September 3, 2025
Can You Communicate Your Vision?
When a vision is communicated effectively, people are drawn to the vision and not just the leader. In the long term, this gets far more traction for the church and for the kingdom of God.
Articles for tag: Staff Meetings
July 9, 2015
Unpaid but Accountable
By Jennifer Johnson Since its launch in September 2011, Mission Church in Ventura, CA, has grown from a small team of three families to more than 700 people and a large staff. But only six of those staff members are paid. The volunteer culture began with the launch of the church, when several members of the core team agreed to lead without receiving pay. “We have 16 people in our staff meetings, but only a few of them are paid by Mission,” says Jodi Hickerson, herself one of the volunteers. (She serves as programming director and preaches regularly.) “We have
April 1, 2015
How Healthy Is Your Team, Really?
How healthy is your elder, staff, or ministry team? “Healthy organizations engage in honest conversations,” says David Staal, president of Kids Hope USA. “This requires leaders who are willing to encourage discussions about topics that can cause a culture to capsize if ignored too long.” Stall suggests engaging your team in a discussion around the following if-then statements. While each of these may at first seem like ridiculous statements, discuss whether they are at all true on your team, in your group, or in your organization. Tailor each of these to your team or situation. “¢ If someone is an
January 24, 2015
My Experience Working for a Verbally Abusive Pastor
By P.J. Bierma At first we couldn”t believe what we were hearing, and seeing. And then we struggled to decide how to cope with an ongoing pattern that threatened to undo us. A true story. All names and places have been changed. “Well, ladies, the big conference is next week.” Trudy, head of the women”s ministry was talking to my wife, Annie, and another volunteer helping plan the annual women”s conference. “Since there will be a lot of women coming in from out of town,” Trudy continued, “it would be nice to have someone who could greet all the newcomers.
January 7, 2013
How Do You Define Your Leadership? Tom Plank
By Tom Plank Fifty years ago, when I began my ministry, no one was talking about leadership, so everything I have learned has been by trial and error. One thing I have learned is that leadership begins at the top with the minister. People will not follow what you say so much as what you do. Set the example. All too often I have been around ministers who expected to be first in line for a carry-in dinner and the first to receive a compliment. These are the ministers who lose their effectiveness because they leave the impression it is
