Staff Members: Maximize Your Ministry! - Part 1

Recently, I shared a talk with the staff at Trinity Church in Cedar Hill, Texas. I had a great time as I shared with the staff (on which I served over a decade ago) from the perspective of both a senior pastor and a staff member.

I presented nine points which I felt were especially relevant for today's church staff member. Here are the first three thoughts...

To maximize your ministry as a church staff member:

1. Make yourself valuable to the church. Do what no one else is willing nor able to do.

Of course you're going to do what's written in your job description, but if those are your boundaries, you have made yourself into a "hireling."

When you begin to look at your church through the eyes of a true leader, you will find "holes" that need to be plugged. So, confidently make your church better, being careful not to tread too heavily into another staff member's portfolios.


2. Consider yourself fortunate to get paid anything for what you do. “Entitlement” spirits kill ministries.

I know what you're thinking, "yeah, I don't get paid anything now!" I'm certainly not advocating that staff members should take a vow of poverty, and it's my opinion that in many cases, quality staff members are underpaid, but an attitude of entitlement could eventually disqualify you from ministry.

Remember that the scriptures declare that a primary qualification for ministry service is to not be a "lover of money." To feel that you are entitled to earn what another staff member or the what the senior pastor earns is simply a form of coveting that will erode God's anointing from your life.


3. Spend 80% of your time in your giftedness. You can't? No excuses. Raise up volunteers.

After I had served on a church staff for a couple of years, I found myself working 80 hour weeks, doing very little of what I felt gifted at, and I was always falling behind. I'm sure you know the feeling.

While I was reading the Bible one day, I rediscovered the truth stating that a huge part of my job description was to invest in people so that THEY can do works of service. So, I began doing it! For a few weeks, my workload INCREASED as I began to invest in people, training them to do various ministries. But after six months or so, I felt SO much more balanced and fulfilled. I began focusing on my areas of giftedness, and I aggressively sought out, discovered and trained people to serve in the areas that I was not gifted in. They loved it. I loved it. They had new ministry. I had more effective ministry. It was a win-win.

Remember that churches are supposed to be volunteer organizations, so raise up volunteers!