“If you want your staff member to be an actual member of your ministry team and not just an employee, then they need to know—and be regularly reminded—of their purpose and significance within the overall mission and body of the church.”

Leading and managing church staff can be one of the most challenging and exhilarating aspects of pastoral ministry. Unfortunately, staff can develop relational tension with other staff or volunteers. They can become resentful or bitter toward the leadership of the church. Sometimes, they can even begin to work independently from the overall mission of the church and gather adherents to their “side,” stirring up division within the body.

However, when staff are being properly shepherded and led, when they know the expectations that the leaders have of them, when they have a clear sense of their purpose and significance within the greater body of the church, when they are appreciated and given adequate feedback, and when they are being equipped to carry out their tasks with greater competency and faith, leading and managing staff can be one of the most exciting aspects of pastoral ministry.

Here are a few very practical principles of leading and managing church staff that will help you build up the body of Christ in both maturity and unity.

Principle #1: Hiring

Having the right or wrong person in the position you’re looking to fill can make a world of difference in your expendable time and ministry joy. When it comes to hiring church staff—whether it’s a maintenance coordinator or a secretary or a youth director—there are at least five categories to consider, oftentimes referred to as the five “Cs”.

First, calling. I’m not necessarily referring of the category we usually think about when it comes to a pastoral “call”—although it could, depending on the position—but ask the question: do they have a sense of serving “as unto the Lord”? This is what I mean by “calling.”

Second, character. Is their character consistent with their profession of faith? If the individual is not known, a variety of references can really help.

Third, convictions. What are their beliefs? Many within the Reformed world hold to the Westminster Standards as the guardrails for their system of doctrine. If this is your church, ask the prospective candidate (1) if he or she has actually read the Standards and, if so, (2) if there are any areas in which he or she disagrees with them. Many problems can be diverted, especially those in ministry staff positions, by knowing what the staff member believes. Also, make sure their “beliefs” are not just beliefs of convenience, but beliefs of conviction.

Fourth, competency. Do they have the necessary skills to adequately fulfill the job you are needing to fill? Additionally, if they lack some portion of the necessary skills, do they have a humble and teachable spirit that could receive instruction? Experience often plays a large part in this element of hiring.

Fifth, chemistry. Do you get along with them? Do you share similar values? Could you function well together? Personality tests and an informal dinner with the candidate (perhaps with spouses) can help with this aspect of hiring.

I also need to address two other issues related to the hiring process. First, the church needs to compensate staff well! Please read that again. Just because they are working in a church doesn’t mean that they should have to work for lower pay than other places of work. A worker is deserving of his wages. Moreover, adequate compensation shows that you value them, which only propels them to serve with greater desire and motivation. We make it a regular practice to increase staff pay every year.

Second, be cautious about hiring from within your own congregation. It can be done (and it can be done well), but there are also some risks. For example, if there is a need to let a staff member go, it may be very difficult for that individual (and his or her family!) to stay members at your church. If you’re going to be hiring from within, the best approach is to be clear about all possibilities from the outset, and that the leadership will do their best to shepherd him or her even if the job doesn’t end up being the best fit.

Principle #2: Purpose, Significance, and Appreciation

If you want your staff member to be an actual member of your ministry team and not just an employee, then they need to know—and be regularly reminded—of their purpose and significance within the overall mission and body of the church. When you cast the bigger vision of why they do what they do and their significance for the present and future generations of saints, it propels them to serve with a greater zeal and desire. It also increases the joy they have in their job, even if it is difficult.

Take a children’s director as an example. In twenty or thirty years from now, those children—who are being taught and encouraged in the faith week in and week out—will look back and remember how your children’s ministry director made a lasting impact because of his or her passion for the gospel. Your children’s director could very well be a part of those children’s testimonies of how God brought them to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s significant! Your janitor needs to know that he provides the vital part of the body that encourages Christian hospitality by preparing the facilities for worship and ministry of God’s people every week. That’s significant! And it’s these sorts of encouragements that give your staff a heavenly perspective of their daily ministry.

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