Called to Leadership: Putting the Pieces Together Church Council Training March 2015
Christian Leaders are Called to Follow to lead (worship, pray, study, serve, invite, give, and encourage)
Christian Leaders are Called to Follow to Lead (worship, pray, study, serve, invite, give, and encourage) Continue to Grow in their Relationship with Jesus
Christian Leaders are Called to Follow to Lead (worship, pray, study, serve, invite, give, and encourage) Continue to Grow in their Relationship with Jesus Focus on God s Mission for the Church (and their part in it!)
Christian Leaders are Called to Follow to Lead (worship, pray, study, serve, invite, give, and encourage) Continue to Grow in their Relationship with Jesus Focus on the God s Mission for the Church (and their part in it!) To be in Partnership with the Pastor
Christian Leaders are Called to Follow to Lead (worship, pray, study, serve, invite, give, and encourage) Continue to Grow in their Relationship with Jesus Focus on God s Mission for the Church (and their part in it!) To be in Partnership with the Pastor Be a Mission Interpreter
Family Size Congregation Everyone knows everyone Matriarch or patriarch decides Clergy succeed when consulting matriarch or patriarch High ownership for survival Assimilate new members by adoption Laity carry the load Pastor helpful but also optional May grow if one clergy stays long enough Waldheim Lutheran Church Kathryn, ND 40 Average Weekly Worship
Pastoral Size Congregation Everyone knows pastor and pastor is expected to know everyone Expectations high and personal Most ELCA congregations are this size Growth often depends on pastor s popularity Laity help the pastor Near 150, demands on pastor become oppressive; hard on the family Our Savior s Lutheran Church Park River, ND 120 Average Weekly Worship
Program Sized Congregation Several staff clergy and lay Lay leadership vital Clergy still central, but role shifts Pastor motivator and trust builder Pastor and lay leadership need to be very clear about their mission, with consensus Difficult to move from pastoral size to this size without crisis. Careful, intentional program of visitor follow-up /new member incorporation Trinity Lutheran Church Lisbon, ND 177 Average Weekly Worship
Corporate Sized Congregation High priority on quality worship Top notch music Lead pastor is unity-stability symbol Multiple staff collegial, yet diverse and must have fun working together for there to be effectiveness Programs form full ministry divisions with staffs Vison creates connection Relationships in smaller groups based usually on affinity Calvary Lutheran Church Grand Forks, ND 678 Average Weekly Worship
Mega Sized Congregation Establish a brand Communicate extremely well Master small groups Have personalities Functionally nondenominational Have a distinctive visionary identity Has something for everyone Hope Lutheran Church Fargo, ND 3258 Average Weekly Worship
Biblical Marks of a Missional Church A congregation in mission Is always listening Nurtures communal leadership Faces paralysis with courage Re-roots in its community Risks new things Makes all decisions based on its mission Is clear about money and relationships Is propelled by the resurrection of Jesus Is shaped by Word and Sacrament Stephen Bouman
Congregation Dynamics (How people relate to one another) Leaders lead but not everyone follows Anxiety within congregations should be expected it s normal Respond instead of react Maintain the non-anxious presence
Keeping a Non-Anxious Count to 10 Take a deep breath Keep a note handy to remind yourself Presence Avoid arguing but listen carefully to identify what the real concern might be
Avoid Triangulation Triangulation occurs when a 3 rd party is brought into the discussion. Redirect complaints to the appropriate person. Encourage talking to the other person rather than about the person. You re the leader not necessarily the fixer!
Managing Conflict Unaddressed conflict gets BIGGER not smaller Goal is not to make everyone happy but to make everyone disciples Approach conflict as an opportunity to grow Know the difference between peace keeping and peace making
Evaluating Our Effectiveness Start by looking at your ministry goals. What gives us life? What drains our energy? How might we help each other? Be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) with goal setting. Everyone needs affirmation!
Questions