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CONTROLLING

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# 4

 

controlThe fourth pillar in the management process is that of control. Unless the organization has proper controls in place, all plans are destined to fail.  Seagoing vessels have built in controls to keep them on course. Without them, the ship will veer off course and end up on the rocks, so it is with the church.

The tools that need to be built in to control an organization are: Weekly staff meetings, the Team Report, the budget, the calendar and the planning arrow. These will keep the leadership abreast of where each ministry is in relation to the scheduled plans. If the organization is off course and in the fog, these tools will identify the problem and help the pastor regain control and get the ship back on track.

Note: When we teach the leadership conference, these tools and their use become part of the packet.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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Policies and ProceduresBy Ken Blue

“…See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5.

Policies are usually written orders or directions made to regulate the practice or the actions of people. Procedures describe a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting. It outlines a series of steps in a definite order. Primarily, policies have to do with rules and standards, whereas, procedures deal with how to proceed and carry out a task or mission.

Every church has policies and procedures. However, in most cases they are not written. They are assumed without giving much thought to them. These two documents are very important to the operation of the church. They must be in writing and made available to all who need them. There should few requirements, and they must remain simple. Don’t allow them to become a roadblock to the growth of the church. The more rules you have, the more resistance you can expect. They should be written in order to keep the church focused on its purpose. That is, they should support the structure and strategy of the church

There should be policies for every ministry. All workers must read and agree with them before they are installed in a ministry. Remember, do not recruit, install, and then present the policies. You are asking for trouble if you do. Give people plenty of time to read the policies and procedures before installing them. Some churches require the Job Description be signed after it has been agreed upon. The overall policies and procedures of the church should be taught to those seeking membership, prior to joining.

Sunday School teachers may have the same policies, but the procedures can change from class to class and department to department. The procedures will let the workers know the expected time to be in the class room, and give a step by step process from the time of arrival to the time of dismissal. Each step, with a time frame should be clear. This lets the teacher know how to carry out the class hour. Flexibility must be allowed.

It is important that the pastor take the lead in the writing these documents. As one can see, these will control what the church is about, and how it will proceed. Therefore, the pastor and staff should write these to ensure that they comply with the overall purpose of the church.

I suggest that policies and procedures be written for each Job Description. The pastor should take time when writing these, in order to communicate what he wants.

I mentioned in another article that one of the areas of complaint will be over policies and procedures. So, write them with care, and expect that some who disagree with them. These people are not on your team, so ignore them. Work with those who are eager and willing to work with you and help the church go forward. Policies and procedures may need to change. They are not your Bible; therefore, they can be adjusted as needed.

DELEGATE OR ABDICATE?

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By Ken Blue

An employee said to his boss, “I’m doing the work of ten men, I want a raise.” His boss responded, “Tell me who the other ten are, and I’ll fire them.” Sometime the pastor feels like he is the only one doing the work in the church and in some cases that is true.

I’ve seen pastors who are busy doing everything at the church. There are several reasons for this. One is, they believe they are getting paid to do them. Another is, they like doing those things. Many pastors think none of the members are willing or are capable of doing church work.

I know many pastors who open every letter, turn the lights and heat on and off, and they unlock and lock the buildings at every service. Some mow the laws, vacuum the carpets, straighten up the auditorium, lead the singing, print the bulletin, make the announcements, take the offering, preach the sermon, and then wonder why they are about to have a nervous breakdown.

The key to solving this problem is to acknowledge that a problem existence and then fix it. Sad to say, some pastors don’t know how to fix it. I was one of those pastors for a few years. Just before I burnt out, I discovered the secret.

None of us are too important to do the list of things above, but the sooner the pastor realizes that none of them are his job, the easier it will be for him to get about the main task God called him to do.

The pastor should write down every task he is doing. Then he should mark things that could be done by someone else. Pray and ask God to show you those within the church to whom the task could given. If someone can do the task half as well as you, give it to them. With training and your help, they will get better. Give away everything you can to faithful men and women. You cannot give away your responsibility for the overall ministry of the church, but you must give responsibility with each task. Let each person know exactly what is expected and then meet often, if necessary, to see that it is done.

Delegation and abdication are two completely different things. You delegate in order to train others to serve Christ; and so you will be able to do more ministry leadership. Those who abdicate, abandon ministries and the workers in order to do less. They are selfish and lazy, and their sin will find them out.

Pastor, your church and your people will never grow spirituality if you don’t learn the fine art of delegation. Many who are excellent preachers and Bible teachers are not doing a good job as pastors. “And he gave …pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12. Your job is to perfect the believers for the work of the ministry. This takes far more than knowledge of the Bible. There are dozens of ways to teach men and women how to do the ministry. So, start now by giving jobs to every person you can.

(If this article was helpful, you should read the author’s book, How To Assist Your Pastor).