How to Handle Unmet Expectations in Ministry

James Higginbotham at Agile Ministry tackled this topic recently.  It’s a difficult issue, but one that many church leaders face.  Here are the first three suggestions he gives:

1. Accept criticism from others, apologize for the breakdown, and offer to make it better going forward
2. Pray that God would help resolve the situation peacefully and with all glory to Him, not the person(s) involved
3. Schedule a time to chat with the person(s) that were responsible for the breakdown at a time in the future when you are calm down and free of the immediate emotion of failure

Head over and check out the remaining suggestions for dealing with unmet expectations.

Church Meetings

Craig Groeschel writes about meetings in the church:

If you’ve been around churches for any time at all, chances are you’ve been a part of some inefficient, ineffective, and downright painful meetings.

This week, I’ll share some tips I’ve learned the hard way about how to lead effective meetings.

Here are the four posts about leading effective meetings:

1. Meeting Size and Communication
2. Setting the Tone for Effective Meetings
3. Tips for Running the Effective Meeting
4. Half the Meetings, Twice the Productivity

Any tips you’d like to share about your meetings?

The Tribe at Work

I wrote about Seth Godin’s book Tribes before, which still seems to be available for free as an audiobook if you haven’t gotten it yet.  Now you can see an example of the Tribe at work.  There’s a new PDF available that answers many questions about Tribes and their significance, all compiled and produced by a Tribe of Seth Godin Followers.  The document makes the most sense if you’ve read the book, but can be helpful even if you haven’t.

Recruiting Partners (or Volunteers)

They are the lifeblood of a church.  We often call them volunteers, but I like to think of them as partners in ministry.  They are those people who have become invested in the ministry, not just watching from the outside.  Agile Ministry has a free eBook to help you with your recruiting process.  You’ll need to give your email address, though they don’t force you into any newsletters or other offers.

There are 5 basic steps with some questions of my own that go with the book:

1. Prepare:  Why would someone want to join this ministry?  What difference are you making?  Is there a Job Description?  Have you prayed for potential partners?
2. Find: Are you doing more than broadcasting the need?  Are you getting to know people at church?  Are you exploring their passions?  Is there a one-time opportunity to help out and “get their feet wet”?
3. Interview: Are you contacting people to discuss the position in a timely manner?  Do you have questions you want to ask the person?  Will they be able to ask you questions?  Will the person be a good fit in your ministry?  What is the next step the person can expect to have happen?
4. Integrate: Is there a training process for the new person?  How will they get to know others on the team?  Is there a limit to their initial involvement?  How will you prevent burnout in the volunteer?  Are you touching base with them regularly after they come on board your team?  Is there a way for the person to get out if they find it’s not a good fit for them?
5. Retain: How are you caring for your team members?  How are you encouraging them privately?  Publicly?  Are you giving them opportunities to lead and develop new members of the team?

What have you found to help with recruiting partners in ministry?

Tribes and Your Church

Your church is probably full of Tribes.  You may not thing of them as a Tribe, but they are.  Seth Godin has a new book detailing what exactly Tribes are and what it means for your organization.  If you hurry, you can get Tribes for free as an Audiobook.  You’ll need to sign up for an account with Audible, but it’s well worth it.  Alternatively, the (not-free) hardback edition is also available.  There’s a Squidoo Lens about the book as well with more information about the concept and where to get the book.