The 3-point cure for process breakdown (3 of 3)
In my last post, I described a condition commonly referred to as "silos". These result from one of 3 vacuums that may be causing process breakdown at your church.
But there is hope for churches suffering with silos. I see it in the unifying power described by Paul to the Corinthian church:
"And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all." 1 Corinthians 12:6 (KJV)
This is an interesting statement as Paul in this chapter is talking about the church as a "body", stating that there are different kinds of processes in it, but that God is empowering them all. The Greek word Paul used twice when he penned this sentence is energeo where we get our word "energy" from. Here, it's translated into "operations" and "worketh".in the King James Version.
It reminds me of a truth that dissolves silos and cures process breakdowns: God gives power (energy) to processes in the Body of Christ, and unites them by this same power (energy). No divergence of energy into silos, but one unobstructed power energizing "all in all".
This momentum-building, unifying power behind all processes in your church body leads to a 3 point cure for process breakdowns and silo-contained ministries:
Cure #1: Identifying a church-wide assimilation strategy
Assimilation is not a department. It is a strategy that every ministry in your church uses to onboard new volunteers from your pool of guests. This is frankly what will bring new life to any ministry within a silo much less the entire church. When there is a church process that serves every ministry in the church, it allows leaders to be free...
to work in their gifting if they are not process driven by nature since the process is given to them
to work on their ministries instead of patches for processes that don't serve them well
to not reinvent wheels that other ministries already have in place.
Once the four ingredients of a church-wide assimilation strategy are in place, the benefits of a church-wide program will be unleashed and the body will grow and become more healthy.
Cure #2: Empowering leaders to foster and align it.
Once you have identified what your church-wide assimilation strategy is, you need to empower a "volunteer champ" in each department to implement that process for each team (ex. a departmental admin) and then a person to oversee those implementors and the health of the process that all ministries and departments are using. We call ours a Volunteer Director. She is part-time and she meets with our volunteer champs once a month to make sure the process is working well for all prospective volunteers moving through it. Their status is monitored and obstacles are removed to continued progress in placing volunteers. Any staff person with a process mindset and the energy to oversee the health of it would be a candidate for this vital function. They are like a doctor taking the blood pressure of this important system, keeping the circulation of new volunteers into ministry flowing.
Cure #3: Forming an implementation plan.
I call it a Sherpa Action Plan because Sherpas are such an example of how we lead people toward fuller connection. A good Sherpa Action Plan identifies 3 factors over 3 ministry seasons for the coming year.
The 3 factors are:
Process-what new program, place or process do you want to create to help your guests connect?
People-what new people do you need to add to your team for that program to be outstanding?
Paper-what job-descriptions, procedures and qualifications need to be documented to resources this effort?
You then need to place all 3 of the above factors in each of the 3 ministry seasons coming up next year:
The Post-Christmas/Pre-Easter season (JAN-MAR)
The Post-Easter/Pre-Fall Kick-off season (APR-AUG)
The Fall Kick-off/Pre-Christmas season (SEPT-DEC)
When you add just one new church-wide process or improvement per season, you will have the time to implement it well, and do it with a shared vision, energy and ownership. It also will allow you to capitalize on the 3 "bumps" in attendance where new guests will be present for Christmas, Easter and at when kids go back to school in Fall.
With Easter around the corner, look to these 3 ministry seasons in 2019 as windows to add another component of a singular unified assimilation strategy in place...and watch the health begin, the church grow, and the silos fall!
If you want to find out different ways I can help you apply these 3 cures while envisioning your staff to consolidate their energies into a unified assimilation strategy, inquire here. Or take your staff/team thru my online course.
Use the questions below to find and redirect the energy on your staff toward a new and improved strategy for connecting these guests.
"There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all." 1 Corinthians 12:6 (KJV)
Which of the 3 cures do you need to apply the most? What do you think would happen first in your church if you did? What might things look like long-term in your church if you did?
Do you and your team have energy to devote to that cure? If so, how much? If not, why not? What 3 decisions could you make to divert energy to applying that cure?
What is the biggest obstacle between where you are at and applying that cure? How could you remove, go over, or around that obstacle?
