Tag Archive: ministry

When A Backward or Lateral Move Is Okay

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Church staff members aren’t exempt from a ladder-climbing mentality. We’re not exempt from wanting more pay or recognition. We’re not exempt, but we can’t allow that mentality to drive our decisions.

As a Christian, and one whom has fully given your life’s vocation to Christ, you must pursue and prioritize that calling first, and above all else.

While living in Texas, I served a great church as Executive Pastor. However, I felt like God had a different church for me to serve. The opportunity God presented was a church in Nashville that already had an executive pastor. So, what was I to do? (Stage a coup, perhaps?)

The church did, however, want to offer me the role of “Associate Executive Pastor.” It was an executive pastor, but not THE Executive Pastor. Was I okay with the demotion? Was I going to be okay not only being a second-chair leader to the Senior Pastor, but also to the Executive Pastor?

When people asked about the new position I was leaving for, would I be okay with verbally inserting “associate” before the rest of my title?

There may be times in your ministry when God calls you to be in a place or position that seems like a step backwards, or sideways. It could mean less title, less money, less authority, and less recognition.

Sometimes it’s clearly a demotion of sorts. Other times, it may just seem that way. But either way, you’ll have to decide on the front-end if you can deal with it.

When I was making my decision, it helped me to realize that pursuing the call and position God provided me is never a demotion. I had no idea what God would allow me to do as Associate Executive Pastor. I couldn’t understand the value I’d gain in the “associate” role, and I didn’t understand how the role would unfold over time.

If you’re ever in this situation, here are a few reminders about when a lateral or backwards move might make sense:

When you feel God telling you to do it
When it’s best for your church
When you’ve got more to learn
When a new supervisor could help you develop
When it gives you the best opportunity for the long-term direction you want to go

When you feel God telling you to do it – God is sovereign over your ministry career-path. Don’t fight it.

When it’s best for your church – There could be short or long seasons when your taking a different or lesser role is best for the church. It could positively impact other staff, or be a healthy financial adjustments for the church. Many people avoid these moves, by moving away from the church. In some situations that may be what needs to happen, but consider first what’s best for the church you serve.

When you’ve got more to learn – This was true for me. The associate position put me in a place to learn a lot more about the role. I wasn’t prepared to lead in THE executive pastor role. I benefitted from first learning more.

When a new supervisor could help you develop/make you happier – A move laterally or backwards could put you in an excellent seat to learn from another person. A change in scenery, a change in reporting, can give you a new perception. This was true for me. I benefitted significantly from the Executive Pastor. I wouldn’t trade that learning opportunity to have had his seat at the time.

When it gives you the best opportunity for the long-term direction you want to go – God may or may not reveal this to you on the front-end, but sometimes a pause in the ladder-climbing allows you the greatest opportunity to get where God desires you to be (and rings true with your understanding of your calling).

p.s. I’m quite confident eternity will not include name plates, business cards, org charts or résumés.

When You're an Inadequate Leader

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There are some days you’ll feel like an inadequate leader. Some days, it’s just something you feel – and other days, it’s a reality.

In my library, I have just shy of 100 books on leadership. So, I know (or at least have read about) what it means to be an effective leader. I know what an effective leader looks like.

And I also know when I don’t measure up.

On days when you’re not as good of a leader as your job requires, responding to that well is, in fact, a leadership opportunity. So how does this play out?

In a recent work day, I acquiesced. I wasn’t trying to be a great leader anymore, but was simply trying to control the rate at which I was disappointing people. It was clear I couldn’t be all I needed to be for others, so I was trying to regulate the disappointment factor.

I’ve been doing the church-leader role for 18 years, and I know when the issues pressing me are beyond my ministry intelligence or my capacity as a leader. This happens enough that I’ve developed some responses for when I experience those situations.

When you’re not the leader everyone needs you to be or your job requires, consider the following:

Take a deep breath. You’ll likely be better tomorrow.
Vent to an appropriate person. (I don’t recommend venting on a blog, as I’m doing.)
Call for help. Just because it’s beyond your capability doesn’t mean it’s beyond another’s.
Look to Scripture. There are numerous leaders in the Bible who were overwhelmed, and yet God saw them through.
Realize not everyone noticed your leadership shortfall.
Realize most people will give you grace.
Think gray – you don’t have to solve all your leadership issues in one day.
Pray, and be reminded that your identity comes from God – not how well you perform your leadership tasks.
Evaluate. If your shortcomings seem to be consistent in one area, determine what that is, and work on a self-development plan.
Show up the next day, and strive to be the best you can.

The Needed And Under-Developed Skills Of Ministers

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I’ve gotten to learn from Jeff Young and be his friend, for more than a decade now. No matter where Jeff has served, he’s always made it a point to serve other churches and ministers. Many people can claim Jeff as a mentor – he purposely looks for opportunities to care for and develop those around him.

Jeff serves at Green Acres Baptist Church in Texas (at the time of this interview, he served at Prestonwood Baptist Church Plano, Texas.

I recently interviewed Jeff regarding what he’s found to be the core competencies of successful ministers. Specifically, I asked him which skills ministers should be developing, and what are the weaknesses he’s seen in those who serve in mega churches. (Jeff has served in multiple.)

My questions to Jeff are in bold, followed by his responses.

What are the skill sets you feel are must-haves for any minister coming into their first full-time position?

Obviously, there are matters of character that are critical for any minister, but from purely a “skill set” perspective, I believe (1) a bias toward action (both with relationship building, and current issues that need to be solved); and (2) teach-ability (a willingness to listen, read, understand… all are critical and will endear them to their supervisor, peers, and volunteers). If I can find a young minister who has a bias toward action (both relationally and in problem solving), who is eager to learn (absorbing information and changing as a result)… I’m all in!

What skills sets do you see that are most under-developed in ministers, and cause issues for them and the church?

(1) The ability to coach and develop volunteers in small group settings. Honestly it’s easier to have a large-group equipping session and disseminate the prepared vision, ideas, etc., than it is to discuss these same matters with a small group of leaders and get push-back or specific questions about implementation. (2) Lack of confrontation skills. – Everyone wants to be liked, and “after all, they are volunteers”. (3) Execution abilities. Developing strategies isn’t our issue… it’s the self-leadership that’s necessary to make those strategies soar, that holds many back.

For you and others you’ve developed, what have been the best places to get training in these important areas?

Honestly, I think it comes from experience and the people leading you. I realize that could be frustrating to a young leader, due to the fact that they might be serving under a weak leader and/or experience takes time… but I believe I’m right. Obviously there are books on building relationships or execution (I highly recommend Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan’s book, Execution), and other helpful topics. I believe reading and discussing what you read with a teammate is extremely beneficial to skill development.

As church sizes get bigger, what are the biggest shifts in mindset needed for ministers serving larger churches?

The old adage, “you give up to go up” applies here. (1) You have to focus on equipping and development of volunteers more, because you can’t be aware of everything that is occurring in every setting. While you may garner more oversight, you will also give up some control. (2) Your delegation skills will need to expand (because your time will be spread thin), and [you’ll need to learn how to] leverage meetings. Preparation for meetings is extremely important due to your time being spread thin, (i.e. learn to use meetings for hearing prepared updates vs. simply assigning tasks). While you must spend time thinking through who needs to have reports to share, this will save you multiple meetings, it allows the team to see the big picture, and provides accountability laterally all at the same time. (3) [Understand that] while you will know more people, you may not know as many “closely”, due to your influence being spread wider. (4) Finally, you will learn to allow others to attempt things that you never would in a smaller setting. Most likely, the church you are serving became larger because people took risks; they tried something new/different. That can be scary, expensive… and things can fail. But you have to learn to allow your team the freedom to “swing and miss”. It’s critically important.

What are the assumptions/attitudes made by ministers at larger churches that you feel hinder their effectiveness?

(1) “We can’t have close friends in the church.” I understand their concerns, and we must be very, very wise – but I disagree with the “absoluteness” of the concept. (2) “I can’t disciple a small group of men because some will feel left out.” That’s the worst reasoning I hear. After all, who is our example? Jesus left quite a few out! (3) “Email/texting is the best way to communicate.” Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting or a phone call – even if it’s a voicemail. (4) “I said it, so they need to do it.” While I understand this thought in its purest form, volunteers rarely respond well to this attitude and, honestly, neither do the ministers on our team. Think relationally versus powering up. Clearly there will be times when you need to say “because I say so”, but make those the exception versus the rule.

Jeff and his wife, Carol, live in Carrollton and have three children, Emily (married to Dave Kinney), Brett and Bryce. You can follow Jeff on Twitter via @JeffYoung7.

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