3 Ways to help develop Community within your Ministry Staff

When I was getting ready to take my first full-time ministry job as Jr. High Intern, I was telling my boss how much I was looking forward to working with all the church staffers.  It was almost like I was in la-la land thinking that every staffer would work great with each other and it would be this perfect utopia.  Then my boss told me something that has always stuck with me.  He cautioned me and told me that working at a church is no different than working at some other secular institution.  He said that there are a ton of staff dynamics and relationships that are unhealthy and non-functioning.  I did not want to believe him because, as a young intern I was thinking that working in a ministry brings out the best, most christlike characteristics in all of us. But unfortunately, they do not.

Church staff dynamics are definitely tricky to navigate through and can be extremely dangerous.  After spending over 13 years in full-time ministry (I’ve worked at 3 different churches and 1 para-church ministry), I have seen my share of interesting church staff dynamics. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways that you can have positive staff dynamics and community.  Here are just 3 things I learned that can help church staff dynamics improve and build a community that can be strong and for each other.

1. Do things together outside of Church. If all the church staff does together is work together, then how can they possibly expect to love, serve and want to work side-by-side with each other?  Of all the places I have worked, the ones that take time to do things outside of church together are the ones where there seems to be more healthy interactions together.  After all, how can you possibly be frustrated with another staffer when you get to shoot them up all day long at laser tag?  Just kidding, but seriously, there is a bond that starts to be developed when you go out to lunch together or grab a coffee, or do a quick errand together.  Walls and barriers that may try to exist between staffers can quickly come down if you spend time together, outside of the Church walls.  Another idea would be to do more Staff functions.  Have staff and spouse dinners together, or special event times like a Christmas party.  These will all help.
2. Share about personal lives. I believe that if you really want a team to work together for a common purpose, you have to invest in each other and get to know each other.  This doesn’t mean that you have to go and share all your dirty laundry, but it would be good for you all to get to know who each of you all are and what makes you all tick.  That way, when something big happens in your (or a member of the staff) life, the rest of staff can come around and support them.  Regardless, getting to know who each staffer is helps to break down walls when conflict does arise (which it will).
3. Keep short accounts. This has burned countless relationships.  When short accounts are not kept, bickering, bitterness, anger and a whole lot of other unhealthy emotions start to get in the way.  Do not let conflict give Satan a foothold.  You may not like confrontation, but if you do not bring an issue before another staffer, Satan WILL use it against you and the church.  You need to bring the issue into the light and deal with it.  Personally, I do not like confrontation, but I have found over the years that if I do not share and bring the issue up, I become very unhealthy and it causes so much bitterness and anger inside of me.  I HAVE  to bring it up or else Satan will destroy me.

I believe that in order for these 3 to really take off is to have strong senior leadership.  This is really the bottom line.  Staffers want to be led.  They don’t want to see double standards or favoritism.  They need someone to lead them, that can say the hard work and challenge while encouraging and spurring them on at the same time.  This may be in your control (if you are the ministry head) or out of your control.  But regardless of your role, you can do something.  You can personally do the above 3 regardless of whether or not senior leadership does.

Obviously these are not the only ways to develop and build community amongst the staff, but these are 3 that I have found helpful over the years.  What do you think?  Have you seen these or other ways work in your ministry?  If so, how?  Post a comment so we can all benefit.

Then, TAKE A MINUTE and examine how you can do a better job of helping build community with your fellow co-workers.  Is it one of the above 3 or is it something else?  Examine your situation, bring it before the Lord for wisdom and direction and then act.