In discussions about church enlistment we’ve often heard the statement, “we enlist our own problems!†How many nominating committee processes have you experienced that were exercises in filling slots without giving intentional consideration to the passions and gifts of leaders and the functions required for the positions of service?
I mention these two—the gifts and passions of persons and the functions required because both of these are very important. That being said, however, I think we make a mistake when we seek to fill leadership positions in the church based solely on one’s gifts and passions.
I would like to suggest that of these two criteria, the required function needed of the leader of a team is the more important consideration. Let me give an example.
For this illustration, let’s suppose that we have a need for a chairperson for an outreach committee or team. We want to be intentional in this decision making process because we know the end result will determine the effectiveness of this ministry team. So, we begin to look for persons who are gifted for or passionate about this area of ministry using a process similar to the following:
- Jot down a list of all the persons who have gifts related to outreach (hospitality, mercy, evangelism, etc.)
- Prioritize our candidate call list.
- Contact the candidates until we find one who is willing to take the position (If one says “no†we move to the next)
- Fill in the blank and move on to the next enlistment need.
But, hold on! Haven’t we missed a major issue for consideration? Are we just interested in persons who are gifted and passionate for this position? Don’t we need someone who can carry out the FUNCTION that is required of this position? That’s the point I’m making.
In this case, we need someone who can effectively work with a group to carry out the functions needed to ensure the success of the team—planning an agenda, running a meeting, engaging team members in aspects of team work, holding team members accountable, prioritizing and calendaring events, coordinating with other church groups, communicating and promoting, and leading the group in evaluation—all functions that don’t necessarily have any relationship to a person’s abilities in outreach! Sure, the leader needs to believe that outreach is important, and some persons who have a gift and passion for outreach also have an administrative or leadership gift. Finding that combination is hitting the jackpot. But given the rarity that all leaders have the perfect gift and skill set, I’m convinced that an intentional focus on the functional needs that are required of the leadership positions in the church will provide more effective leadership and ministry. Think process. Think group dynamics. Think FUNCTION! Perhaps this is an subject for training that you should consider for your church.
Your suggestion is on-target, Marty. When I was in parish ministry I always tried to enlist a person who was good at (gifted) at “running a meeting,” and keeping a group on-task, as the chair of the committees for which I was responsilbe. That chairperson need not have been passionate about the particular work or ministry of the committee—he or she just needed to get the folks who were focused, efficient, effective, and accountable.
Your thoughts also yield a change in our actions. If function is the primary means for enlisting someone, then we need to make sure we understand the function(s) required for the position. If you recall the days of a pick-up game of football in the back yard, the rules seemed to change as the game went on. The participants in this game would quickly grow frustrated because of the changes. If we enlist someone without knowing the function(s), they might be participating in a similar pick-up game. The one doing the enlisting needs to define the function(s) as soon and as clearly as possible.