I’ve never written a ten part blog series, but here goes! Whether you hang with me for all ten parts, or just read one or two, I hope you will be encouraged.
Do you serve on a ministry staff? Are you a member of a team? If so, you are no second-class citizen in the work of Christ. Some men are called to be a “Senior Pastor,” but probably many more are led to serve on a staff under a pastor. While some may believe that only Senior Pastors “have a clue” and everybody else is a second-rate servant, I believe that God’s Word is filled with great examples of winning teams. There is no doubt that God brings people together to strive together for the faith. He calls some to serve by leading, and others to serve by following, and frankly, almost everybody who serves God, does a good bit of both!
The big question of this series is simply this: What qualities make an effective staff member? What character traits and principles create winning teams? If you serve on a team, what would make you an excellent team player?
First and foremost, an effective staff member commits—100%!
This commitment is first to the Lord, and second to the Pastor and team. What does this mean?
- It means your life is absolutely, irrevocably committed to living for God and serving Him.
- It means that ministry isn’t a “try it and see” proposition.
- It means you don’t have “plan B” constantly taking shape in your mind.
- It means you aren’t using the ministry for your own agenda.
- It means you aren’t competing with anyone else on the team.
- It means you aren’t carving out your own career path or personal dreams of success.
- It means you believe in the cause of the team.
- It means you trust the leader and believe in his integrity. (Not his perfection.)
- It means you don’t care who gets credit for victories.
- It means you are committed to guarding the spirit of the team.
- It means you are fixed in your heart and not making other plans.
- It means you plan to stay and work through hardships.
- It means you will do whatever required to protect relationships.
- It means that those you serve can count on you sticking around.
- It means that you believe you are in the will of God.
- It means God’s leading would have to be clear and undeniable before you would leave the team.
May I challenge you to commit! Anyone who ever did anything for God was first deeply anchored in God’s call. Those who are used by God are first committed to Him and to the team to which He leads them.
Great marriages begin with commitment. Great families are built on commitment. Great churches are established with commitment. Great church families consist of people who are committed. And great staffs begin with a group of committed people.
Without commitment you are merely flirting with the eternal. Without commitment, your attempt at serving God will be merely an experiment—and short-lived at that! Without commitment, you will greatly handicap your ability to have a profound impact on others.
You know what we need more of in local church ministry? Commitment. We need pastors, assistant pastors, teachers, youth pastors, music ministers, and team players to dig deep, anchor in, and stick it out. We need fewer “try and see if ministry works out for me” staff members. We need more “count on me—I’m not going any where any time soon” staff members.
We need to declare war on superficial, shallow, surface, temporary, flighty ministry endeavors.
If you want to get something done for God, it takes decades. So, buckle up for the long haul, God will honor it!
Do you want to be an effective staff member? Start with commitment!