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Get Church Staffing Right

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Church StaffingWhether looking for volunteers in the church or hiring paid staff, we need to get staffing right — the right person for the right ministry at the right time. We need to ask if this is not only the person of God’s choosing but also the ministry He wants our church to do. When it is, staffing will be about more than filling positions.

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Let’s break church staffing down to make sure we get it right:

1) The Right Person

Is the person spiritually gifted for this type of ministry? Is it not only a good fit, but the best fit for both the person and the ministry? Is the person passionate about serving in this ministry? If not, you could be looking at frustration, disillusionment, burnout, and a low retention rate. People will put more into what they are doing when there’s a fit.

Is this the person of God’s choosing? Remember that God doesn’t always choose whom we would think. See 1 Samuel 16:1-12 and 1 Corinthians 1:20-31. Learn from Jesus who spent time in prayer before choosing the twelve disciples (Lk. 6:12-13).

2) The Right Ministry

Is the ministry needed? Does it have a purpose? Is it something God wants you to do, not merely something you’ve always done? If not, you may be spending a lot of time, energy and resources on something with a low spiritual yield. People are more prone to willingly serve when they feel it is a good cause and will make an eternal difference.

3) The Right Time

You could have the right person but at the wrong time due to the season of their lives, their schedule, other responsibilities or something else God has for them now. You could have the right ministry but at the wrong time. Sometimes we can rush ahead of God and people and then wonder why nobody wants to come on-board for such a good endeavor. Is the timing right? If not, you could be facing a low approval rating with God and man. People are more likely to join in when they sense God is leading both them and the church.

Looking for the right person for the right ministry at the right time elevates the way we do staffing as it is no longer about merely filling a position. We will understand that pleas of desperation from the pulpit and begging people to serve aren’t necessary. We will not make threats (i.e., discontinuing a ministry if no volunteers come forward). We will guard against pulling people in out of obligation or guilt. We will no longer nab people in the parking lot. Rather, we will put the time and personal touch into recruiting. We will pray it through until God raises up people to serve. We will communicate higher expectations and lay out a vision.

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5 Replies to “Get Church Staffing Right”

  1. As long as there are “pastor-led” churches and the church bishop/elders and deacons (if there are any!) abdicate their Biblical authority, the right volunteers and hirelings will not be blessed by God. Time and again more and more churches have become un-Biblical by having the pastors as overeeing authority in the church. A “pastor” is a spiritual gift, not a church authority. Square it with Scripture. And, more church pastors are, in this post modern church, are cessastionists so are void of being led by the Holy Spirit in any matters in the church, but are led by men. This is a part of the coming great falling away from the Biblical church.

    • To be honest, I really had to pray over my response as the comment contains such a sweeping judgment on today’s church. While we can’t deny that there are un-Biblical practices in many churches and we are seeing a falling away, I find it hard to believe “the right volunteers and hirelings will not be blessed by God.” I think of the Old Testament nation of Israel who wanted a king over them like the nations around them (1 Sam. 8:20). God’s assessment? — “they have rejected me as their king” (1 Sam. 8:7). What an affront to the Almighty God!! Yet, God allowed them to have an earthly king and even guided Samuel in getting the king of His choosing (1 Sam. 9:15-17; 16:6-12). Here’s what happened: The kings who followed God were blessed by God and those who didn’t eventually did meet up with His judgment. Think of King David. Did he have flaws? Absolutely. Yet, his heart turned back to God time and time again. God still used him and through him came the lineage of the Messiah. Having a king clearly was not God’s desire for the governance of His people yet He still blessed those who followed Him. Don’t we still serve this same God?

      You also mentioned the work of the Holy Spirit in and through those who are cessationists versus those who do believe all gifts are for today. Again, this is such a broad sweeping judgment to say all cessationists are “void” of being led by the Holy Spirit. I know some very godly people from both camps who seek the leading of the Spirit, are bearing fruit and being blessed by God. I also know some people from both camps whose daily lives clearly do not reflect the leading of the Holy Spirit. Remember that Jesus said “by their fruit you will recognize them” not “by their belief system you will recognize them” (Matt. 7:16-20).

      • Totally agree with what you wrote Ministry Tools Resource Center. But add word of caution. Romans 6.1-2 – What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! – God might use and bless us despite ourselves but objective always be to line up with HIM.

    • “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” – Romans 14:4, 10

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