Herald Of Faith, Inc.   www.heraldoffaith.com
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Mastering Church Management

Mastering Church Management by Don Cousins, Leith Anderson, Arthur Dekruyter
Notes prepared by Winston Mattsson-Boze

Introduction
Pastors must:
     Learn to prioritize.
     Gain discernment in congregational decisions.
     Develop in training and delegation.
     Structure for cooperation.
     Plan for future opportunities.

Effectiveness depends largely on management.
Unbelievers are attracted what is done well.
The man who says it cannot be done shouldn’t interrupt the one who is doing it.
Growth does not come from pastors who leave things as they are.

Part I: The Big Picture

Chapter 1: Grooming the organization
» Discernment: assess accurately the current condition. (Nehemiah)
» Vision and understanding to say, “This is where we need to go.” Static organizations are in first stage of decline.
» Bring people and resources to move the organization forward.

Management: process of getting things done through other people.
Drawbacks:
» Time
» Obscurity
» Tedium
» Competing demands
     Initiator vs. responder
     Calendar is clearest indicator of who’s in control
     Be clear about goals
     A & B priorities
     Personal crises in leaders
     Conflict between team members
     Change in people’s responsibilities as they develop
» Detachment: Need to balance with contact with people
» Exploitation Vs. giving people an opportunity to discover, develop and use their gifts in ministry.

Value of management
Purpose and direction. If you aren’t moving forward, you are regressing.
Midcourse corrections
Increased effectiveness
Good management enables church to meet needs it couldn’t meet otherwise.
Increased scope, by developing people.
Signs of a well managed church:
   1. clearly defined purpose
   2. widely understood purpose
   3. servants who understand their unique contribution to the team.
   4. a strategy that works
   5. financial integrity
   6. a well cared for “Main Street” (the first impression visitors get)

Chapter 2: Stewardship of Power
Stewardship of power is more important than stewardship of money.
» Power is trust.
» Power is accountable. Open with board. No secrets. (gifts from members, preferential treatment.)
» Power is to be delegated. Responsibility and power to perform it. Never withdraw power without saying so clearly.

Practicing stewardship of power
   1. Discover the church’s center of power
   2. Discuss the unmentionable. One on one discussions with power wielders. (influence, motivation, intentions, objectives.) Disciple in the proper use of power. Establish relationship.
   3. Ask for help in managing power. Visionary leaders need administrators.
   4. Use power in a pastoral way. (Communion story)

Chapter 3: Staying people centered and Purpose driven
Every administrative task is based in helping people.
Keeping it people centered
Virtually all management issues deal with people.
Committee meetings: people getting together around a task.
Keeping it purpose driven
Purpose is more important than preaching
Called to help the church fulfill its God-given mission
Concentrate on the critical tasks
   1. communicate the philosophical base. Courses in leadership.
   2. Put the best people in areas of the highest priority. (Not necessarily on the board)
   3. Allow people to remain in areas that utilize their gifts.
   4. Listen to people and use their complaints to improve things.

Streamline structures
   1. Subordinate structure to action. It doesn’t take much organization to run a church. Lean structures that focus on action and free people for ministry.
   2. Use task forces rather than committees
   3. Select accomplishers rather than representatives. Good judgment is a key quality.
   4. Avoid “leadership only” positions
   5. Limit size of decision making bodies. (maximum 8-10)
   6. Create “linking pins” in church organization, so one committee knows what the other is doing.
   7. Keep constitution accurate and flexible. Crisis management team.

The challenge of change
People resist change
Many pastors have not had positive administrative models
It takes time to develop confidence in your leadership
A well run church is a model of good business management.

Part II: The Tasks

Chapter 4: The Many Sides of Administration
The board makes policy and the pastor administers it.
» An administrator appeals to higher needs. Maslow scale: self-fulfillment and service to God and others. Establish church as a dynamic presence in the community.
» An administrator talks in pictures. Dramatize solutions. “Imagine!”
» An administrator pursues goals—prudently. Listen to will of people, but don’t let it get out of hand. “Brain trust: 2 or more come up with better ideas than one alone. Meditate-listen to God. Outline and show goals to the right people first, but don’t bypass board.
» An administrator sets worthy goals. Big goals excite and motivate church win support faster than small ones.
» An administrator works backwards from the goal to the starting point.
» An administrator thinks about vital details.
» An administrator leads. Motivate, goals, organize, initiate.
Pastors can do anything and everything that helps the church flourish and reach out in the name of Christ.

Chapter 5: Looking to the future
It is enormously important which way people are looking, forward or backward.
The God who transcends time. What mission has God given our congregation? Appropriate, specific mission.
Present needs, not past success.
A few people of vision
Most people are not people of vision
Natural tendencies work against effective vision
(When pastors are new to a church, few people call or trust them with information.)
Starting out should be devoted to the current program, not the future. Later the focus can shift as confidence in your ministry develops.
Obstacles to pastor’s role. So much present work. Some things need hands on.
Specific strategies
    1. Think next year; not this year
    2. Spend time as a cultural anthropologist. Young people now have a high tolerance of plurality and diversity.
    3. Plan for opportunities more than problems.
    4. Emphasize ministry over structure.
Becoming purpose driven. Barth: Christians “:provisional representatives of a new race.”

Chapter 6: Starting Ministries Successfully
Before you can form a workable strategy, we need to ask 2 questions: What do we know about the target group? And What do we know about doing this ministry effectively? (Don Cousins)
What would happen if we designed a (youth) program specifically to draw newcomers?

Build on leadership, not need.
Settle on one purpose.
» Brainstorm about the ministry (Willow Creek Sunday AM)
» When you meet one need thoroughly, you attract people to help meat other needs.
» Single focus helps workers measure effectiveness.

Determine a philosophy of ministry
» Introductory quote (above)
» Serious consideration of target audience.

Establish a strategy. 
» (Un-churched, Seeker, Average believer, Zealot)
» Move up a level
» Determine plan for each group
» Strategy to move into evangelism. Remove fears, build confidence, provide needed tools.
» (sports ministry)

Direct the resource.
Connect the resource with those who need it. (Apologists)

Chapter 7: Overseeing church Finances
When people trust your integrity, they give willingly
Integrity of a church rests with its leader.
» Don’t shirk church finances
» Use abilities wisely. Some are detail people; some generalists. Each needs the other.
» Model giving.

Review the budget at the earliest stages. This saves wrangling at the board level. Negotiate early.
Know who gives only when it is critical.
Choosing leaders. Character check.
Obtain a legitimate audit.
Make the money people ministry minded. Integrate them with ministry decision makers.
Train for right attitudes early. Crisis is the wrong time to begin training.
Assume a “we” stance, not “us vs. them.”
Adopt policies to prevent problems. (like loaning church equipment selectively)
Meet felt needs to pay for unfelt needs. If people see their needs are met, they are willing to give to other things.
Don’t do fund raising. Church ministries should be paid for by the budget.
Misappropriation of funds
Handling money is a trust.
Audit.
Confront, but do it pastorally.

Chapter 8: Overseeing building and grounds.
Little things say a lot.
Pastor’s role
    1. delegate responsibility but demonstrate interest
    2. Concentrate energies on areas that relate to pastoral duties.
    3. Become knowledgeable in areas of pressing concern.
    4. Teach people to notice what the facilities communicate.
The building’s purpose. Community’s expectations.
An evangelistic building.
Use for non-church events.
The first time is the hardest time for someone to enter.
A reason for every decision.
Colors
Women’s service areas
Hallways
Sanctuary. 25 meters is maximum to observe facial expression.
Acoustics
Safety. Emergency procedure.
Employing expertise. Outside consulting.
Front end investments. Facilities vs. mission
Ministry vs. Maintenance. The church isn’t a museum.

Part III: The People

Chapter 9: Working through leaders
Growth always produces confusion
When things are happening, people want to help.
Overcoming the drawbacks:
“Keep things as they are” mindset
What decisions/activities will help me be more effective a year from now? (recruiting and training leaders for things like visitation)
Willing to make mistakes. You may get burned, but learn and try again.
Personal insecurity. Kingdom over protecting territory. Expand circle of ministry
A leader is one who draws others into effective ministry.

What to look for in leaders:
» Character is first. It is usually set by age 25. You can’t compromise on character.

Measured by:
Self-management. Discipline, punctuality, complete work, mastering circumstance, moral life. Observe potential leaders over time.

Interpersonal skills. Humility, courtesy, patience, self-control. Need for healthy self-esteem.
» Spirituality authenticity. Have you discipled/been discipled? Quiet time. Answers to prayer. Temptation. How you came to Christ? Practice the fundamentals.
» Ministry fit. Passion. Want to do something for God. 

It is always manifested in action.
» Relational fit. Chemistry.

Traits to consider
» Aggressive vs. initiative. Initiative fuels ministry.
» Sincerity

Leaders are judge, in part, by their selection of coworkers. Select the right people and ministries thrive.
Keys to selection: time, prayer, discernment.
How to work through others
Decide what tasks to do yourself and what to do through others.
Leaders have unique contributions which can’t be delegated.
Give best hours of day to your special ability.
Give responsibility commensurate with task assigned.
(Start with teaching 5; then we’ll see about 50)
Challenge people to move them ahead, but don’t overwhelm them with responsibilities, and so discourage them.
Character, Spiritual maturity, Competence
The payoff
What is going to change this ministry dramatically in the shortest time? Probably key leaders.

Chapter 10: Motivating and Recruiting Volunteers
The main thing that keeps volunteers motivated is the sense that they are getting more out of their service than they are putting into it. Leith Anderson
3 basics: Motivating, Guiding into the right ministry, Support/supervise
    1. Motivating
Gratitude works better than guilt.
Guilt motivation produces resentment.
Tap people’s existing dissatisfaction: loss of identity—treated like a number. Desire for significance
Give volunteers more than they put in. Personal growth. Part of great thing. Serving God. Fellowship.
Purpose of SS meeting is to affirm teachers and say you aren’t alone.
High “pay”

    2. Rules of recruiting
Where should you be serving Christ?
Meet with people to discuss their spiritual development and interests.
Consider the whole picture. Family, Work
Job description and term of service
Recruit from someone involved in that ministry; “Will you join me..”
Recruit well ahead of start time.
Normally, start with small job.
Some recruitments don’t work.

    3. Critical ministries and critical roles
“Introducer” Connect visitor with person.
“epaulet” men. Leaders

    4. Corporate ethos. 
Leader establishes atmosphere.
Upbeat, biblically based, rooted in prayer
Done through those you relate to directly.
Stay after meeting to talk and help.
Don’t recruit and abandon.
Continuously support those you supervise.

Chapter 11: Overseeing Staff
We are here to help people succeed.
A unified team of motivated, well-trained church workers can accomplish just about any ministry objective.
Commitment to others.
A servant leader is more committed to the fruitfulness and fulfillment—the success—of his staff than his own.

Communicating clear expectations
» Job description. 4-6 major responsibilities
» Monthly listing of priorities. A&B priorities.
Do it together.
Your attitude and manner of speaking, so you’re on their side.
Don’t attack someone with an unfulfilled goal. Try not to threaten
Workers whose time and abilities reflect their priorities usually accomplish their ministry objectives.

Providing personalized leadership
» Different workers need different kinds of leadership.
Direction, Coaching, Support, Delegation (but not abdication).
Progressively less time consuming.
Don’t move through process too quickly.
» Can’t spread “relational energy” too thin
Offering accurate and honest evaluation
They need feedback
Leaders avoid heartache by providing immediate feedback regarding inferior work
You may drop or reposition people
» Leading the team
Staff meetings to motivate or equip the team for battle.
What does my staff need?
How can this meeting help them grow in their effectiveness?

3 functions: business, training (50% of time), relational
Results. Overseeing a staff is hard work.

Chapter 12: Hiring and Firing
Effective staff management begins in the hiring process.
Before hiring ask:
When it it time to replace volunteers with employees?
Volunteer overworked
No skilled volunteer
When volunteer system breaks down. (Hired staff has covenanted to be productive, and we can demand greater accountability)
When should we move from lay to ordained staff?
Do we hire within or outside membership?
“family”
Never hire someone you can’t fire
Don’t hire within congregation if it’s going to hamper effective ministry.
Who should do the hiring?
Immediate supervisor with counsel from leader.
Board should interview more critical and public positions.
Whom do you hire first?
The part that will immediately affect the community you want to reach.
What benefits should we offer full time non-ordained staff?
Health and (for heads of family) retirement
Hiring: what to look for
Christian commitment
Compatability, both doctrinal and personal. (consider length of stay in previous positions. Let them talk with staff. Appearance talks. Comparable competence
Competence, dedication, vision
How to get an honest reference.
Call them up.
Find someone who knows where they’ve been
When the job isn’t getting done
Quietly investigate
Meet with staff
Encourage staff to be honest with the person
Probation
Bring in the board 
Get the person to tell you what you said
Dismissing a staff member
Give time to find new work
Give a gracious farewell
Give fair references
Even good administrators sometimes lose




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Herald Of Faith, Inc.
PO Box 7
Anoka, MN 55303
763-427-0739
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www.heraldoffaith.com