I think that is a great value system for a staff to minister together. I am blessed to be on a staff right now that lives those values, I have been on staff where it is not always unified. we are currently looking for a Senior Pastor who is a good TEAM Captain, not a CEO. We know that God will help us find His man for this position.

Just a quick Q - What does the statement mean “commit ourselves to the Principle of 10%”??????  Is it the obvious - tithing financially or something else?

THANKS!!!

“We commit ourselves to the Principle of 10%”

I’m glad that reads “Principle of...” and not “New Testament example of...”

I am just wondering about the consequences that take place when someone repeatedly does not follow or hold to the values. All the talk about accountability sounds great, but what are the consequences of accountability?

I assumed the principle of 10% is what Bill Hybles talks about when he mentions that leaders say anything and everything but the 10% that needs to be said.  It sounds as if many of these values are from Willow Creek and Bill talks about saying the 10% that needs to be said but I could be totally wrong.

There were a lot of good ideas, principals and statements and yes, perhaps a few too many or redundant.  My question is the same as Rick B.’s accountability question.  “What happens when....”
It’s all sounds spiritually strong but all to often someone decides that they (or their ministry) is a little bigger, a little more important at the moment to be bound by so many statements.  AND, “all to often,” that someone tends to be the Pastor.
Secondly, what about the congregation?  Do they hold to a value statement? Does the staff “sign off” on these values?  Would the congregation be willing to commit to these values and submit to any accountability?  Hummmm?  If they did, I think you’d have one heck of a church!
Ben E.

On the 10% thing.  Could someone elaborate?
Is it you should only say 10% leaving the rest up for discernment? (sp?) OR, that 90% of what should be said, doesn’t get said?
Just wondering.
Ben E.

Hey John (Mutombo)...you honestly just put a tear in my eye! Your insight between cultures, “You keep time.  We make time.”
is a VALUE we need to learn and you should never compromise!
Ben E.

We have the following 7 values.  We left #8 open so as to give room for improvement and expansion.  And, like others above, we have let people go for not following thru with these core staff values.

1.  “Service with a Smile” - Always have and show a positive servant spirit

The servant attitude is something that Jesus and his disciples made a priority.  A positive, hands-on approach to service is one of the keys of leadership here at Calvary.  No pastor, elder, staff member, or ministry leader should ever step away from an opportunity to serve, and to serve alongside of, those who are a part of our local and faith communities.  Contrary to common belief, the people are not here to serve us, we are here to serve them.  So, while we are called to delegate (it is not possible - nor smart - for us to be involved in every ministry from start to finish), to serve ‘one another’, and to equip people for ministry...it must never be beyond us to set the joyful example of servanthood as we roll up our sleeves and lend a hand whenever and wherever we can.  As long as a single volunteer is still engaged in the work of ministry...we should be looking for ways we can come along side of that volunteer to encourage or to help.  Nothing discourages the heart of a volunteer more than a leader who is not willing to be incarnational - to serve them and work along side of them.  So ‘stay focussed’ - we are not ‘done’ until everyone is ‘done’.  We do all of this so that we might exhibit the character and attitude of Jesus...who came not to be served, but to serve others...and so that we might encourage the body with our attitude and presence! 


2.  “No Spotted-Lambs” - Do and give your very best for the Lord and others

Excellence is inspired by God and should be offered to God.  ‘Spotted lamb’ offerings are cheesy, unpleasing to God, less than sacrificial, and paint a negative image of God.  Never ‘skim’ or ‘skimp’ when it comes to the work of ministry and service for Christ.  Do every ministry task as though a life depended on it....because it just might!  Allow your offering to create a ‘distraction-free environment’ where we give our best for God and where seekers and believers can look past us in order to see the true excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ.


3.  “Whistle While You Work” - be informal, casual, flexible, and fun....but still
work!!

Calvary is an informal place where work (and work relationships) can and should be fun.  While not forsaking our professionalism or our ministry processes, we believe that the informal and casual is preferable to the stuffy and formal. We have an incredibly hard and demanding job to do, but if we do it right, it should be filled with lots of fellowship, faith, joy, and fun.  Our work is hard...so work hard, but ‘whistle’ while you do it! 


4.  “Stand by Your ‘Man’” - Allow for vigorous debate in private, but complete
unity/loyalty in public

Loyalty to one another is a key to ministry success and positive team interactions.  We’re not looking for uniformity, but rather unity among the diverse staff and team here at Calvary.  Healthy meetings and ministry do (and should) involve a certain amount of vigorous debate and disagreement.  We are all different creatures with different gifts, opinions, and insights.  The work we do is too important to simply ‘rubber-stamp.” We need healthy dialogue.  But, we should never let those disagreements divide us...lead to gossip...or potentially split the church.  And, if we discover that it has, we should work quickly to confess, repent, reconcile, and rectify the situation.  Once a decision is made (especially if the decision is not necessarily the one you would make) we speak in unity and as ‘one voice’ or we do not speak at all.  If we cannot do that, ultimately, we agree to remove ourselves from the team.


5.  “Never Cancel Church” - as a church family, we may not always have ‘dessert’,
but we will always have our ‘bread and butter’.

Programs do not always work...outings and trips are not always well attended...classes may come and go...but when it comes to our primary weekly ministries....consistency is a key!  Whether for 1, 101, or 1001 we will commit to always serving the people God brings to our basic ministry gatherings with passion, zeal, and excitement!  Like God...are people need to know that we will be here for them! 


6.  “Those Who Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail” - use the time and the resources you
have intentionally, proactively, and wisely.

Our church is Purpose-Driven.  Your schedule should be also.  Use the time that God has given to you in ways that further advance the mission/vision that God has given to the church and your personal ministry.  This is your job and your calling.  A schedule that is always reactive and usurped by the ‘tryanny of the urgent’ (or even the tyranny of the unscheduled) is a schedule that is not being stewarded wisely.  Build flexibility in your schedule by being purposeful.  Create scheduled opportunities for regular connection and communication thereby limiting/reducing the amount of time ‘stolen/given-away’ throughout your busy ministry day.  Use large people-gathering times as opportunities to make broader connections and to schedule more private interactions.

7.  You Do the “Paying”, So That Others Can Do the “Playing” - it is our job to
equip others for the joy of ministry.

A lot of times we get this backwards.  We can be tempted ‘delegate’ (dump) all of the ‘grunt’ work to others so that we can have the fun of actually doing the ministry.  But, the opposite should be the ‘norm.’ We should use our weekly work schedule to prepare others for the joyful work of ministry.  That means we do the grunt work, so that they use their limited time and energy for the things that bring them the greatest joy and yield the greatest fruit!


8.