams.

Once you decide what type of team you’re going to build, you look for people’s experience and passion. You look for people who want to get involved and you challenge them. You try to align people by their own gifts so they are doing a part of the vision that excites them and breathes energy into them.

I have never seen a church reach its full redemptive potential unless there were fired-up people doing the work of God in teams. All Willow Creek really is is a big church made up of thousands of little teams, with leaders, with a focus, with a purpose, and people who are fired up to work together. (Bill Hybels)

In doing so we are being faithful to the example set by Jesus; much of his own ministry was concerned with the raising up and developing, releasing and equipping of other leaders. (Mark 1:16-20; Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-6; 10:1-20; 24:44-49)

Recruiting a Team

Most teams will not be made up of many (if any) full time paid staff. We only bring in paid staff from ‘outside’ if we are completely unable to resource a ministry from within (either because the suitable person cannot be found, or because the suitable person does not have sufficient time to give).

There are many benefits in using those who emerge from within our own church. We need to think creatively about recruiting people for leadership roles.

Types of people we might also recruit: • Early retired • the downwardly mobile • Interns/Gap Year assistants.

Identifying leadership potential

Look in particular for people who:

• Are people of influence; others are affected by them in a positive way;

• Demonstrate character first and skills/gifting second. It is easier to teach skills to a person of character than to change the character of a gifted but awkward person;

• Have a servant heart;

• Love people – leaders exist for people and not vice versa.

• Danger signs to watch out for

• People who lack grace even though they may be very gifted;

• People who crave position or a role;

• Pushy people;

• Those who do not related well to other people Leaders never lead in the abstract, they lead people!

Bill Hybels talks about the importance of the three "C’s" of team leadership – Character, Competence and Chemistry.

The challenges and frustrations of inheriting people whom you would not ideally choose yourself.

Work with them, show them your heart and vision and give them every opportunity to get on board and to grow with it.

Expect God to change some of them and to develop them (cf. Jesus and his own disciples)

Easy in: Easy out. Work at helpful ways of letting them go.

The Role of Leader

Key emphases in your own ministry should be:

• Equipping others (which means laying down less essential tasks; particularly difficult for those with a strong people-pleasing tendency!)

• Delegating responsibility with accountability (empowering others). We need to be prepared for some things to be done less well in the short term.

• Encouraging and affirming other leaders (and sorting out your own ownership issues). We must rejoice in the success of others rather than be threatened by it.

• Supervising, overseeing, and managing other leaders and workers. This will include helping them develop vision for their own areas of ministry; working with others to help them set goals; providing regular, appropriate and on-going training for all leaders and potential leaders.

• Celebrate what you want to reproduce.

• Raise the bar – people want to take a pride in what they do.

• Engage people with their calling/passion.

• Say thanks, affirm ministry, get stories. People want to be wanted.

• Celebrate milestones.

• Say yes whenever possible – refer on finance and staff time

• If a horse is dead – dismount!

Create a culture of encouragement and honour

Put into your diary one to one meetings with each of the people who are in your team (say every term). At these meetings you can:

• Review the progress of the work since your last meeting
• Work with them to develop specific vision for their ministry, set goals and objectives, and think and plan strategically for the short and longer term future.
• Discuss practical details, resource needs etc to do with their ministry area. In this you are acting as a resource person, but never ever taking back from them overall responsibility for their ministry area.
• Encourage, affirm, and support them in the exercise of their responsibility, helping them to reflect on encouraging and challenging situations they have encountered.
• Encourage them in their own walk with God and ensure that they are being sustained for the demands of leadership.
• Pray with them and for them.

Growing and developing the Team

Arrange regular meetings at a time and place which is convenient for everyone. As well as ‘practical business’ these meetings should include worship and ministry to one another, mutual accountability for ministry areas, encouragement, visioning etc.

• Team building events (meals, away days, workforce banquet, etc.) are also vitally important.
• Create a culture of talking about the team’s ministry
• Give people scope to operate as a team; value contributions, hear from God together

Teams function well when there is cultivated an environment of:

• Trust
• Honesty
• Vulnerability of leadership
• Encouragement and affirmation
• Understanding and acceptance of diversity
• Generosity and Forgiveness
• Clarity of Purpose
• Accountability and Support
• Fun

If we have vision to [1] see our own churches grow and above all to [2] grow in influence as agents of community transformation, then these are the two things which need to become our consuming passions. It’s the [...]]]> I’m challenged by what Ian Parkinson writes about leadership development in the context of transforming communities:

If we have vision to [1] see our own churches grow and above all to [2] grow in influence as agents of community transformation, then these are the two things which need to become our consuming passions. It’s the second one we often find it easiest to neglect, usually because it is time-consuming and costly, because the return on the investment of our time and energies is not immediate and because it gets pushed to one side by more urgent, though less strategic, demands.

On the back of my study door, deliberately printed in very large type so I have to read it as the last thing I do as I leave the room, I have fixed these words from Martin Robinson’s book ‘Invading Secular Space’:

“It is an inviolable rule; you can expand and extend the Gospel only as far as you prepare others to take the responsibility with you.”

Extending the scope of the influence of the Kingdom is largely determined by how serious we are about raising up others. This is exactly what Jesus did of course.

Parkinson goes on to outline four principles from Jesus’ ministry in raising up others:

1. He set before them a vision of what they might become

His initial invitation to the fishermen was not vague nor was it qualified. In language they would instantly understand he sows in their hearts and minds a vision of becoming significant in the purposes of God, of catching not fish but people for God. What’s more, implicit in the invitation is a promise that he would make them more than they could ever be if left to their own devices.

Developing others begins by allowing God to let us see people through his eyes, and thus to discern those whom he is specifically calling. He might well surprise us as he is far better than we are at identifying leadership potential! We should especially be on the lookout for those who instantly respond with excitement when they have imparted to them a vision for the Kingdom of God. We need to pour fuel onto the flame of such enthusiasm and we need always to set before such people the hope of what they might become in the hands of Jesus and in the power of His Spirit.

2. He let them see ministry taking place

For many years, I have always refused to take on any new ministry personally without first identifying someone else who will accompany me in it and who might, in due course, take over responsibility for it from me. I want to expose as many people as possible to the realities of ministry in the power of the Spirit and to whet their own appetite for involvement. From the very beginning, the newly-called disciples of Jesus journey with him and have their minds blown away as they see the realities of the Kingdom of God. It seems to me that we need a very good reason indeed to engage in any ministry responsibility completely on our own; we should always be seeking to take someone along with us and increasingly give away to them responsibility for such ministry.

3. He reflected with them on what they had seen

Jesus is frequently reported in the Gospels as spending time alone with his inner circle, and often is called upon to explain and interpret the things they have seen. One of the most valuable things we can do as leaders is give time to reflect with emerging leaders on what they have witnessed and on what they have done (helping them develop strengths and work through weaknesses).

4. He released them into ministry

… Jesus took [enormous risk] in stepping back and allowing a group of untried, though enthusiastic, novices to go out in his place. I imagine they fouled up from time to time, and they certainly were not the finished article. Nevertheless, overnight Jesus’ ministry was multiplied six fold, and this unpromising band of nobodies went on to kick-start the greatest spiritual revolution the world has ever seen, overwhelming the mighty Roman Empire within the space of a few generations.

To that end I’ve dipped into First Impressions by Mark Waltz. Waltz argues that guests to church services want, when they arrive, to know two things [...]]]> Despite my bleak contribution to Simon Jones’ excellent critic of “attractional” mission, I have (in time for Back to Church Sunday) been thinking about enhancing our welcoming and stewarding.

To that end I’ve dipped into First Impressions by Mark Waltz. Waltz argues that guests to church services want, when they arrive, to know two things from those they first meet: (1) Show me that you care about me and (2) Tell me what you what you are going to do for me now. Which should sum up the whole role of those welcoming and stewarding

Stewards, oikonomos (1 Peter 4.10) are, as I pointed out to our team, “house managers” or “overseers,” one who is entrusted with the care of something belonging to someone else.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms

Peter is telling us that stewards are to unselfishly serve others with the diverse gifts that God has freely bestowed on them in a manner that will please and glorify God

Waltz suggests that churches need to build a WOW factor into those first few moments of encounter. He says that before the service has even started most first timers have already decided whether to come again.

For those concerned about attractional mission, this is a key point. The sermon begins in the car park. First impressions need to the best impressions.

So I recently came across these ministry descriptions from a church clearly committed to ensuring that those who manage to bridge the cultural hurdle of turning up to Sunday services at least are still on board when the worship starts:

Do you want to make a difference in our church?

“People Matter”

When we welcome newcomers to church we are demonstrating the gracious love and care of God Himself.

It has been proven that the sermon starts in the car parking. The first ten minutes of a guest’s experience on Sunday morning matters most.

Our goal for our “First Impressions Team” is: “To do anything and everything to help our guests see Christ. We want to greet them with unconditional acceptance and respect that makes them feel welcomed at … . We want to give guests WOW moments”

This is a great place to get plugged into ministry as it takes so many people to make it run smoothly. If you like a smile, and can give one, you are needed!

Areas of Ministry Available:

Car Park Team: The Car Park Team assists with the traffic flow in any weather condition, must enjoy working outside, and be able to present a positive image as well as assist the elderly or the disabled with Parking and church entry.

Welcomer Team: The Welcomer is responsible to ensure that every person entering the church is greeted and that guests are offered assistance as appropriate so that everyone feels important and welcome.

Information Team: The Team will display a gracious, friendly attitude in showing guests the church facilities and answering questions regarding the facilities and ministries of the church. This team will portray the church in a positive image and help guests feel welcome.

Coffee Team Do you like a coffee shop environment? This could be the perfect place for you to volunteer. We’re looking for sharp, friendly and energetic people to help out. We are not a Starbucks but we brew fresh coffee and have hot chocolate, teas, muffins and bottled water available.

Steward Team: The Steward Team will regularly participate in worship services and will assist with overall operation of the church facilities. They will welcome, direct and seat guests and others as needed, as well as collect the offerings.

My good friend Mike Betts reflects on a similar [...]]]> I’ve been impressed for many years with the wise advice that Mike Bickle gives from his experience of having an upsurge of the prophetic in his church. In particularly he addresses the relationship between the prophetic and church leadership. Growing in the Prophetic is still available.

My good friend Mike Betts reflects on a similar issue in Leadership Link:

In our leadership team and church we make room for prophetic ministry to come in shaping programs and individual ministries. We seek to weigh and discern God’s voice then once we feel we have heard the heart of God we implement it practically:

• Prayer meeting agendas are shaped by the prophetic.
• Leadership goals and objectives are shaped according to the prophetic. For example if God has spoken about us having a new building we need to go and look for one.
• Staff and budgets are apportioned in line with the things God has said
• We cast vision in the church to ensure everyone continues to serve the same vision.

We feedback to prophetic ministry to both encourage and to keep our ears open to fresh instruction from God.

When apostles and prophets work together the most powerful and strategically vibrant leadership combination is possible. Prophets to show the way and Apostles to build like wise master builders. In reading the New Testament it seems that is how God intends the local church to function.

Genuine prophecies should not get filed under ‘P’ in someone’s filing cabinet. They are living working documents to build to.