We Value Empowering Experts
Part 2: Deploying the Value
In part 1 of empowering experts, we discussed the embracing the value. Embracing the idea of Empowering Experts must come first, but I warn you, that was the easy part! In part 2 we will discuss the deploying the value. As we move forward, the focus remains clear in our sight. As ministers of the Gospel, our responsibility is to share the hope of Jesus to the world. We owe it to our community and to the Lord to ensure that everything we do, we do with excellence.
The hurdle to overcome is found in the tension that some leaders carry. This tension is that some feel, the leader must have all the answers. I’ll discuss this later, but it reminds me of a time when I served as the Associate Pastor for a local church. My job description, or Ministry Description (for all those who renamed it in the church world), stated that I was responsible for all ministry development. That single line on a job description carried a vast amount of responsibility that came with multiple tasks and then layers to those tasks. During this season our church underwent a rebranding which forced a technology face lift. The new logo was the simple part, we hired a designer to help us create the new look. The technology face lift was much more difficult and complex. It didn’t take long before I realized I was WAY over my head.
Here are the steps I used to deploy the value of “Empowering Experts” in a local church setting which, in fact, we still use at NYM today. These simple steps that helped me get things done with excellence, even if or when I didn’t have the skills or knowledge to do them myself.
- Identify your gifts and passions: one conversation I like to have with young leaders is about doing what only you can do. This idea is defined by the role, however, there is more to it than the Job Description. Your own personal gifting and passion also help identify the “what only you can do” functions of your role. Even as pastors, many leaders have different gifts and as a result lead differently and find unique tasks as priorities. My father-in-law’s gifting would be described as a shepherd. He loves people and as a result, feels called to be there for them. We often laugh about how different we are. He loves being there for people in hospitals. Me on the other hand, well, I’ll pray for them. He loves visiting guests and getting to know them. Again, I am just different, I’ll gladly hand write a card to be sent. If he and I had the same role we would identify our “what only you can do” tasks differently. He would go to the hospital while I would send someone. The examples of this go on and on. Identify your gifts and passions and don’t be afraid of them. You need to lead the way God designed you to lead.
- Identify what drains the most time and energy from you: I use the word drain to help illustrate this point. While all of us are responsible for tasks that we don’t enjoy, and from time to time we find ourselves bogged down in those tasks, just because you’re responsible for it, doesn’t mean you have to do it. Responsibility is a tricky word that doesn’t have to equate to time spent finishing a task. It is important, to be honest with yourself and identify the tasks you despise doing. Those items you keep moving down to the bottom of your list. The ones that take more time and energy than they should. Yes, those ones. Write them down. This is where you start “Empowering Experts” in your ministry model. What is amazing about the body of Christ is that we are all different. I know it can sometimes be hard to believe, but that means there are people who really enjoy doing the things you despise doing! In fact, they are gifted and truly relish in them. Make a list and be on the lookout for those who love doing those tasks that drain your time and energy.
- Build your ministry descriptions: There are few things that drive volunteers or staff away like not having the correct tools to finish a job or not knowing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. I have found over the years that there is incredible clarity and focus when you have a ministry description for anyone who is wanting to join the team. It’s about role and responsibility. It’s about knowing what value they bring to the team. It’s about identifying each person’s area of expertise. If I was a lead pastor I would create a team and ministry descriptions for all visitation, including hospital and guests. Why? Because that task drains energy from me, but I know that God has gifted someone, namely my father-in-law, who loves that. I want to be able to recruit intentionally and accurately. This is the key to Empowering Experts. To empower an expert and deploy them for your team, they must enjoy that task and be good at it. A ministry description will give you the clarity you need to deploy this value. I keep these in my mind and sometimes in my pocket. Every conversation, every lunch meeting could potentially reveal an expert that God is putting in front of you.
- Release your team: Quite honestly, this is the step that creates separation from those who “Empower Experts” and those who corral a team. If you are around me much you will often hear me say, “next level!” I believe it is in the releasing of your team when you have fully embraced the value of “Empowering Experts”. This is what allows us to continually rise to the next level and push forward into unchartered waters of excellence and creativity. Our goal is not to bottleneck all decisions and ideas through a handful of directors. On the contrary, we want to release our team to become the leaders that God has gifted them to be and has called them to be. We get excited when one of our teammates has a “next-level” idea. We celebrate when someone on our team takes an initiative or resource to the “next-level.” Why? Because they have brought to the team something that doesn’t exist in anyone else. It’s in that moment when value and purpose are confirmed and the strategy of Empowering Experts reaps its reward.
So there I was, responsible for a technology facelift for a church. A task in which I had zero training and very little skill. It’s when I noticed that I needed a team. While I was responsible for a new website, new internal server, new email structure, new file structure, new security protocols, etc. I knew that if it was going to be done with excellence, I couldn’t be the one who did it. So, I identified what my role would be based on my gifts and passions. I listed what I was unable to do. I created ministry descriptions and I went on the recruiting trail. I spent my Sunday mornings talking to as many people I could. I asked them questions about hobbies, schooling, and their current jobs. God provided 4 people that changed the way we viewed technology in that church. Once I gave them vision and identified the non-negotiables of the task, I released them. What they did with encouragement from me and a little steering along the way exceeded what I could have ever imagined. That’s the way, I feel, it’s supposed to be!