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I was the goalie for my 7th grade lacrosse team , which meant a lot of responsibility. On top of stopping welt producing shots, I needed to make sure...
3 Essential Habits Every Professional Ministry Leader Must Have
Christopher Wesley
Mar 16, 2022
Every parish deserves a team of professionals to assist the pastor in the mission of the Church. The problem is that we recruit warm bodies, throw them into a mess and get upset when they walk away. Somewhere along the way, we lost sight of the value of professionalism in ministry, and that has to change.
Maybe your parish can’t afford a full-time or even part-time staff. And while any parish could run off a team of volunteers, there still needs to be a level of professionalism. That means recruiting and hiring people who will look at their role at a deeper level. To have a professionally led ministry, those involved need to develop the habits of:
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL FORMATION
How often do we put our spiritual, intellectual, and professional formation on the backburner? We tend to make our formation an afterthought, whether it’s busyness, tight budgets, or a shortage of opportunities. However, the consequences of not investing in ourselves limit our ability to invest in others and lead to burnout.
Another reason we do not form ourselves is because we’re unsure what that looks like. The simple answer is to look at the four pillars of formation (INTELLECTUAL, PASTORAL, HUMAN, AND SPIRITUAL) and ask ourselves, “Where do I need to grow?”
Once you identify that area of growth, try doing one of the following:
- Attending workshops and conferences
- Reading books and listening to podcasts
- Going on retreats
- Meeting with a spiritual director or ministry coach
- Joining a cohort or masterminds group
- Taking classes or enrolling in higher education
Some resources are free and easy to access, while others require a fee. While everyone wants free, paying for some formation or development creates a sense of ownership. When you feel the financial burden, you are more likely to engage and sharpen your skills. If you are looking for suggestions, please reach out to us HERE.
COLLABORATIVE WORK
Every leader needs to know how to work as a team. Collaborative work creates accountability for achieving goals, it broadens our creative minds to go outside of the box, and it’s a lot more fun. Working by yourself fosters the feeling of isolation and can build resentment. Having a team is critical, and every team should have people who:
DREAM BIG AND BOLD: They come up with crazy ideas and are not afraid to think of something new. They can excite and energize the team.
GET STUFF DONE: These are the people who roll up their sleeves and develop systems that are efficient and sustainable. They provide the accountability to follow through on tasks.
BUILD CONNECTIONS: These individuals know who is missing from the conversation. They’ll find you donors and advocate on your ministry’s behalf. They make sure people remember that they are serving the Body of Christ.
If you are thinking to yourself, “Wow, this sounds awesome, but how do I get started?” it means taking a moment to address your ministry needs. In other words, what positions do you need to fill to make your ministry thrive? What are specific tasks that need to get off of your plate?
Next, identify people in your parish who successfully run businesses, a project, or manage their lives. Sit down with them, pick their brain and invite them to help you grow this group. Even if they are not a part of the project long-term, they will help get you started.
FUTURISTIC DEVELOPMENT
A good friend of mine used to tell me, “The Church is always one generation away from no leadership.” And whether you are in youth ministry or not, investing in the young Church is essential to the future health of your ministry. To get started, identify at least one or two young people in your parish that could serve as your apprentice. Have them shadow what you do and slowly give them ownership. When they succeed at a task, praise them and when they fail, help them learn.
If possible, develop an internship program for youth and young adults to experience parish life. Again, give them responsibility where they can learn and grow. While there will be some initial training over time, their creativity and openness to try new things will pay dividends.
Being a professional in parish ministry requires more than a paycheck, and professionalism requires the right habits and attitude. While one might dismiss these three habits as secular and totally separated from faith, it’s important to note that they are grounded in Christ.
Jesus took time to rest and pray (Matthew 14:23), and he was a student willing to listen (Luke 2:41-52). At the same time, He invited the disciples to accompany Him in ministry (Mark 1:17), and some of them were young (Matthew 4:21-22). Professionalism means following Christ so that you can fulfill the mission God’s called you to embrace.
I’m sure there are more habits we could break open, but these three matter. If you need assistance developing them, reach out to us at Marathon Youth Ministry (Contact us HERE) or join one of our cohorts today (Click HERE).