Thesis Statement:
A clear and continuously cast vision, along with good consistent communication to ministry leaders within the church, are essential to keeping ministries aligned to the purpose and mission of the church, and functioning as one body moving forward to change the world. “Communication is defined as “the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one person to another. It involves a sender transmitting an idea to a receiver.” (http://blog.memberhub.com).
Communication is one of the biggest areas overlooked when it comes to working with groups of people. Many think that information can be given one or two times and that is enough, however; over time I have found that you cannot over communicate, especially information that is critical to the success of your organization and achieving your goals. The PISCO Model has been very helpful in giving decision-making teams the right tools and information, in the right order, to come to a decisive and functional answer to the issues they face. The PISCO Model was developed by Edward de Bono, and involves five specific steps that help effectively problem solve an issue in the simplest way. Let’s explore this model further by applying it to a real problem facing many small churches today.
P – Problem
Most small churches are comprised of volunteer ministry leaders. These are normal everyday people working a secular job and serving God by leading a specific ministry in the church. Through my own experience, in churches I have served in, I have seen these heroes’ lead, teach, organize their areas, and affect lives for the Kingdom, but mostly on their own accord, and often times un-skilled. “When people feel inadequate for the responsibility, they become discouraged. The Jews rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem became discouraged when they perceived the rubble to be beyond their ability to move (Nehemiah 4:10). Training for ministry enables people to develop confidence that they are competent for the tasks.” (http://ministryhealth.net). Unfortunately, I saw many of these ministry leaders go week to week serving in these areas having not sat down with the leadership of the church on a regular basis, seldom getting face time with the senior pastor or elder of the church to make sure what they were doing matched the purpose and mission of the church holistically. This usually leads to burn out and frustration of the volunteer because they are left to feel that what they do doesn’t matter or isn’t appreciated, and that is communicated to them by the leadership of the church not getting involved or being interested in that particular ministry.
The problem is not that the leadership of the church thinks the ministry isn’t important, it is the realization that there is a lack of regular communication and consistent vision casting coming from either the senior pastor or, leadership of the church. The other thing that is lacking is the encouragement and communication that should come from the leadership directly to the volunteer’s of these ministries. Subsequently they are left feeling unappreciated and out of the loop as the church moves on around them. As a result of this, the ministries begin to develop a mission statement all their own, and although it may be with the best intentions, many times end up causing friction with the churches mission statement, thereby causing a separation or negating of the effectiveness of that particular ministry at the church level.
So to summarize, a lack of regular communication and consistent vision casting for volunteer ministry leaders is lacking or non-existent, resulting in burnout, frustration in the ministry leader, and a feeling of being alone in their leadership. This issue needs to be corrected because it is unfair for the church to expect volunteers to lead ministries blindly. I believe there exists an opportunity to repair some damaged relationships and to align some powerful ministries with the vision and mission of the church as a whole.
I – Input
In order to gather the appropriate information to solve this issue, the following are some questions that should be asked of the volunteer ministry leaders and key leadership of the church:
1. How many times in the past year have you sat down with either the senior pastor or a member of the leadership team to discuss your part in the bigger picture of the churches mission and vision?
2. When was the last time the senior pastor or a member of the leadership team checked in on you to see if there was anything you needed to help you lead your ministry better and or more effectively?
3. How many times have you and other ministry leaders met, as a whole, to discuss your areas of ministry, creative ideas, and celebrate wins?
4. How can the senior leadership of the church best serve you and help you grow and succeed in this ministry you lead?
For the key leadership of the church the same questions could and should be asked in the reverse connotation, such as; State the last time you offered some support to a volunteer ministry leader or came along side them and served them so they could succeed in their ministry? I also believe that asking questions like: “What areas are causing information to not be communicated effectively? Is it our approach or style of communication? Or is it the infrequency of our communication with our volunteers? should be asked in order to gain some knowledge in the area of how our volunteers best receive information. This will aid us in communicating the solution to our problem in a manner in which they will understand and retain the data.
S – Solutions
Several solutions to the issue should arise during this process of analyzing the input gathered. Once the input has been collected and organized in like subjects, we should begin to think of creative solutions to our communication problem. Exploring solutions from different angles such as, solutions from the top down or bottom up, will offer a well-rounded view from all parties involved. One might even consider outside influences that could bridge the gap that exists. At this point, the imagination can usually be the most powerful tool as brainstorming allows for outside of the box thinking to happen. Once all the possible solutions have been thought out and listed, the team should begin analyzing each one with several filters in place. Is it practical? Which solution is the strongest in terms of effectiveness? Some possible solutions for this particular issue might be as follows:
1. The senior pastor or senior leadership of the church should meet on an individual basis with each volunteer ministry leader once a month to communicate vision, assess the progress and direction of the ministry in question. Once very month might be too much in some cases so the adjustment could be made at the discretion of the leadership team. During this meeting the goal will be to try to get a sense of what the volunteer needs to be successful in their leadership of that ministry. Communicate the vision and mission of the church and explain how this particular ministry can help fulfill that mission and vision. And to communicate any other vital information that might be needed. This will do two things, it will allow the senior pastor or leadership team to be aware of what is happening in that ministry and it will let the ministry leader know that what they do matters and that they matter in the grand scheme of things. “ Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed the concept of a hierarchy of needs through which people progress. In our society, most people have reasonably satisfied their two lower levels of needs: physiological needs (food and basic provision) and their security and safety needs (shelter and protection from the elements and physical danger). Beyond these two basic need levels, people progress to satisfy the three upper levels: )1) social needs for love, acceptance, and belonging; (2) ego needs to be heard, appreciated, and wanted; and (3) self-actualizing needs, including the need to achieve one’s fullest potential through professional, philanthropic, political, educational, and artistic channels.” (DeFrene & Lehman, 2006). I think this will enhance the leadership of that volunteer and therein enhance the success of their ministry.
2. Two times per year, the senior pastor and senior leadership of the church should get together with all the volunteer and staff ministry leaders to express their appreciation for the hard work that those involved put into their respective ministries. During this time of celebration and recognition, it would yet another opportunity for the leadership of the church to communicate why each ministry is important and how each ministry fits into the overall mission and vision of the church. Gathering all the volunteers and staff together in one location also provides the opportunity for community to happen. When ministry leaders know that they are not alone in their ministry, it gives them energy and drive to fight the good fight and continue to impact the world around them.
C – Choice
Once the team has explored all the solutions and have chosen what they believe to be the best of their list, a statement should be written that communicates clearly what solution has been chosen and why. It should include clear wording that explains what this solution is intended to do and why, and how will it affect those involved? Such a statement would be broken into three parts and it might look like this:
Choice Statement:
“We believe that creating an environment where the leadership team and the senior pastor can regularly sit down and discuss with each ministry leader their concerns and needs, they will then be able to come to a solution and aid in the success of that ministry leader.”
Vision:
“We see a future where all ministry leaders are in tune with the overall mission and vision of the church as a result of clear constant communication between other ministry leaders and both the senior pastor and senior leadership team of the church.”
Goals:
“Our goal is to create an environment in which excitement and passion fill the air on a daily basis, because everyone knows their part and how they fit into the big picture of life change within the church. Ministry leaders will understand why they do what they do and the importance of doing it well”
O-Operation:
In order to effect change within the church and to close the gap in the lack of communication, the change team must put feet to the idea, and put it into action. Once again the change team will need to develop a statement that effectively communicates the problem, the solution, how it will work and what the intended result will be. Such a statement might sound something like this:
To all volunteer and staff ministry leaders:
We as the senior leadership team of the church recognize that we have not been communicating effectively or clearly with our volunteer or staff ministry leaders, for this we apologize. In order to correct the lack of communication that exists between senior leadership and volunteer ministry leaders, and to help remove the frustration that comes from said lack of communication; effective January 3, 2011, the senior leadership team and or the senior pastor will begin meeting with individual volunteer and staff ministry leaders once every two months to discuss the mission and vision of the church, and how that particular ministry fits into the bigger picture. At that time, they will also discuss any needs and or concerns the ministry leader has pertaining to their ministry, and together will work to find a solution to help the volunteer or staffer succeed as a leader and in their respective ministry.
Each volunteer and staff ministry leader will be asked to attend one ministry related conference or educational class per year. There will be $250 per ministry allocated for this training annually. The intended goal is for our volunteers and staff to continue to grow in their leadership and ministry area. In addition to the individual meetings and annual training opportunities, there will be a church wide volunteer and staff meeting two times per year to gather all ministry leaders together in one location for community, mission and vision casting, and to also celebrate together our wins and to recognize those who serve in these positions. This will create community, networking and a sense of body that has been lacking among our ministry leaders. 1 Corinthians 12: 24b-26 says, “…God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (NIV). Therefore, we desire to become as one body, serving with the same passion, knowledge, and mission in mind to impact the Kingdom of God.
In order to track our progress, and assess our goals, each ministry leader will be asked to fill out a monthly report that will focus on three key areas; (1) Communication with senior leadership. (2) Personal growth in leadership or their respective ministry area. (3) Ministry needs
As we continue to assess and adjust these areas, our communication should become clearer and more effective. Our ministry leaders should feel better connected and supported not only by the senior leadership, but by each other, and as a corporate body we should see growth both physically and spiritually. Thank you for your service and your assistance in finding a solution to this issue.
Sincerely,
The Senior Leadership Team
I think that this particular scenario is far more common than most would think. Having been raised in small churches for first 37 years of my life, I understand all to clearly the issues that arise when senior leadership of the church doesn’t clearly and consistently communicate with the volunteers and staff of the church. Frustrations run high, people burn themselves out and end up walking away mad and dejected. Having served in a large church for the past two months, I have had the opportunity to see what good and clear communication can do for ministry leaders. I think that it is imperative for churches big and small, to take a good hard look at how they communicate both internally and externally. Things that go unsaid, most often speak louder than what is.
Resources
Bible. (NIV)
Daman, G.C., (2004, October 5). Raising morale in the small church. Ministry Health. Retrieved November 18, 2010. From http://www.ministryhealth.net/mh_articles/047_gd_raising_morale_in_the_small_church. html
DuFrene, D. D., & Lehman, C. M. (2006). Communications I and II: Eng 140/141. Mason, OH:Thomson
Massey, M. (2009, January 28). Common concern of church communication. Message posted to http://blog.memberhub.com/common-concern-of-church-communication/
