The art of successfully navigating ministry structure and roles in the church.

In the United States, we travel better when people stay in their lanes. Many congregations think they understand the lanes people are in at their church as they are travelling through ministry. But that is not always so. From Council/Consistory to pastoral leadership, to staff and volunteers, everyone needs a lane. But do we really understand the lanes in which we travel? Do we know what the lane markers look like and when we might be about to veer into another lane? This workshop is about how lanes of responsibility and authority work in the church; what lanes for each group might look like; and how to set up a team to lay out the lanes and boundaries in your church.

Many congregations want to grow. Many churches want to be hospitable and welcome new people. So how come so many congregations stay the same size (or even shrink)? This workshop provides your leadership with a look at size and social constructs that work together in churches to limit growth and hospitality. Using descriptions of congregational dynamics and the way human beings organize themselves, this workshop helps leaders identify what “size” their congregation is and helps set a healthy foundation for future conversations about growth and hospitality.

Leadership and understanding leadership has emerged as the “flash point” in most congregations at some time in the last 30 years or so. The church as an organism and organization whose head is Jesus Christ has a unique place in that conversation. This workshop introduces church leaders to three different operational ways of leadership that exist in most congregations and then compete under the surface as unnamed expectations or principles at meetings – that’s the way we’ve always done it, our pastor needs to do ___ better; we’re known as the church that…, etc. – that torpedo decisions, meetings and ministry. If you’ve ever wondered “how your church makes decisions” or “could be led more effectively,” this is a workshop for you.

When congregational leaders are asked how old their congregation is, they often talk about the congregation’s historical context and or their current building. There are different ways to think about age of congregations. Like human beings (after all, the church is a body), congregations can show signs of aging but we only see them if we examine ourselves or have someone help us see the signs. Is your church aging? Maybe you think so, but are unsure how to help your leaders have this conversation. Think of this workshop as an annual physical (with some of the same poking and prodding) that will help your church view your congregational age in more than just chronological age.