I’ve been reminded in my own ministry and with people I talk with that sometimes meetings can go terribly wrong and you or the people you are collaborating with can leave very disappointed, confused or even frustrated.
I’ve noticed that the more clear I am in laying out my expectations in meetings I lead the better the outcome can be.

It’s like the few times when I’ve gone to Disneyland with a large group.  You walk into the park and in your mind you’ve mapped out exactly what you want to do.  Unfortunately the others in the group have done the same thing.  So you end up spending most of the day running from one side of the park to the other and never really get to enjoy the day because everyone has their own idea of where they want things to go.  I see this in meetings too…. People often come in with very different expectations.  So take a few minutes in your next rehearsal, meeting or any gathering to clarify for your team what you are and aren’t asking of them in the process.  Here is a tool that’s been helpful to me when collaborating with others.

Points of authority – What am I asking of you:
Veto Authority – the authority to have final approval. Reserved only for the top leader or team.

Point Authority –   the authority to initiate. The buck stops here. This person is ultimately responsible for the project or decision.

Input Authority- the authority to provide input into the decision and the right to receive feedback on how that input was considered.

Informational Authority – the authority to be informed once a decision is made.

I haven’t looked for a new job for a while now, but the other day I pulled out my resume just for the fun of seeing what i had “qualified” myself to do. I had listed a lot of meaningless information over the pages. Educational details, past jobs, skills, accolades, accomplishment, and references. As i looked it over i laughed out loud because i realized that nothing in that resume really told people who i am, what i believe or what i was committed to.

Now i realize that a resume is supposed to be a brief overview for the purpose of additional followup during the hiring process, but i found it interesting as it pertains to ministry. When you go into ministry, regards of the type, you are not really going into a job. Even if you have a detailed job description, an employment letter, or contract, you are still not going into a job. Ministry is not a job. It is your life. It doesn’t matter if you fill out a time card or are full time, half time, no time, volunteer. Ministry is not your job. Ministry is your life! And even more important… ministry is a privilege.

Lately i’ve had a some discussions with a couple part time worship guys who like to use the phrases “it’s not in my job description” or “i’m part time…remember”. Usually it is because they have been asked to do something that doesn’t fit into their regular routine.

I’ve been a part time pastor, so i understand where they are coming from. There is only so much time and anything above that is outside the scope of the job.I remember times thinking: “I don’t have time to volunteer my time to the church for things they don’t have the money to pay for…”

Unfortunately a lot of church pastors and leaders (particularily worship guys) are part time, work second jobs, or are not paid at all. It is kind of the norm these days. But i have come to realize something. Every person who serves in a church (with out getting paid) either doesn’t need to work or they have a job. Which means anything they do to help in ministry is outside of their normal life. Yet we don’t usually hear about volunteers complaining when they are asked to serve above and beyond the hours they work during the week.

Over the years i have forgotten time after time the wonderful privlege it is to be a vocational ministry leader. Yes there are a lot of headaches, people, staff, schedules and others to deal with, but how many people get the opportunity to lead in a church?  not that many…

Next time you’re asked to do something outside of the norm, just remember how few people get to do what you do… and besides who are you really working for? the church? or the Lord?

I often hear about individual church ministries like small groups desiring to start their own worship gatherings.  I think this is a great idea.  We typically associate a worship team or gathering with the team that stands on stage Sunday morning.  The reality is that the “main worship service” is only a part of a church family’s worship experience.  Children have their own services.  Youth groups meet during the week.  Small groups meet at all different times.  These groups might miss out on worship time Sunday morning and leaders often are at a loss as to how to put a worship band together for these types of gatherings.  What if the main worship team became a teambuilding worship team?  What if the priority of the main worship team became more than just what happened Sunday morning?  What if the role of the main worship team became a role of training others to lead ministries?  The possibility of starting small group, youth group, and children’s ministry worship gatherings becomes more possible.  Here are some steps that would allow an existing worship ministry to transition into a teambuilding worship team:

1. Make a commitment as a worship team that helping build and grow ministry is a priority.  This is important to do at the beginning.  If people are not behind this philosophy you will have difficulties demonstrating effective teamwork to the new people.  If any existing team members are unwilling to commit you may need to consider asking them to find another ministry to serve in.

2. Make training and mentoring a regular part of your ministry.  Make sure that you are continually mentoring your team members.  Spend time with your team.  Ask them to help you lead.

3. Open the door to mentor “unqualified” team members.  This is a scary thing for leaders, but this is a priority if growing ministry is the goal.  Look for the right attitude and motivation over talent level.

4. Give leadership opportunities to your existing team members to lead and mentor those who desire to start worship gatherings.  Ask your current sound man to take a couple of people under his wing.  Ask your program director to teach 2 people to do what he does.  This grows both the trainer and the trainee.  It also prepares the trainee to take the lead in a new worship gathering.

5. Test the waters by trying putting together some of the trainees and allowing them to put together a service for a youth group meeting.  Have a few of the main worship team members help out.  See how it goes.

6. Evaluate.  How did it go?  What did not work?  Retool and retry!

7. Evaluate your team.  Over the course of trying these types of things, you will be able to feel out when individuals are ready to starting working in other ministries.

8. Discuss things with your team.  Once you feel people are ready to launch a new worship gathering, discuss it with your entire team.  Allow them to hear about the vision for the new worship gathering.  Allow them to give you feedback.  Allow them to volunteer to help start the new worship gathering.

9. Be willing to let go of some of your existing team.  During the process of mentoring and growing together, people in your existing team may discover that they would like to help in a different area of worship or in a new worship gathering.  This is part of the process of growing people and letting go.

10. Be supportive of one another as new worship gatherings are started.  Everyone is still on the same team, but it can feel very different moving forward with people now serving in different areas.