Ten Big Church Staffing Mistakes
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, May 03, 2005
- Viewed 148
- (21) comments so far
Pastors love people, and are often shepherds at heart. So when it comes to the cause of the Kingdom (redemption), and actually measuring the results of a church staff member, it is difficult at best.
A common illustration of this big mistake, though there are many variations, is when someone needs to be released from the church staff. How can a loving, redemptive leader fire a fellow brother in Christ? Don't they know he has a family to feed? What kind of compassion is that!? After all, the young couple that the pastor proposes to let go is pregnant and it's December with only two weeks to Christmas.
Aside from poor timing, the problem is likely that the pastor or the people don't know how to separate redemption and results. Said another way, they find it difficult to separate benevolence and productivity. If the person cannot get the job done, then they should not receive a paycheck. It's that simple. (It's not easy, but it is that simple.)
So, what about a redemptive community? If you or the board feels led to help the person or couple, then do so because you love and care for them - because God is prompting you to help them financially or otherwise. The answer isn't a paycheck. There are a number of possibilities, from a one-time generous financial gift out of your benevolence account to whatever you may feel prompted to do. The key is to separate benevolence from productivity.
Lowering standards during the hiring process
Let me get right to the point on this potential big mistake: When you are hiring a new staff member, never - and I mean never - lower your qualifications during the process.
Trust me, I know the pressure of being short a staff member or two. There is a huge temptation to say, "Well, this person meets most of our qualifications and we have been looking for months; let's just hire her." Sometimes it carries on so long that you hear something like, "Look, this person is breathing and claims to be saved. I'm hiring him!"
This isn't complicated. Think through your official hiring criteria, put it in writing, and stick to it. It might be a certain amount of education, experience, and size of church. It might be certain skills or aptitudes. Whatever the case, write it down and stick to it.
Another caution concerns the hiring of a temporary employee. This is the common scenario of hiring someone on a temporary agreement to help fill the gap while you look for the permanent staff member. Remember why you wouldn't consider this person for the permanent role in the first place.
Here's an illustration: A lay person in your church is acting as the temporary student pastor. This person is loved, and they relieve your pressure from dealing with the student ministry. Several months go by and you can't seem to find someone for the permanent spot. You begin to think (about the temporary person), "You know, he's doing okay, no one seems upset, let's just give him the job." BIG mistake. If you start temporary, stay temporary.
Failing to hold high expectations
Every successful company or winning sports team in the country demands high expectations from everyone on the team. Why would the local church be any different? Is the cause of Christ less worthy than building ships, practicing law, or playing football? No way!
Set your goals, make them clear, and make them big. Push and stretch your team. The truth is people want to excel. They want to do well. They want to win. Don't hold back.
How you do this matters. Command and control aren't the answer. Power and intimidation aren't right either. Leadership at its best is influence for the good of the people. High amounts of expectation require high amounts of investment in leadership development, encouragement, and permission to have fun in the process.
One more thought: People know when they are under-performing and wonder why you let them get away with it. If you let this continue, they lose respect for you and your leadership.
Getting sloppy in communicating employment contract issues during the hiring process
This big mistake is more technical than the others, and it can cause seriously painful situations. The local church is about relationships. We are a "warm and fuzzy" bunch in general. We meet, eat, pray, eat, talk, eat some more, laugh, discuss, and then go out for dessert. Fellowship is an important component of the body of Christ - but enough is enough. At some point we must be smart, crisp, clear, and above all else written.
Never, ever offer a job of any kind, no matter how small, without having an offer of employment contract in writing. This offer of employment includes a number of things, including a summary of the job description, salary and benefits, and special hiring considerations. Make it clear and write it down. This should all fit on one page.
Compensating for personal needs rather than results
The local church in general has made some good progress on this issue. This big mistake made is made less and less often. That is a good thing. Unfortunately, there are still too many churches that pay for things like how long a person has been on staff, how old they are, how many kids they have, how well they are liked, political pressures, fairness, or how much education they possess.
None of those things should affect the amount a person is paid. Results are the bottom line - reward results. There are a number of big-picture things to take into consideration, such as comparative pay scales in other churches of similar size and geographic location. But a good rule of thumb is to be as generous as possible. Remember, you get what you pay for!!
You can read the whole article here...
FOR DISCUSSION: Have you ever made these mistakes? What have been the consequences in your specific situation?
Dan Reiland has recently featured an interesting article in his Pastor Coach email newsletter titled 10 Big Church Staffing Mistakes. This week, we’ll take a look at Dan’s first five…
Comments
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Dr. Jim Dyke on Tue, May 03, 2005
Excellent article - Dan’s experience in ministry is obvious to anyone who’s spent any time in a large church environment (and I’m not saying that just because we were colleagues at one point!) Wise cautions, all of these on his list. HERE’S THE KICKER… It’s rarely reciprocated, to the benefit of the one being hired.
Interesting, isn’t it, that church leaders are quick to advocate “professionalism” in every aspect of staffing EXCEPT the ones that mean the most to those being hired! Case in point - staff termination remains one of the worst aspects of the staffing processes in most churches EVEN THE BIG ONES THAT SHOULD KNOW AND DO BETTER. Whazzzup with that????
Here’s a good example: Senior pastors and church boards are quick to “professionalize” the staffing process with a hiring agreement, complete with all the bells and whistles (salary, benefits, start date, etc.) EXCEPT for an agreed-upon tenure. I remember being asked once by a Senior pastor to make a five-year commitment to my position, but I never received a five-year commitment from him, to support me in that! In the many terminations I have experienced, I had no “contractual agreement” that had to be honored by the church or its leaders. Evangelical pastors that try to negotiate “contracts” with minimum length of service clauses are considered “unspiritual” by most board members and elders. Wouldn’t it be great if staff candidates were able to “professionalize” their hiring process with hiring agreements that included specific terms of service (tenure), separation and severance? I don’t see it happening any day soon.
Meanwhile, the abuses continue.
Many senior pastors without formal agreements are “bought off” by their boards when their tenure goes unexpectedly sour. I’ve seen it! It’s not pretty when good people see their hard-earned contributions squandered on attempts to shellac a hire gone bad. It’s equally disheartening to congregants when they see a staff member they respect get booted out the “back door” with minimal information or support, rationalized by the value of “protecting the church from controversy.” Ugh.
I would be interested in hearing what others have to say about the issue of professionalism in staffing. (Let’s not forget the importance of performance evaluation - the vital connection between hiring, firing, and one of the key ingredients to long-term excellence in staffing).
Phil in CA on Tue, May 03, 2005
Wow. There’s a lot here. First, one of the mistakes I think we’re making is not the relaxing of standards, but that we’re focusing on the wrong standards. I see “performance” all over the place here, and that’s good only in so far as we can define the criteria. John Piper has put many of these concern to paper when he wrote “Brothers, We Are Not Professionals” (a good read!). We need to be careful equating accredited seminary degrees with godly understanding. Someone with knowledge “about” God cannot perform in the pastoral/sherparding role as well as someone with knowledge “of” God. THAT difference is really hard to quantify. A pastor is not necessarily “failing” the performance standars if his ministry grows in maturity before it grows in attendance.
But this article leaves me with a mafia-ish aftertaste. You know the mafia hitman motto: “It ain’t personal or nuthin’, it’s just bizniss!” The church was never meant to look or operate like the heartless bottom-line oriented corporate culture, but I see a lot of that mentality in this article. If God has called a man to ministry (and you’ve made sure of that before you hired him), firing him for going through hard times is hardly reflective of the spirit or letter of God’s Word, IMHO.
My former church fired the singles pastor (a single father of two) right before Christmas - no warning, no severance, etc. The real reason was that the numbers on his monthly Excel spreadsheet for attendance weren’t matching up with the (increasingly creative) growth statistics proclaimed by the senior pastor. In other words, he was fired for “poor performance”. We’d lost pastors to moral failure, so the whole thing felt like a corporate layoff to many people. The church suffered—- morale, gossip, etc.—accordingly. So, yes, treating pastors like sports team members, CEO’s or managers, or other non-ministry roles may NOT be so wise or Godly after all.
Susan on Tue, May 03, 2005
In my limited experience (7 years) in one church, much confusion and frustration was on not having an agreed upon job description. Actually, there was no job description, instructions, or feedback of any kind. I developed my job according to God’s leading and obvious need. This was not unique to me as previous pastors had done the same thing because this is what the senior pastor expected - he intentionally hired people with an entrepreneurial spirit. Hungry to serve Him and to shepherd people I ended up working all the time. Even when I bought groceries or went to Walmart I bought things needed at the church. I received phone calls around the clock. I loved the ministry, but I began to burn out. The church had grown from about 600 people to about 2000 attending services weekly without any additions to the pastoral staff, and my areas of ministry responsibility had greatly increased. When I tried to cut back a little in my hours (I took off Friday and Saturday night when possible), the senior pastor thought I had become lazy. He told the board and they agreed. I was told I had to work Saturday nights too.
I wished that I had ask for and discussed a written job description and list of expectations with them all in the same room. Each person you asked between the senior pastor and the board said I was supposed to be doing something different. This was quite a surprise to me! I also wish that I had discussed reasonable expectations for hours to be worked. I loved my work and loved serving especially in that church, but when it began to hurt my family life I realized that God wanted me to honor that area of my life too. Unfortunately, the church did not agree and it surprised them when I resigned.
Having agreement on the job, expectations, and having feedback/measurable results are essential to a successful position with a church. The more everyone is on the same page, the better. To review job performance against a list of measureable expectations, would have been of great benefit to me in my situation. I had worked at the top of corporations and knew this principle well in that environment. My assumptions and expectations were different because it was God’s ministers and a ministry position. I learned a valuable lesson that won’t be forgotten as I begin to serve again in another church.
Susan
bernie dehler on Tue, May 03, 2005
Hi Susan,
Sounds like a discipleship problem… you should have had close contact with someone who can disciple you. It’s a common problem in churches, I guess… Pastors just wind people up and expect them to take off…
Feedback is critical, and the element you missed out on… Rather than chastise you for work/life balance, they should have been mentoring you…
...Bernie
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/247
Dean Chandler on Tue, May 03, 2005
OOps!!
One very, very big and bad mistake in this article. THE CHURCH IS NOT A CORPORATION. I have witness the so-call “results” oriented church. The results I see today is “Horizontal” and not “Verticle”. We want results. Results usually equal “numbers”. Let’s do the ministry of the church. Do it with a shepherd’s and servant’s heart. If the church doesn’t know what that entails, then teach them. Let GOD take care of the results. These kind of results can’t be measured and we shall not know ourselves until we see Him face to face. I suggest taking a look at http://www.worshipserviceresources.com
Blessings,
Dean Chandler
Phil in CA on Tue, May 03, 2005
Dean writes: “One very, very big and bad mistake in this article. THE CHURCH IS NOT A CORPORATION. [...] We want results. Results usually equal ‘numbers’.”
Exactly. The senior pastor (in my previous example) was confronted many times about his statistics obsession and boasting about numbers. “Why do we count people? We count people because people count with God!!” was his smug retort. No, *souls* count with God, many churches just want headcount.
There are good points in the article, many of which will indeed protect the church and the staff in a variety of situations. Bottom line is that the protection and clarifications (for example, Susan’s situation) can be instituted for the sake of fairness and integrity.
Curtis on Tue, May 03, 2005
There are some great insights in this article. I have been in the process of looking for a new position the last couple of months and I have been shocked at the lack of prep work done in the hiring process. There are some things, however that bother me about this type of work environment.
First of all, most churches, realistically do not have the resources or personal to follow through on these kinds of expectations. Most of us forget that only a small percentage of churches have over 200 people. Secondly, I pose a interesting question about experience. How does someone get experience in a large ministry unless that ministry takes a chance and hires someone without that experience? Some of us have started in smaller churches, yet larger churches will not hire us unless we have large group experience. There are few options. A candidate can be taught and discipled in the large church system to eventually be on paid staff or they must find someway in the system as an intern (or temporary worker).
There appears to be a large gap between those in the larger churches (200+) and the majority smaller churches. Most in the smaller churches would not understand what is being communicated in this article. Some may say that is why they are smaller. But some of them are certainly furthering the Kingdom of God.
Maybe I am going off on a tangent. Again, I understand what the article is trying to communicate but I don’t think it considers where most churches (or possible candidates) are coming from.
By the way: It appears the topic of Mr. Warren garners more attention than this topic!
brian on Tue, May 03, 2005
How I have seen this
Failing to separate redemption and results
Redemption is based entirely on results. How well you perform at that instant no matter what is going on in your life, is how much God loves you. This may not be preached but it is pounded into your soul with a vengeance.
Harry Miller on Tue, May 03, 2005
Dear Brian
I disagree. For me the Bible is like a marriage contract on the wall. The fulfullment is greater than the contract. The Bible says Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Here you are married to the one you believe in and through the marriage your transubstanciated into the body of Christ. Paul said “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
James on Tue, May 03, 2005
“Unfortunately, there are still too many churches that pay for things like how long a person has been on staff, how old they are, how many kids they have, how well they are liked, political pressures, fairness, or how much education they possess. None of those things should affect the amount a person is paid. Results are the bottom line - reward results.”
Perhaps this could be a reality series where staff who do not perform up to certain numbers can be taken into a boardroom and fired weekly. You wouldn’t even need a Christian to host; considering the methods involved Donald Trump would make a great stand in as pastor.
Perhaps it will get even higher ratings if “… the young couple that the pastor proposes to let go is pregnant and it’s December with only two weeks to Christmas.”
Don’t you think this would be an excellent promotional tool for the cause of Christ… hmmmm
Rich on Wed, May 04, 2005
I usually agree with Dan on most things but I can see I’m not alone in my reaction to this article. “Compensating for personal needs rather than results.” Perhaps this is a mistake in the corporate world but the church is not the corporate world. Most churches are small and struggle to deal with adequate compensation at all.
I suspect many of us small church pastors could be making a lot more in a secular position, but we never got into this for the money. It seems to me that caring for the needs (not the wants) of the Pastor and his family should be at the heart of the compensation issue for churches.
Many churches don’t understand this. For example, when long time pastor retires the churh leaders struggle when those they interview suggest the compensation is not adequate for his families needs. I’ve heard the comment, “But it was enough for our former pastor.” Yes, it may have been enough for your former pastor, but the former pastor and new pastor don’t live in the same economic reality. Your former pastor bought a house 20 years ago. The same house might cost your new pastor twice as much in monthly payments.
So, as a Senior Pastor, if God blesses and we grow, when we add staff, some staff members with a lot less experience than me might actually recieve more compensation than me. And when my kids graduate from college and I have fewer economic needs, I might even take a cut in pay so we can better compensate those with young families with greater needs. But then, perhaps I’m not being professional enough for today’s church!
Ryan on Thu, May 05, 2005
I agree with Curtis. So many churches don’t even want to give anyone a chance and they are not prepared in the hiring process.
I have been looking for a ministry position for a long time, and know that I have enough education and experience to find that position, but it is always the same answer. You don’t have enough experience.
I am venting because I want a chance to do what I have been called to do. I also beleive that churches don’t show enough respect in the process. Most churches don’t even tell you they have declined your resume.
Some pastors have told me that it would take to long because they received so many resumes, but with modern technology, it can be done.
I truly beleive that there are many of us young leaders out there that want to serve and see spiritual growth, but churches just want number growth.
Thanks for listening.
Dr. Jim Dyke on Fri, May 06, 2005
A word about results-based ministry evaluation…
Let’s not kid ourselves that results don’t matter! They do! ESPECIALLY in ministry, they matter. Think about this from your own perspective. You recognize the difference between a Bible teacher who leads you into real insight and application versus one who really doesn’t know what they’re talking about, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BOTH SINCERE IN THEIR DESIRE TO SERVE GOD AND YOU.
Scripture recognizes the reality of differing gifts, ministries, and effects. Don’t we also? Don’t we sometimes see a Christian worker laboring in an area in which they are clearly not gifted, and think to ourselves, “this person is not in the right place - someone needs to help them make a better decision about their role”?
Results matter. And in large churches, results matter even more, because more is at stack. (At least that’s the reationale). And that is also why it is difficult for workers like Ryan to find work. Because churches (of ALL sizes) are becoming more and more reluctant to risk hiring the wrong (i.e. “unproductive” or “unsuccessful” or “ineffective”) staff member. Of course, no one is pointing out another obvious reality: that bad hires are often the result of poor staffing skills on the part of the SENIOR PASTOR! But elders and boards are reluctant to admit that!
So… how do you get hired by a big church?
HERE’S MY SUGGESTION: Why don’t you do what Dan Reiland did?
Here’s how Dan Reiland got where he is today…
STEP 1. Participate in a large church as an effective volunteer and leader.
Dan was a leader in my college-age ministry at Skyline Wesleyan Church in the late 1970’s. He had lots of opportunities to demonstrate his leadership AND his “potential” for leadership, under the tutelage and mentoring of other leaders (myself included).
STEP 2. Develop your potential with training and education.
I was one who encouraged Dan to attend seminary. (If you decide to go to one, be sure to do what Dan did—pick a good one!) His training there helped develop his potential even further.
STEP 3. Get some “groundfloor” experience in a large church.
Dan came back to Skyline after seminary, to work as an intern. He didn’t get paid much, but he got lots of experience, and plenty of opportunity to develop his potential and demonstrate his abilities. He also got more guidance, counsel, and mentoring. Not just from me, but from all the pastors on staff. Here’s a key: he was willing to put in the hard work and long hours (with limited pay) that would help him develop personally AND professionally. While in his internship role, Dan had opportunities to take on larger responsibility (he led a DISTRICT-wide youth camp one summer… and we all had confidence he could do a good job, because he had served as my assistant when I led the camp one previous summer!)
STEP 4. Get an “angel” on your shoulder.
Dan was noticed by John Maxwell, who was the senior pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church when Dan was an intern. I don’t know the whole story (you need to ask Dan) but I think John recognized Dan’s potential for even greater effectiveness, and gave him the opportunity for more responsibility.
NOW FOR PERSONAL APPLICATION…
1. This is a process, not an event. And it’s a loooong process. So start now! Start with whatever leadership and ministry responsibilities are at hand, and be faithful. Dan started out as a volunteer.
2. Now, Discover Your Strengths. Figure out what you’re good at; what God designed you for; and stick to your strengths. Dan was good at working with teams. That is an invaluable part of the leadership “gift mix.”
3. Find a good leader to work with. Okay, I’ll toot my horn a little… Dan worked with ME. Part of my passion as a leader is to encourage the growth and development of others (that’s the gift of “Maximizer” - see point 2 above). I was one (of many) who helped Dan grow and develop as a leader at Skyline Wesleyan.
4. Invest TANGIBLY in your own growth and development. Dan went to school, to get further education and training. You can do the same. You can also go to seminars, workshops, adult education classes, and training conferences. You can even get certifications in some areas (i.e. early childhood education, information technology, etc.).
5. Build a network of leaders, mentors, advisors, who can help you in your growth and development AND help open doors for you.
Getting your “angels” may be easier than you think. Look around you and identify any leaders you know, who may already know you, and who would be willing to meet with you, talk with you, give you feedback, and PRAY for you! Most mentors (myself included) are DYING to help others, but people like Ryan aren’t always forthcoming, taking the initiative to reach out to us and ASK FOR HELP. Just ask. Make a phone call. Book a lunch. Sometimes, it’s just that easy. I remember when Bill Bright himself, prayed for me, (remember him - the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ?) and prayed for my ministry future. That event came as a result of a process that started with a simple request of mine to a lay leader at the church where I worked. A simple request for a cup of coffee and the chance to “pick his brains.” You never know what may happen if you step forward in humility and ask someone for their help. Just do it.
6. Make it your ambition to ultimately serve Christ, not the church. If you have the right focus, you will survive the craziness and unfairness of an imperfect organization (the Church) and it’s flawed leaders. You will be able to serve with integrity and without regret, and not become disillusioned in the process.
Think of it this way: Jesus comes to you and says, “Look… I care about the people in this church, and I want to help them. I want to send them the very best I have. That’s why I’ve come to YOU. And so I’m asking you to go to that church and help them AS A FAVOR TO ME. Now I warn you… the senior pastor is a rascal, and his board members are clueless and incompetent. So, you’re going to get kicked around a little. But just remember: you’re doing this for me, and I will always be grateful for it!”
If you can serve in the Church with this perspective, you will be fine.
Now… I’ll be interested how the rest of you think about all this!
Ryan on Sat, May 07, 2005
Dr. Dyke
I have reached out to others for help. I have served an a church staff (for very little money to get experience). I have went to seminary. I have served men’s minstry in as a volunteer. I have done work with a mission board to gain experience.
I think that I am very forthcoming.
D.R Randle on Sun, May 08, 2005
Dr. Dan,
I strongly disagree with your comment that churches should always stick to their initial criteria in the hiring process. Many churches’ expectations are way too high and up qualifying themselves out of very good candidates. One example I can give is the church in which I grew up. For the situation the church was in at the time, their expectations were way too far out in left field. They found no one even close to interested until they reduced their criteria toward the end of the search. What they ended up with was a younger pastor who has so far been exceeding their expectations. They realized how wrong they had been from the beginning. Additionally, I have been weeded out of several positions because the church’s expectations were too high (they wanted several years of experience, yet they could care less about a seminary degree!). I know of 2 churches like this that that are still looking for ministers (after 5 years)!
I do however agree with the comment you made on temporary leadership. I think churches put unqualified leadership in those positions and end up keeping them there to the detriment of those ministries they are leading. I have seen this time and time again.
I do appreciate your article, but I think there is a certain amount of subjectivity to searching for a minister. Not everyone church needs to seek the most qualified candidate out there—some need one who is less qualified on paper and more qualified spiritually (something you can’t measure quantitatively or explain in a resume).
Soli Deo Gloria
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