By Laura Stephens Reed
Over the course of my vocational life, I have served in five different congregations. That means I have been part of hundreds of church staff meetings. Some of them were very much worth my while. Others had me watching the clock and shifting restlessly in my seat. You can probably relate, even if you work in a secular setting.
Staff meetings are important points of contact and planning, especially when not all church work happens in the office, when more staff members are very part-time, and as responsibility for ministries increasingly shifts to paid staff in the absence of volunteers. But not all staff meetings are created equal. And if a gathering results in more frustration than inspiration, is it worth having at all?
Here, then, are some considerations that make it possible for church employees to–dare I say it?–look forward to staff meetings:
Know the purpose for staff meetings. These gatherings should be springboards for helping church workers connect even more fully with the congregation’s core commitments so that they, in turn, can help the people in the pews engage deeply with the mission. Design the agenda with these ends in mind.
Ground the time together spiritually. Staff meetings, while aiming toward some specific outcomes, should feel like church. It’s all too easy to race past spiritual practices in the name of productivity. If the work of the meeting isn’t grounded in God, though, how well will it set up the staff and the congregation to respond to God’s invitations?
Acknowledge each other’s humanity. Truth be told, personal sharing in staff meetings is a polarizing topic. Some people love it, while others just want to get on with the program so they can go to lunch. But even as an extreme introvert, I know that staff meetings are some of the best opportunities for colleagues to see, hear and value one another. That is part of noting the image of God in everyone, with a side benefit of forming better teammates as well.
Don’t make a meeting out of what could be an email (or team communication platform–such as Slack or Basecamp–message). This is the fastest way to encourage those around the table to tune out. Save the matters that need more conversation for the staff meeting space and take care of the simple logistical pieces by other means.
Rejoice in what is going well and get inquisitive about what is not. Spending time in both of these areas is essential, and in fact they might comprise the bulk of the meeting. Celebration invites attention to where God is at work through people and circumstances. It also feeds a sense of abundance, which is a much better head and heart orientation to troubleshoot and plan from than panic and scarcity. Wonder (as in awe) about the good can naturally lead into wonder (as in curiosity) about what to try in order to reach different outcomes.
Invite playfulness. Fun and delight unlock our brains, offering us access to greater creativity. Play can take on an almost endless number of forms, including a game, an art activity, show and tell, and many more options.
Use the time to de-silo ministries. Despite best efforts, sometimes church workers get tunnel vision about their areas of focus. Staff meetings allow everyone not just to hear what is going on in other parts of the congregation but also to figure out ways to collaborate across ministries toward the church’s overarching aims.
Pay attention to physical needs. If it’s mealtime, stomachs will be growling. If the meeting has run long, people will need to stretch and go to the restroom. Don’t turn the staff meeting into a hostage situation. (It’s possible I say this from my own experience.)
Get clear on actions before adjourning. Sometimes meaningful work has been done in staff meetings…and it evaporates as soon as everyone leaves the room. Make sure there has been a record of decisions (including how they will be communicated, to whom, and by whom) and assignments (with people, deadlines, and resources attached). The end of the meeting is a good time to circle back around to the “why” of it all so there is coherence and excitement about next steps.
Remember that not everyone needs to be at every meeting. Some matters are just for the pastors or the administrative staff, while others are for everyone. It’s possible for the whole group to start off together and allow employees to peel off to get to their specialized work as the scope narrows. It can also work to go in the reverse order, adding people to the gathering as their participation and input are needed.
Staff meetings, when planned and run thoughtfully, can be powerful tools with outsized impact that ripples out into the congregation and beyond. They can also be reasons that employees disengage and become disheartened if they become too bloated or rote. May your staff gatherings connect people to one another and the church’s story to God’s. And may they buttress the many ways your congregation promotes discipleship among Jesus’ followers.