Session 1: Pastors & Ministers
Topic: Ministry Workforce Management
"And when it was day, He called His disciples to Him; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles." (Luke 6:13)
Next to money, the most important thing to the discerning man or woman is Time. Persons who understand the value of Time usually stand out as valuable workers in God's vineyard! In the same vein, their 'unavailability' can pose work challenges! As God's called Pastor or non-pastoral Minister it is your primary duty to find persons who can and will give due Time to perform the support duties or HELPS (1 Cor 12:28) required to fulfill what God called you to do. Certain factors are vital when recruiting people to work with you to fulfill your Pastoral or non-pastoral Ministry call.
HOW YOU CAN FIND THEM is my focus in this Ministry Workforce Management session!
1. Pay Attention To...
a) God's Directions [in your heart and in His Word]: Particularly at the beginning of the recruitment process as it relates to Desire [that person's zeal to serve] and required Ability.
b) The Person's Availability: Is this person willing to work to deliver expected results within the required time? Availability is pivotal to work and results and cannot be ignored or glossed over. This trait of productive persons will enable the fulfilment of what God called you to do! The simple formula is, "Before you enlist or appoint anyone, check their time!" To properly thrash out this issue pay attention to the next step.
c) The Person's Desire and Ability: These qualities are required to achieve the results God expects from you. DO NOT focus on one factor while ignoring the other, especially since most support duties or HELPS you need in your Pastoral or Ministry work cannot be sustained on a 'paid-employee' basis.
2. Set Structures In Place
At our Leading Leaders workshop a pastor asked, "How do we keep things running when traffic and time seems such a challenge to most of our Unit Leaders?" My response, "What do those same persons do in the same 'time-challenging' circumstances when it concerns their secular jobs? They'll either find the time or make the time!"
According to William Feather, "We all find time to do what we really want to do." And as business managers set structures in place to ensure their workforce perform as expected, God's called Pastors and Ministers also require management systems that ensure seamless flow of Church and Ministry work as expected!
3. Hold Interested Persons Officially Responsible And Accountable!
Do not recruit anyone without their official commitment to work time. Avoid it, even if they are volunteers. It will only create ineffectiveness within your Pastoral and non-pastoral Ministry work!
4. Let Them Freely Respond With A ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
The principle here is: "Take the time to ascertain Desire, Ability plus Availability." Truth is, you cannot justifiably blame a lack of commitment on anyone if you never gave them a chance to willingly accept the job. It could highlight possible areas of help required by those who request it. A 'No' from a person who lacks delegation skills is a cry for help not a turn-down of 'divine opportunity'. It might mean a need for some mentoring, training, re-assignment or simply building up on a waiting list. He may not be ready today, but what about tomorrow? While some cases will be exceptional, most situations will work on this principle with proper planning, sensible organization and smart strategies.
The hours invested in helping such persons get a grip of their time to serve will yield fruit in the results to be produced. Failure to do this will lead to you either chasing your 'helpers' around or having to do the work that others can be assigned to perform. This was what the Apostles dealt with in Acts 6:3-4. (Ref: Church Work Training)
5. Constantly Devise Workable Strategies
A head-minister once said, "When things don't go right, I am responsible." As the called Pastor or Minister, take responsibility for the structure you set up. If sacrifice and living for others was the underlying principle of Jesus' life, you must be quick to find solutions to time-challenges in what you're called to do. Do not blame your appointees and Unit members when things don't work out.
6. Take Responsibility. Find Solutions
The fact remains that the problem of Availability blocks off interested persons from serving. Another fact remains that if no one serves, needs will not be met!
Take Responsibility to find solutions to the problem of Availability experienced by persons interested in working with you to fulfill your calling and divine assignment.
7. Look Out For Your People!
Ensure that whatever system you set up invests in solving and resolving your people problems as much and as well as you can. You will be the happier for it!
Consider this scenario:
Bro B works a 9am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday executive job. He gets appointed as the Unit's secretary and is expected to be present at most meetings. Practically, he has just Sunday afternoons for himself and his family.
So naturally, the 'Secretary-ship' begins to suffer, slow the unit down and you begin to feel held back because Bro B is not usually available when needed. This problem may flow to other areas of the Church or Ministry activities, and even affect any further administrative considerations of Bro B for other areas of duty in your Church or Ministry work. You see, without getting to the root of his problem, Bro B may be labelled as 'not committed to the work', but that could be very far from the truth!
To resolve the logjam a cooperative re-arrangement between you and Bro B is required. Let's consider some 'damage control' options:
1. Present the problem of unavailability for duty and discuss with Bro B on moving him to another area of duty that fits his time schedule; OR,
2. Help Bro B work out the practice of delegation, by getting others involved with him in fulfilling his assignment [if he really wants to do the job]!
3. In the future, AVOID THIS PROBLEM. Ascertain the availability of persons you desire to work with you!
God bless!
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