I’ve coached and worked alongside pastors and ministry leaders across the country while leading a youth ministry at my own local church. I’ve met a lot of great leaders, and a lot of tired ones. And one thing we ALL have in common– WE’RE DOING TOO MUCH!

We are called to spread the Gospel and bring God’s Kingdom here, and that can look a lot of different ways. Ministry looks different in every context. But I’ll tell you one thing: Paul wasn’t folding bulletins.

Whether senior pastor or a secretary, youth director or an elder, I’ve never worked with anyone in the church who couldn’t use another set of hands. And, if I’m being honest, I’ve never met a ministry leader who didn’t have at least one finger in a pot that they shouldn’t. 

Below is an abbreviated list of things we, as pastors and ministry leaders, should start delegating in 2025. Then, if you’re ready, I’ll tell you how to get started. 

1. Start Delegating Communications and Marketing

Social Media Management
Keeping your church’s social media active and engaging can feel like a full-time job in itself. Scheduling posts, replying to comments, and analyzing engagement metrics can easily overwhelm one person. This is a task where consistency matters—find someone who can dedicate time to doing it well.

Website Updates
A church website is often the first impression for visitors. Keeping it up-to-date with events, sermons, and contact info ensures it reflects your ministry accurately. But the reality? It’s a time-sink that doesn’t require pastoral oversight.

Newsletter Creation
Crafting weekly or monthly updates takes creativity and focus. Whether digital or printed, newsletters are a key way to keep your congregation informed. Hand this off to someone who has an eye for design and clear communication.

Graphic Design
From sermon slides to event flyers, visual communication is essential. A volunteer or team member with creative skills can bring your ideas to life WITHOUT you spending another 3 hours on Canva.

Event Promotion
Getting the word out through email, social media, and announcements can make or break event attendance. A communications-savvy helper can ensure your efforts reach the right people at the right time.

Who Could Help?

• A creative volunteer passionate about storytelling and visuals.
• A tech-savvy college student looking for experience and a creative way to serve.
• A Ministry Admin who specializes in communications.

2. Start Delegating Administrative Tasks

Volunteer Scheduling
Coordinating schedules for greeters, nursery workers, and worship leaders can feel like solving a Rubik’s Cube. This task needs someone who thrives on logistics and follow-through.

Meeting Prep
From sending reminders to taking notes, meetings run smoother when someone else manages the details. This frees you to focus on leading the conversation.

Database Management
Maintaining member records, attendance tracking, and donor reports are critical—but they don’t need to be handled by you.

Donor Acknowledgments
Gratitude goes a long way in stewardship. Hand this off to someone who can ensure timely thank-yous for every gift, big or small.

Calendar Coordination
A shared master calendar keeps everyone on the same page, but managing it doesn’t have to land on your plate.

Who Could Help?

• A detail-oriented member of your congregation.
• A part-time admin assistant or Ministry Admin.
• A volunteer who loves spreadsheets and planning.
• A recently retired professional who’s going a little stir-crazy at home.

3. Start Delegating Worship and Creative Elements

Slide Preparation
Prepping lyrics, sermon points, and announcements for worship can take hours. This is a simple but essential task that someone else can own.

Bulletin Design
From assembling the order of worship to including announcements, bulletins are a weekly staple that doesn’t need to be designed by you.

AV and Livestream Support
Whether troubleshooting tech or running livestreams, there are often volunteers with the skills to handle this vital ministry.

Creative Media Projects
Videos and sermon recaps can be powerful tools for engagement. Let someone with a passion for media take the lead.

Worship Set Planning
Planning Sunday’s music is important, but it doesn’t have to be your responsibility every week.

Who Could Help?

• A worship team member who’s eager to take on more responsibility.
• A young adult in your church who loves tech or video editing.
• A Ministry Admin with a creative edge or a PT support person in your local community.

4. Start Delegating Family Ministry

Parent Communications
Keeping parents informed about youth and children’s programming—whether it’s weekly schedules or event reminders—is a task that doesn’t have to come from you.

Curriculum Prep
Printing handouts, organizing supplies, or preparing craft materials is time-intensive, but it’s something that others can do with clear instructions.

Volunteer Recruitment
Recruiting volunteers can be daunting, but there are people in your church who are natural connectors and can take this off your plate.

Event Planning
Family-oriented events like retreats, Trunk-or-Treat, or parent-child game nights require lots of moving parts. Someone else can step in to manage the details, from ordering supplies to setting up schedules.

Follow-Up with Families
It’s important to check in with new families or those who’ve attended special events. Delegating this to a trusted team member ensures everyone feels welcomed and connected.

Who Could Help?

• A parent in your congregation who’s passionate about family ministry.
• A youth or children’s ministry volunteer with a knack for organization.
• A group of little old ladies who meet every Wednesday morning to pack the children’s curriculum baskets and print out worksheets. (Or is that just me? )

5. Start Delegating Logistics and Operations

Facilities Management
Scheduling repairs, managing cleaning crews, and overseeing building use are necessary tasks, but they don’t require your time.

Event Setup and Teardown
From arranging chairs to decorating, these physical tasks can be done by a team of volunteers or staff.

Tech Support
When the livestream crashes or the microphone fails, it’s better if someone tech-savvy is on hand to handle it.

Supply Management
Keeping an eye on the stock of coffee, communion supplies, or office materials is important, but it doesn’t need your direct attention.

Budget Tracking
Monitoring expenses and creating reports ensures financial transparency, but someone with a knack for spreadsheets can handle this better (and faster).

Who Could Help?

• A facilities manager or team of volunteers dedicated to building care.
• A volunteer or part-time staffer with tech expertise.
• A financially savvy member of the congregation.
• A Ministry Admin who specializes in operations and logistics.

So, how do you get started? If you’re still here at this point, that means you’re serious. You’re ready to start delegating in 2025. And you know what? I’m proud of you!

Now, here’s how you can start delegating– 

Step 1:

Print out this list or make a list of your own. 

Step 2:

Review the list again and highlight the items that make you cringe the hardest. Which of these tasks takes the most of your lifeblood? Remember– Vampires always need an invitation inside. KICK THEM OUT!

Step 3:

Pray over the highlighted items. What? You didn’t think delegation was a spiritual practice? Friend, delegation is an act of faith. Ask God which items need to fall from your plate in 2025, and then pray for God to provide the right person/people who will be passionate about taking them on.

Step 4:

Make a mini-Volunteer Megaboard (or download ours here). 

1. In the first column of a spreadsheet or on paper, write your shortlist of 1-5 tasks you’d like to delegate this year, leaving three rows between each task. 
2. In the next column, through prayer and discernment, jot down three names of people in your congregation who you believe might be able to take on this task.
   • DO NOT make their excuses or say the “no’s” for them. I promise they are perfectly willing and capable of saying no to you themselves.
   • That’s why you need three names per task– Statistically, 2 in 3 people will say no to you. But that’s okay! You have backups.)
3. If you have wracked your brain and you do not believe that anyone in your congregation could possibly do this task… Wrack someone else’s brain. Ask your spouse. The church secretary. The town gossip. Sometimes, we just need another set of eyes.
4. However, if no one is able to think of a name, let alone three, this might be a task worth outsourcing. If that is the case, type “External” and move on to the next task. 
5. Once you have your list of tasks to delegate, you’re ready, right? Wrong! Time to send it to a trusted prayer partner. Spend a couple of days intentionally praying alongside this friend over these tasks and the specific names on the document. If God provides greater discernment, change your list accordingly. If not, IT’S GO TIME!
6. Finally, after all that, it’s time to start tapping shoulders. Start with your first choice for each task, and reach out how you’re most comfortable. Some leaders are callers, some are emailers, and I’m a texter. Whatever method of communication you won’t put off until tomorrow is the right method of communication.
   • If you are reaching it via text or email, say something like, “Hey so-and-so, we’ve got an exciting opportunity for helping out with [communications, etc.] at the church, and I immediately thought of you. Any chance I can catch you [on the phone sometime this week/after church on Sunday/take you to coffee] to chat more about it?
   • If you are starting with a cold call, lead with enthusiasm. You’re not desperate. You’re excited to share this important responsibility in the church with someone you think could do an amazing job with it. 
7. And what if they say no? Well, that’s why you’ve got three names, right? Start dialing. 
8. But what if you wrote “External” for one (or all!) of your dreaded tasks? I’m not going to sugar coat it. It can be hard when you feel like you’re doing it all by yourself, and it feels like there is no one you can even think of to ask for help. But it’s not hopeless. There are several options for bringing in outside help to you and your ministry. Here are some questions to consider:
   • Can I afford to bring someone on as a full or part-time staff member?
   • Is there a possibility for a stipend if I look for a local intern to fulfill this task?
   • If there is no budget, is there someone in the congregation I could ask about supporting an auxiliary person like this?
   • Could a remote Ministry Admin from Ministry Architects better fit my budget?
   • If this is something we don’t have money for, who can I bring alongside me this year to intentionally pray that God sends us the right people to help in these areas?

To wrap up…

I’ll say it again: Delegation is an act of faith. It’s trusting that God has placed people around you with gifts and skills to share the load. Start small by identifying a couple of tasks from this list to delegate. Over time, as your team grows in confidence and capacity, you’ll find yourself freed to focus on the parts of ministry that only you can do. And remember, whether it’s a passionate volunteer or a professional Ministry Admin, help is out there—and you’re not alone.

If you get stuck, though, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Ministry Architects. We are real pastors and ministry leaders who have been where you are. We are happy to offer a free coaching call to help pull you out of the rut, and we have downloadable resources, blogs, and podcasts that we would love to share with you. 

Brandi Kirkland

brandi.kirkland@ministryarchitects.com

Brandi Kirkland serves as a staff consultant and SEO specialist for Ministry Architects. Church systems and strategy are her very favorite thing, and she loves what she does every single day. Brandi graduated from Johnson University with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry and gets to be the rare graduate who actually works in their field of study. Brandi has led children’s and youth ministry in both single-site and multi-site churches, and believes that each church has its own, unique offering that it brings to the cause of Christ.

The post 25 Things Pastors Should Start Delegating in 2025 appeared first on Ministry Architects.

The good news is that it is entirely within our power to change the story. I’m not saying it’s easy, especially when you’re feeling burned and burned out. However, there are some things you can do to make sure that your ministry is recognized for what is being accomplished rather than what is lacking. What I’m about to share with you is not an instant solution, so if you choose to change the story, you’re going to have to commit to trusting the process and have a little patience while things slowly shift. 

Here are three action steps you can begin doing today that will change how people see you and the ministry you’re leading.

Communicate up. Don’t wait until your church leadership asks you for a report to give them information. A simple weekly email will keep your successes and challenges front and center, and keep them in the know when church members ask them, “Hey, what’s going on in the _______ ministry?” 

Here’s a simple, stress-free way to accomplish this. It shouldn’t take you more than five minutes per week and will reap great benefits for you.

1. Decide who needs the information. I would always choose the lead pastor, the governing body (elders, session, council), and whoever you report directly to.
2. Send a weekly email with the following information:
   1. Weekly attendance.
   2. Something you’re celebrating. (this can be a new volunteer, a visitor, a child learning the memory verse, or volunteers arriving on time)
   3. A problem you’re solving. It’s important that these leaders know that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in your ministry. Ask them to pray or just let them know that you’re working on overcoming the obstacle.
   4. Events coming up in the next few weeks. Your church leadership can’t support you if they don’t know what you’re doing. Additionally, each of them have friends and neighbors who they might invite to your event. Plus, you are less likely to be pulled into additional work if everyone knows you’re working on upcoming projects.

Celebrate the wins publicly. I mentioned celebrating wins weekly to your leadership, but it’s also important to share with your other audiences when things are going well. Give the congregation something to talk about!

• Did you have record attendance on the first Sunday after the new year? Ask the congregation to pray for all the families who attended. 
• Do you have a seasoned volunteer who is making a difference? Let the church know that you’re grateful. 
• Is a new family finding their place in your ministry? Highlight them to members.

Share the vision. Continually remind the congregation and the community why you’re doing what you’re doing. Take every opportunity to paint the picture of the growing faith that you’re cultivating in students, or the welcome feeling you’re creating for visitors. Whatever your end goal, make sure that people understand what you’re doing and why.

• Teach your team the language of your vision and emphasize it each week. Include it in meetings, weekly communication, and casual conversations so they can’t help but use it in their casual conversations. 
• Use signage and social media to communicate your why to the congregation and community.
• Intentionally share the vision with other influential people who will pray for you and talk up the ministry.
  • Know someone in the choir? Ask them to share an update from time to time about your ministry.
  • Are you in the choir and know a mission trip leader? Ask the mission team to exchange prayer requests so each group is praying for the other – on purpose.

These ideas will not dramatically reshape the culture of your community overnight. But I believe you will see some changes quickly, especially when you start sending that weekly report. You’ll start to notice that your ministry is getting noticed by the church leadership in a more positive light.

Commit to six months of intentionally sharing your vision, celebrating wins, and communicating up and see what happens. After taking these steps, I would love to hear what has happened! When you ask for support, when you present your 2024 budget, and when you just need some grace, I believe you will notice a difference in response because you told the story of your ministry in a different way.

Annette Safstrom
Director of Marketing

annette.safstrom@ministryarchitects.com

Annette fell in love with children’s ministry in the 1980s and has never looked back. After graduating from Bible college in 1991 with a certification in children’s ministry, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University, and a Master’s from SMU. Over the years, she has consistently served in various roles in the church from volunteer to director of children’s ministry. Annette has been a member of the Ministry Architects team since January of 2012, and co-authored Sustainable Children’s Ministry with Mark DeVries in January of 2018. She loves to share the joy of children’s ministry with others through workshops, trainings, and national conferences. She lives in McKinney, TX with her husband Kevin, and their two children, and enjoys traveling, cooking, and writing.

The post Championing Your Ministry appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Ted’s unique leadership style has led to numerous articles and podcasts debating his strengths and weaknesses. (A quick Google search for ‘Ted Lasso Leadership Lessons’ offers close to 1 million results!) But what can church leaders learn about caring for their congregations from this folksy, fictional sports coach?

(Note – this article may contain spoilers!)

1. Be Relational

Ted comes into Richmond as an outsider with no experience of coaching soccer. With everyone sceptical about his ability and appointment, Ted knows that the first thing he needs to do is to win the trust of the playing squad, staff, and the fanbase. How does he do this? Ted values each person individually. He builds relationships with each person and gets to know them at more than just a superficial level. Eventually, most of the team are won over and Ted gains their trust, despite his lack of experience. 

Caring for congregations must start from a place of relationship. If church leaders are going to care for their congregations well, they must connect with their people, build relationships intentionally, and get to know them as individuals and learn what is going on in their lives.

“If you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothing you can’t get through together.” -Ted Lasso

2. Be A Hope-Bringer

Ted, in many ways, is the ultimate optimist. Regardless of how bad the situation might appear to everyone else, how big a loss Richmond suffers, or how negative the newspapers are about a performance, Ted can see the good. When everyone else around him is down about something, Ted can bring hope. He sees beyond the present pain and frustration to what is possible in the future. 

Ted’s hopefulness enables him to be a non-anxious presence in the locker room. By being a non-anxious presence, Ted releases his players from their fears and empowers them to perform at their best. At Ministry Architects, one of our core values is to be a ‘non-anxious presence’ to the congregations and church leaders we work with who might be mired in anxiousness, conflict, and frustration (you can read more about that here.) 

Ted’s approach to leadership provides an example to church leaders as they shepherd their congregations. In a culture that constantly tells us that the church is becoming less relevant, church leaders get to offer a different narrative. When church attendance is on the decline, church leaders get to cast a hopeful vision of the future and our ultimate hope in Jesus. When there’s difficulty with recruiting and retaining volunteers, being a non-anxious presence and not adding to the stress of a short-staffed team brings a gift of care others will greatly appreciate.

“There’s two buttons I never like to hit: that’s panic and snooze.” -Ted Lasso

3. Be a Noticer and Nurturer 

When Ted arrives at Richmond, Nate is working as the club kit-man. He spends most of his time focused on the behind-the-scenes preparations for the team. This is not the role Nate wants. Nate dreams of becoming a coach and shares his dream with Ted. As soon as Ted hears this, Ted helps to make Nate’s dream a reality and Nate joins the Richmond coaching staff.

Ted also notices a player named Roy. After Roy retires from his professional career as a footballer, he goes to work for a TV company, commentating on games, and sure that he is finished working for a soccer club. Ted, however, is sure that Roy would make a great coach and has something to offer the team. In the face of Roy’s reluctance, Ted does not relent, and continues to encourage Roy. When Roy eventually becomes dissatisfied with TV work, he returns to the sidelines of Richmond, joining Ted and the other coaches.

Noticing others and nurturing leadership potential in others is another way church leaders can care for their congregation. When Jesus talks about disciples making disciples, part of that care and teaching is the ability to notice and nurture in others their God given gifts and talents. Like Ted, church leaders need to create opportunities for members of the congregation to learn, try, and occasionally fail forward, in leadership roles. 

“For me, success is not about the wins and losses. It’s about helping these young fellas be the best versions of themselves on and off the field.” -Ted Lasso

4. Be Aware of the Need for Self-Care

Ted learns this lesson the hard way. Ted sees himself as someone who is resilient, someone who is always able to see both the good in people and the positives in life, and someone who others seek for counsel. But in Season 2, and the arrival of team psychologist, Dr. Sharon, it quickly becomes clear that Ted is not OK.

Struggling to process his divorce, a transatlantic father-son relationship, and mixed results on the soccer field, the cracks begin to appear. But it takes more than one break before Ted bends and admits he needs help. During an important game, Ted has a panic attack, leaves the field, and finally acknowledges his need to meet with Dr. Sharon. 

This is one area church leaders need to be less Ted. Pastorally looking after people and attending to their spiritual and emotional health needs can take its toll. In seasons of busyness, often the first thing that gets removed from one’s daily routine are the moments of rest and self-care that are crucial to supporting a congregation. 

In order to care for congregations well, church leaders need to ensure they are getting the rest they need along with the emotional, mental health, and spiritual support they require. Being aware of the need for self-care allows a leader to reach out for help before they break.

“Your body is like day-old rice. If it ain’t warmed up properly, something real bad could happen.” -Ted Lasso

5. And finally…Be a Goldfish!

Following some team conflict, Ted asks one of his players, Sam, if he knows what the happiest animal in the world is. Seeing Sam’s bemused face Ted explains to Sam that the happiest animal in the world is a goldfish because it only has a ten second memory. Ted then encourages Sam to be a goldfish. 

Above my desk I have a poster with this Ted-ism written on it. It was put up to serve as a reminder to young people to not let what has just happened define what happens next in their day. 

But it is also a helpful reminder for church leaders as they care for their congregations. 

A bad service? A sub-par event? A disappointing sign up? Struggling to return to pre-COVID 19 numbers?

Be a goldfish. Don’t let memories of the past define the future.

“You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? It’s got a 10-second memory.” – Ted Lasso

To help figure out what this can look like with the people in your church or ministry, connect with a coach – for free! Simply click this link or contact Mike today.

Mike lives in the UK with his wife, two children, and pet cockapoo. He has been involved in youth ministry for over 10 years, having spent the last nine as youth ministry coordinator at the Anglican Church he came to faith in as a teenager in South London. As part of his role, Mike also serves as the assistant chaplain at the local high school and has been part of the chaplaincy team for the local Premier League Football (soccer!) Team.

Mike is passionate about young people finding their place in the church and equipping parents to disciple their teenage children at home. Mike recently completed the Certificate in Youth and Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. In his spare time Mike enjoys watching soccer, baseball (Let’s Go Mets!), and running marathons.

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If you’ve been in ministry for any length of time, you know that it reaches much further than the time you’re officially “on the clock” for your job. Ministry can seep into every corner of our lives – sometimes in beautiful ways, other times in unhealthy ways. 

On a typical day, I may find myself —

• Serving a cold drink to someone in the blazing heat
• Helping someone unfamiliar with my area feel at home
• Providing a place to rest, refresh, and renew
• Showing the love of Jesus through smiles and actions, not just words

Am I talking about my role in a local church? Nope. But I am talking about my ministry, which actually looks a lot like a business because, well…it is.

My husband and younger son and I moved to Belize a little over three years ago now. We own and manage Placencia Beach Club in the tiny little fishing village of Placencia. It’s a business open to the public – local Belizeans, expats, and tourists alike. My days are filled with helping manage our team of 15, chatting with guests, and day-to-day operations. It may not look like a ministry in the traditional sense but have no doubts – our family is on mission here.

You see, our dream is to have a small resort where people in ministry can come to rest, refresh, and relax for little to no cost. How? By tithing back 10% of the room nights at the resort to folks in ministry. My husband and I both grew up as MK’s (missionary kids), in a setting where using “someone else’s money” to go on vacation was a strict no-no. In other words, if you needed a break, you had to fund it yourself. Pretty difficult to do on a typical pastor or missionary salary.

It’s time to retell the story. We want to remove the obstacles that prevent our ministers of the gospel from being able to experience a time of renewal. We aren’t quite to the realization of that dream yet, but God keeps bringing us closer every single day. (Feel free to email me if you’d like to keep up with our story!)

In our case, ministry has expanded past the typical boundaries in a beautiful way. Not a single person pulling into our sandy parking lot for a day at the beach and pool will automatically identify us as a ministry. I suspect, however, that after their experience here, more than one person has left feeling like there was “something different.” (Experiencing the hands and feet of Jesus in action, perhaps?)  

Your ministry story may be a little different than the norm as well. Different doesn’t mean less valuable.

“Bi-vocational” is a term almost exclusively used in the context of ministry. It typically refers to a minister who serves a church part-time and works another job (or jobs) as well. Many of you reading this have other jobs or roles outside of your role in ministry. Some of you are part-time children’s directors or volunteer youth directors. Others are full-time pastors with a side job to help make ends meet. 

When our ministry story doesn’t include a full-time paid position, it can be difficult to discern when to allow ministry to seep into the edges of our lives. 

• Sometimes ministry seeps into our lives in a way that brightens the dark corners.
• Sometimes ministry seeps into our lives and robs us of our sense of self.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in to expand our understanding of our God.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and distorts our understanding of God.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and brings with it new relationships and new opportunities.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and chips away at our relationships.

As you ponder your own ministry story, I pray that God will reveal to you how the gifts, talents, and passions that you’ve been given are part of the whole picture, not just the ministry portion. Seek discernment about where to lean in, and where to lean back. 

You’re not alone. We are in this together!

The post When Your Ministry Story Looks Different appeared first on Ministry Architects.

By Rev. Rob Dyer

If you’re familiar with the Broadway musical Hamilton, then you’ve probably heard the song “You’ll Be Back.” Sung by the character of King George III, this song is a sharp shift in style and tone from the rest of the show and serves to remind the colonists that their attempted revolution will inevitably be just a passing phase. Because, of course, as the King reminds, they’ll be back; he can’t imagine they won’t.

It wasn’t until this past week that I was struck by the irony of just how tragically perfect that song is for this time. Think about it: an authority, who thinks he’s in touch with his people, sweetly sings a song of truth to remind them, compel them, threaten them to return. Assured they will, he recites with disdain their reasons for distancing and counters each one with his own version of reality. As we know, the colonists did not come back. The revolution went forward. And those who once were citizens survived, nay, thrived without the home they once knew. 

Living within the collective trauma of the pandemic, many people have stepped back from their churches. One of the responses from church leaders has been to lament decreased attendance, volunteer shortages, emptier rooms, and reduced giving. While the message of such a response might be conveyed with a mindfulness of people needing the church, the motivation is not without the awareness that the church needs the people, too. How will we survive without their offerings? This may sound harsh, but we are dangerously close to thinking of the people as numbers and seat-fillers we need – barely a step above property.

While we aren’t pulling a full King George III impersonation here with violent threats, there has been disdain. Expressions of frustration and disappointment with people have been shared in a multitude of ways including (but not limited to) passive-aggressive “invitations” in weekly church emails, non-specific but pointed social media posts, and maybe even face-to-face. I’ve seen it, my colleagues have seen it, and, in the end, such a stance with our stanzas will probably produce the same result as that tired king: they won’t come back.

In working to figure out this reality in my own context, here’s where I’ve landed: collective lamenting has its place. Ever since sharing the blog “They’re Not Coming Back,” I’ve been overwhelmed with emails, phone calls, and social media interactions with church leaders from around the nation who are feeling the pains, fears, and confusion of this situation. To be honest, it was so humbling and healing for me simply to be heard and know that I am not alone. But we can’t sit in the land of doom and gloom forever because the Gospel is bigger than all of this. The world still desperately needs a church that shows up where the people are, even if the people aren’t where we are.

In part one of “They’re Not Coming Back”, I shared three steps for addressing this new reality of absent individuals: 

1. We need to stop telling stories that we know are not true.
2. We need to see this situation for what it is.
3. We need to understand why.

It’s with this last one I’d like to springboard into a more specific idea that every church in every town can do next: We need to become spiritual trauma centers for our communities.

What it means to become a spiritual trauma center
In many circles, “spiritual trauma center” is a term that is used for organizations that are trying to help people recover from unhealthy church experiences or other religious trauma. When I use this term, I am more generally speaking of the way we can reframe the role of the church in any community to address trauma from a spiritual perspective. 

The Church is called to see the real pains of the human condition and then to offer the Good News in response, with hopeful reframing and merciful actions. When we do this well, we become a spiritual trauma center for the everyday and the extreme situations of life (like, let’s say, a global pandemic.) Trauma-informed ministry teaches us that we are interacting with wounded people who need help reframing the narrative of how they see themselves in the world and in the image of Christ. 

What it does NOT mean
We cannot approach this work with secret goals of increasing membership, attendance, or giving. Our goal should be to help heal the wounded and show them a path that leads to life abundant.

This means the answer to the collective trauma of the pandemic is probably not found in simply attending our worship services. Our worship services can be good and important, but they aren’t so great that all the world needs is fifty-two Sundays of perfect attendance to experience real healing and wholeness.

Hosea 6:6 and Matthew 9:13 teach us that God desires us to be agents of mercy more than robots of ritual. If we succeeded in bringing all the people back to regular worship, weekly serving roles, and consistent giving, but never helped them heal from the spiritual trauma of the pandemic, that would just be “noisy gong and clanging cymbal” ministry. Sure, our seats would be filled. But then when they return to all the other seats they fill every other day of the week, how will they be doing, really?

How to be Agents of Mercy
First, get everyone in your congregation their own “agent of mercy” cape. They’ll blow everyone away as they walk through town, ready to care for others. 

Actually, the first thing to do is recognize your unique setting and context and consider where you can start. Not everyone in your congregation is ready – or able – to take these steps. And that’s okay. The encouraging news is you don’t need everyone to start doing this work. In fact, none of the steps to becoming a spiritual trauma center require that you get your church’s permission before trying. And, nobody is forced to participate (of course.) But the offering of what you’re about to endeavor to try will, hopefully, start to impact in ways others are drawn to be a part. It should also be noted that the more people who engage in this work, the more likely you’ll find yourself leading a church that is a spiritual trauma center for your community. 

Practical Step #1: Learn to listen for people’s particular pains.
When you talk with people, whether they are an estranged member or someone new that you want to reach, actively listen to what they are experiencing and don’t worry about a response. When people talk about what life is like for them now, don’t try to solve the problem or give your own examples. Just listen to people with the hope that you will learn something and maybe even be changed by what they share. There is healing in being heard and wisdom in listening. 

Taking notes while you are listening to people can be awkward unless you are chatting over the phone. So, as soon as you wrap up talking with someone, give yourself time to make notes on what you heard and think deeply about what they have shared with you. 

If you are in tune with the needs of real people, then your prayerful discernments for the actions of your ministry will be better grounded in the actual human condition, the actual pains of the people. You have an answer for these pains in the next two steps. When the timing is right, trust that the Spirit will guide you in sharing this answer.

Checkpoint #1 to becoming a spiritual trauma center: Do you know the particular pains of the people you are trying to reach?

Practical Step #2: Be ready to articulate the benefits of following Jesus.
How many of us can actually articulate the benefits of following Jesus? When the people in pain open their minds and their hearts, do we just offer a series of wonderful worship services and programs? I hope not. I hope we find a way to fully articulate how Jesus has become the spiritual cure in our own lives – and can be in theirs, too. 

As I type this, I know how ridiculously basic and simple this seems, but each of us needs an elevator speech. Each of us needs that 30-second “here’s why my life is better with Jesus” snapshot that explains why you’re different and life is different because of Him. And then you need to have the deeper version for when someone asks for more. 

Let’s be honest, most of our churches are filled with people who cannot do this. If both the leaders and the people cannot express why the good news is good – then does it really surprise us that connections with the Church have grown so thin amidst all the terrible, very bad news that has monopolized almost every facet of our lives over the last 18 months? 

Checkpoint #2 to becoming a spiritual trauma center: Can you genuinely explain the benefits of following Jesus in a way that is 100% authentic to your experience of life?

Practical Step #3: Invite the people into a generosity of steadfast love.
If we can find ourselves in church communities where both the pains of life and the benefits of the Gospel are known, this next step should be easy: start inviting people to join you in loving others. 

Someone you know needs help. Go help them. Take someone with you. And experience firsthand how those physical, mental, and emotional pains you learned about during step #1 begin to heal through acts of steadfast love from people of faith.

The collective trauma of the pandemic has been predominantly fueled by a lack of connection with others. People need people. And those needs aren’t met solely through a Sunday morning hour or Wednesday night dinner within our church walls. Such an expression of love responding to such a deep need will overflow into the streets of the surrounding neighborhoods and beyond time frames of convenience. We have got to start loving people so extravagantly that they ask us why we are doing it. And it will be in those moments that we will get to tell them about Jesus. Because He loves in these ways. And when we know and follow Him, we can’t help but do the same.

Checkpoint #3 to becoming a spiritual trauma center:  Are you loving people in extravagant ways with the help of other people?

Millions of people have seen the Broadway musical Hamilton. This means millions of people have heard the out-of-touch leader who’s too proud to acknowledge the needs of his people, and instead continues offering solutions for problems they don’t have, eventually losing them for good.

Yet, in the second act of Hamilton, another song is sung. This one by a new kind of leader who simply wants to be in “The Room Where It Happens.” This leader wants to have a role in the important things. He wants to be a part of that which makes a lasting difference in the lives of the people. 

There is a god of attendance that can demand our attention. There is a god of giving and a god of doing-what-we’ve-always-done that can drive our actions too. But then there’s the God of Love. Our God sees pain, weeps with those who weep, offers healing truth, loves deeply, and invites us to do the same. Our God is not worried about how many seats are filled on a Sunday. Our God is wondering how many hearts will be seen and served by the people of God. If we choose this God of Love in our churches, then I imagine many others will want to be in the room where it happens.

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And, so, we edited the story, confident that the returns would happen once their kids reached school age. As school-age children began signing up for all sorts of activities, we figured that our amazing youth programs would make the list of prioritized pursuits. While many congregations saw some waves of church reengagement, many others experienced something entirely different about “their” young adults…

They weren’t coming back.

The reality is, this is the story for many churches for many years; it isn’t a truth we found out in 2020 or even 2021. And surveys and church statistics continue to reveal that missing church members are more likely to stay home than to go to a different church. So it’s not that they’re going somewhere else. They aren’t going anywhere. And they certainly aren’t coming back.

Then came the pandemic.

Churches around the nation had a reset button hit. In-person church was halted and then, slowly, restarted. In the meanwhile, online methods of worship filled the gaps. In the beginning, many churches experienced numbers that exceeded their previous in-person numbers. “We’ve got so many people attending our church from out-of-state!” we exclaimed with delight, as evangelism seemed to thrive despite the pandemic. At the same time, our church members were laying down some of the activities and hustle of everyday life that used to conflict with church options. 

But they were doing this all while at the same time picking up the stress of daily pandemic navigation. And experiencing the rise of political and social tensions. And a general feeling of exhaustion grew in our people.

Then we started to notice that the proverbial back door of the church was propped open.

People were starting to drop off of the Zoom gatherings and online worship events. Online children and youth ministry activities saw an increase of cameras turned off and eventually a decrease in participants. Our masked and socially distanced gatherings that started to emerge attracted fewer numbers, but we figured that the people would return, volunteer, and help us rebuild the church once we reached that “new normal.” We started editing the story that we told each other – making excuses for individuals and families who were not showing up.

While church leaders did the hard work of navigating health guidelines and exercising creative adjustments, many people got used to life with less church. Or, perhaps, even life without church.

As our society is opening up more and more, people are starting to pick up the weight of busy lives again. With the pandemic and virus variants over their heads, people are finding that they have a reduced capacity for weight bearing. Even joyful activities are getting sidelined in this “new normal.” Now, the church is realizing something not just about young adults, but also about people of all ages in our churches. They’re not coming back. 

• The super volunteers who used to carry twenty positions in the church are now looking to do just a few things. 
• Our regular attenders are becoming semi-regular. 
• Our fringe folks are fading away. 

People are not coming back to the church at the same level of engagement. 

So, what do we do? 

1. We need to stop telling stories that we know are not true. 

Our excuses for the absence of others don’t help anyone. We can hope – and speak in goals and prayers and aspirations – for a someday return. But there’s a reality to our relationships, or lack thereof, that’s been hushed or is being ignored. And our stories aren’t as true as they could be.

2. We need to see this situation for what it is. 

It’s not even that people aren’t returning – they might never have been connected in the first place. People have experienced how easy (or how difficult) it is to live without their church. Obligation and duty no longer make up for a lack of connectedness, devotion, or faith itself. People learned who their friends are and some discovered – or finally acknowledged – that the church isn’t a necessary part of their lives. As much as churches miss people, people just aren’t missing back. 

3. We need to understand why.

The story many are not acknowledging is that we are a traumatized people. For each and every one of us – all at once – our world stopped. And, now, every single person – from the ones present to the ones we claim to miss to the ones we don’t even know yet – everyone is recovering from a shared trauma. The events we’ve walked through have had many questioning their livelihoods, their safety, and their relationships.

And if the church hasn’t offered answers for those questions yet, then we need to figure out how to do so now. We need to figure out what it means to be a spiritual trauma center for our communities. We need to reintroduce ourselves as a place that can tend to the wounds this pandemic has opened. Each church needs to consider how they might evangelize to their neighbors (and some of their own members) – almost as if they were launching a new church in 2021.

For years we’ve had no magic answer for the young adult losses that many churches grappled with before the pandemic. In that context, though, we believed too many false narratives and failed to adequately address the motivations involved. Similarly, no magic answer exists for the receding engagement across multiple age groups that we are seeing post-pandemic. 

But what we do know is that the future of the church will require innovative changes. We have experienced how developing healthy systems is essential for all church seasons to not just survive – but thrive – and it’s time to admit we cannot move forward with our pre-pandemic approaches. 

The need for a major pivot is before us, and we know that God will provide for the times and places where we are found. Therefore, let us walk into this valley with eyes wide open, ready to step forward with intention, believing in the presence of the Good Shepherd, the proximity of green pastures, the provided meal amongst adversity, the anointing of our heads, the overflowing of our cups, and our place in the House of the Lord forever.

If this blog resonates with you and you’re thinking you might like to partner with us, start with a free 30-minute coaching call.

Reverend Rob Dyer is Senior Pastor at First United Presbyterian Church of Belleville, IL. Rob has spent the last several years working in the areas of community missions and leadership development in southern Illinois where he lives with his brilliant and supportive wife, Sarah, and their four children. Click here to connect with Rob.

The post They’re Not Coming Back appeared first on Ministry Architects.

I know it seems odd that I’m about to ask you to be thankful over something like this, but that’s what I’m going to do. Here’s why: conversations like this have the potential to grow us as leaders in humility, grace, perseverance and wisdom. 

Sometimes I’ve spent hours, or even days mulling over a discouraging text message or email someone sent me. Because of it, I’ve even entertained thoughts of, “Why am I even in ministry? If this is how I’m treated, is this even worth it?”

As we are met with discouragement, we can choose to practice wisdom and perseverance, continuing to give thanks to the Lord for our calling in life, or give into discouragement, defeat and despair. 
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Whenever I choose to be thankful, I can freely let go of the hurt and disappointment I feel over one more discouraging message from someone within the church body. 

The Lord is immensely generous and kind in how He deals with us. With our brothers and sisters in Christ within the church however, that is not always the case, unfortunately. We have to remember, it’s not them that we’re pleasing. Sometimes that’s a hard one for me to live out, since I tend to be a bit of a people pleaser. When we center our thoughts and affections on the Lord, giving praise and thanks to Him, we are reminded once more that He is the one we serve. 

So, don’t dwell too long on that discouraging message.

Remember to give thanks and be generous in how you practice humility towards others and the Lord will reward you greatly for it as you grow as a leader.
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Not only will your leadership capacity flourish, but your relationship with Jesus will too.   

The post Giving Thanks When Your Leadership is Questioned appeared first on Ministry Architects.

My grandmother is an excellent listener. She could sit for hours listening to you talk. She says very little in response, but you know that she values what you have to say. When she does speak, you listen, because of how valued she’s made you feel. You see, my grandmother has something very important to teach us who lead others in the church. I’d like to break it down for us in three simple steps.

• Lean In
• Listen
• Learn

Many of us work with a plethora of volunteers or oversee staff. Until we grow to be good listeners who really learn how to lean in, listen and learn, we will never grow to be someone the people we are leading trust.

Trust is established when we share space with someone and we welcome them into ours. The best way to share space with someone else, is to hear their story.
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As you do this, you join not just the gifts that you both bring to the ministry, but your hearts. This is key if you want to grow and keep good leaders. 

We must learn how to follow these three simple steps, that my grandmother modeled to me if we want to grow as leaders.

Lean In

This means we must be willing to sit down and schedule time to be present with people. It could look as simple as grabbing a cup of coffee, a bite to eat or meeting at the church. If we don’t practice this step, the only time we’ll call people to talk is when there’s a problem and who looks forward to that kind of relationship with one of their leaders? Not me.  

Listen

The phone, your emails, that pressing deadline you have, all of them seem urgent. But…

…if we do not listen to people when they have our ear, we will automatically send them the message that says, “I honestly, don’t really care that much about you as a person, because all of these other things are more important.”
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The more trust you build with people, the greater return you’ll have for your work, because more people will be behind you, so that email and that text message, unless it’s your mom calling for more oxygen, it can probably wait. 

Learn

The best kind of leaders have captured the art of becoming top of the line learners. They understand that even those under them have something to teach them. Until we start treating people with this kind of value, the sharpest folks will find other places to use their giftings. They’ll land in a ministry where they feel valued, heard and employed. 

The post What Grandma Taught Me about Leadership appeared first on Ministry Architects.

… because someone, an individual or a group, has identified a need, or they’ve identified a problem in the community. And they either think or say, “Somebody ought to do something about this.” And then the wheels begin to turn. An individual has a need, a community has a problem, and somebody is able to see it as an opportunity to build something.

Sometimes that somebody realizes or decides that the Church can help.

Partnering Is Something That Churches Are Highly Equipped to Do

Congregations often get involved when a church member or church leader sees a need or has a really fine idea. Take, for example, the following:

• The church that adopts a school in response to the uniform or supply needs of local students.
• The church whose volunteers address housing needs in the community by renovating or building homes.
• The church that sends a family across the world to offer support to a struggling missionary family in Indonesia.
• The church that provides bus pick-up for kids at a nearby trailer park who otherwise would have no church access or interest.

And the Church has been partnering for a long time. Seeing uneducated children roaming the streets, it was Roberts Raikes who with the help of Methodists in Gloucester, England, started the first Sunday School in 1780. Not to mention, many of our world’s greatest educational institutions and hospital/health systems are the result of great partnerships in or with the Church.

Let the Church Set the Table

One of the great things about the Church as a partner is that it brings so much to the table. The highly motivated church brings volunteers, money, ideas, various forms of expertise, leadership, organization, a desire to serve,…
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Sometimes a community agency does great work and offers significant expertise, but needs additional financial or volunteer resources that the church can provide. Why not give the church a chance? 

A Few Tips If You Have the Idea or See the Need

• Start with your pastor. If you can get the congregation’s leader involved, he or she may be able to point other people and resources your way.
• Be ready to roll up your own sleeves. If you’re not convinced enough to get involved yourself, don’t expect others to just do it for you.
• Be ready to state the case. Develop a stump speech which will quickly and succinctly communicate why the need is so urgent or worthy of the congregation’s involvement. And know it by heart.

Don’t be afraid to dream big! Big ideas often bring whole groups of churches and people together, even denominations and nations. But remember that the biggest of things all started with the smallest of thoughts.
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• But the smallest of challenges is worthy of your effort. A cup of cold water for a thirsty stranger makes Jesus smile.

A Few Tips If You Want Your Church to Partner with Worthy Causes

• Work to see that your congregation has a worthy vision for itself, that recognizes its calling to address the needs of the world around it. Unless a church has a strong vision, it can lack the motivation for creative partnerships.
• Become the champion for partnering through your congregation. Become the eyes and ears of the congregation in the community, looking and listening to identify the needs of people around you.
• Encourage an entrepreneurial ministry mindset that encourages investment in causes and partnerships.
• If your church decides to become a partner in ministry, make sure to develop a relationship agreement that states the purpose of the partnership, as well as what the church and others involved are offering and expecting. Relationship agreements are not contractual, i.e. they may be entered into or withdrawn from at any time. They simply reflect an agreed understanding.

A Few Tips If Your Agency Outside the Church Needs Help That the Church Can Bring

• Ask your board of directors, staff, or volunteers if they are in churches that may be prepared to help, and ask them to go with you as you visit the pastor.
• Be prepared to show how your agency will be significantly helped, how church members will be involved in meaningful work, and even how you will be able to relate what they are doing to the faith journey that they are walking.
• If your agency decides to partner with a church, make sure to develop a relationship agreement (see above) so that roles and expectations are clear.

Conclusion

Sometimes the Church lights the fire; sometimes it adds more fuel, sometimes it tends the fire that runs the engine. But a congregation can be a GREAT partner in addressing the needs of people.
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If you want to explore more about engaging the Church as a ministry partner, email me at david.carroll@ministryarchitects.com. I’d love to spend some time talking with you about bringing people and churches together for the good of all God’s children.

The post Congregations Make Great Building Partners appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Instead, as girls turned the ball over, made bad passes and missed easy buckets he’d be on the sidelines clapping, saying, “You’re doing great girls, keep it up. You’re going to get there!” Were we bad? You better believe it, but did the girls start to have fun, trust their coach and believe in themselves? They sure did. Within a couple of years, the team went from winning almost no games to having a winning record. It was remarkable, and it started with one coach who was willing to celebrate the wins, even when it seemed like we had none. 

The kids who stopped coming, the leaders who show up late, the frustrating parent who doesn’t support you and that outreach event that was a real flop.

It’s easy to focus on everything that’s going wrong in youth ministry, isn’t it? Yet, within all of these moments, there’s most likely is a silver lining if you’re willing to look for it.
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If there’s a climate of negativity in your youth ministry, just like the coach I worked under, you can turn the tide if you’re willing to lead the way. 

Here’s some different ways to approach your youth ministry so you can start celebrating the wins.

1. When you’re at youth group, don’t complain about the kids who aren’t there, celebrate the ones who are with you. 
2. When others are complaining about how something didn’t go well, look for ways to celebrate something small within it and focus on that. 
3. Change your vocabulary.  Instead of addressing “problems” with someone, start using words like, “opportunities,” instead. View them not as a problem, but, instead start tackling those conversations as opportunities for growth. 
4. Kill that negative Nancy attitude that’s in your youth ministry. Be the encourager your leaders need, the advocate parents are looking for, and the cheerleader your students need to encourage them in their walk with Jesus.
5. Find a few cheerleaders of your own. Invite others to pray for you and your ministry.  Share with them your desire to start celebrating the wins to turn the tide in your youth ministry setting. 

The post Celebrate the Wins appeared first on Ministry Architects.