Leadership
In the introductory article to this series I mentioned several measurable factors as related to the overall health and culture of a church, one of which was functional or effective structures. In the series I am discussing eleven elements that make up the functional structures of a church:
- Constitution and Bylaws
- Branding and community identity
- Personnel and volunteer selection policies and procedures
- Explicit and implicit policies
- Official and tacit influencers
- 6. Schedules and calendars
- Programs, silos, and turf mentality vs. collaboration and empowerment
- Confining mental models
- Procedural practices such as how meetings are conducted
- Buildings, facilities, property and how they are managed
- Leadership training and meetings of deacons, elders, and teachers- (what goes on at the meetings?)
This article is #7 (including the introduction) in the series on Improving Your Church’s Culture and is offered in an effort to assist leaders in developing more effective administrative structures. Don’t underestimate the effects of these culture-scaping structures as you are building an exceptional ministry. They serve to form the frame on which the ministry is built. Links to the previous articles are listed at the end of this article.
SCHEDULES AND CALANDARS ADVERTISE YOUR FOCUS
Maintaining schedules and the church calendar is a big job but you can do some things that advertise the ministry focus and set the tone. What is your focus and that of your ministry? One way to tell is by looking at schedules and calendars. The schedules and calendars of your church and staff advertise the focus of your ministry for all to see. Believe it or not, these issues affect the culture of your congregation. Does the church culture reflect busyness, or prayerful intentionality? Does the culture of leadership reflect chaos or harmony? Do schedule and calendar items fit the overall goals of the ministry? May you say that a majority of scheduled events and meetings serve to push the proverbial football down the field? What percentage of your events and meetings would you categorize as “busywork” and not essential? How much time is spent in meetings talking about and coordinating calendars as opposed to focusing on the primary purpose of the church—making disciples? The answers to these questions may lead you to make some important changes.
SCHEDULES AND CALANDARS DETERMINE WHAT IS URGENT
Schedules and calendars determine what is urgent and what is important. The urgent items on your calendar are usually “write-ins” or late additions to the schedule. Some meetings and agenda items may be urgent but not important. To illustrate the difference consider your use of the telephone whether home, office, or mobile. Anytime the phone rings it is, in effect, something urgent. The ring of the phone in itself screams, “This is an important call and you must answer!” Of course, you have enough experience to know that it could be an emergency call, a call from your spouse, a call from a salesman, or a wrong number. However, you will not know which it is unless you answer. Some meetings may be urgent AND important, but quite often urgent meetings are the result of poor planning. Too often leaders spend most of their time working on the urgent calendar items and moving the important items ahead to work on another day—only to repeat the action.
SCHEDULES AND CALANDARS ANNOUNCE WHAT IS IMPORTANT
Instead of scheduling write-in schedule and calendar events, try insisting that others schedule and plan more effectively. Many will certainly say, “Yes, but just this once…” or “I only need a minute…” or “This is really, really Important!” It may help to communicate to your staff and church what you are trying to do with schedules and calendars and ask them to help keep the focus of the ministry on making disciples. You may be surprised at how people appreciate your intentionality and investing in them in a new way. Be clear that genuine ministry needs are important and will be handled as they arise. Over time you will find your ministry team changing focus from what is urgent to what is important.
Does your schedule and church calendar reflect balance in the four primary domains of the life of the church–Know Christ, Grow in Christ, Serve Christ, and Share Christ? (Simple Discipleship) People are craving life and spiritual balance and they will respect church leaders who will help them balance their schedules and calendars. Some churches just feel busy. Be busy on purpose!
Too often planning is done as the ministry calendar is discussed instead of the events being planned before hand. This is often because staff and volunteers have not preplanned before the meeting. Discuss the ministry calendar as a point of final coordination. You will find that instead of spending 15 minutes discussing ministry (important) and 40 minutes hashing out the calendar (urgent), you may spend 10 minutes on the calendar and 45 minutes on ministry.
Finally, as related to calendar items remember:
- Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance
- If I have to do your job, why do I need you?
You will find that you can be direct and kind at the same time to improve the planning activities of your church.
Helpful resources:
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Good to Great and the Social Sectors by Jim Collins
Simple Discipleship by Tom Cocklereece
Church Administration by Robert H. Welch
The Church Organization Manual: Policies and Procedures for the Local Church by Robert H. Welch
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Series Links:
https://drthomreece.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/improving-your-church%E2%80%99s-culture/
Simple Discipleship Blessings!
Dr. Tom Cocklereece
Would you benefit from having a ministry coach? I use GoToMeeting for online distance sessions. Coaching sessions and our relationship are confidential but your success will be visible to all. You may choose Simple Discipleship, ministry, or personal development coaching or a combination. Contact me for a complementary session at drthomreece@bellsouth.net . At he very least we may pray together!
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