Return to Table of Contents

Managing the Church Office: An Ever-Changing Challenge

By Shirley J. Good

It is a high calling to be a pastor and a leader, but it is also imperative that pastors become effective office managers.

When most pastors said yes to the call of God to ministry, they were probably not thinking about managing the church office. They saw themselves behind the pulpit preaching the gospel, baptizing people, and making disciples. But trying to dig their way out of paperwork was never part of their dreams.

Bible college students preparing for ministry are required to study the attributes of God. They learn that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. He is holy, just, and faithful. Students are encouraged to pursue godliness, to follow His example, and to allow the Holy Spirit to develop similar characteristics in their lives. There are, however, a few of His virtues that are rarely taught and seldom discussed in the classroom. Here are a few of these traits: God is efficient, He is organized, and He keeps excellent records. Thus, He is an excellent example for pastors of how to manage a church office. For instance, He plans for the future and communicates His plans to everyone involved well in advance. He observes adherence to prescribed policies and procedures. The planets of His solar system rotate on course in their proper places. The tide comes in and goes out on schedule. The sun rises and sets at specified times. Scripture, science, and historical record prove that God does not waste time or resources; His work has always been carried out efficiently.

Developing Managerial Gifts

Most church staff members, pastors in particular, find that the process of becoming godly by developing managerial gifts is a lifelong challenge. There are certain temperaments that find efficiency and organization easier than others, but that does not excuse the rest from following God’s pattern. How does one go about acquiring help in this area?

Recognize that effective church administration is a spiritual goal.

When our lives and ministry reflect peace and order, it is easier for a world in chaos to see the Prince of Peace. Humbly admitting deficiencies and past failures to the Lord and our coworkers is another step forward. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Ask for God’s help and direction.

He knows where to find support staff gifted in administration who can assist in the work of the ministry. It is a high calling to be a pastor and a leader, but it is also imperative that pastors become effective office managers. Office administration training or previous work experience has equipped some pastors to function effectively in today’s church office, but only a few have been taught logistics.

Pastors can learn the basic logistics of organization by reading books on management, taking a management class at a local college, or by listening to tapes on management. Don’t expect a computer or a calendar (electronic or otherwise) to get you organized; these are simply tools to assist you in organization. When you give an account to the Lord of your use of time, money, resources, and people, will it be a report of godliness in action or one of confusion, frustration, and waste?

Many aspects of the church office are radically different from what they were just a few years ago. No longer is the church office just a place to store lost Bibles and Sunday School material. It is now a fast-paced, business-oriented, bustling place. How does a pastor handle all the details of church office management?

The following gives a thumbnail view of some of the necessary components involved in church office management:

1. People skills.
2. Communication.
3. Acquiring and discipling staff.
4. Processing paperwork.
5. Policies and procedures.
6. Office setup and layout.
7. Technology and church office equipment.

People Skills

Developing the ability to effectively read and understand people enables the pastor to accomplish more ministry in less time and with less effort. Becoming an astute student of people will help pastors move people toward solutions—whether that means prayer, benevolence, information, conflict resolution, material supplies, or an appointment for counseling. The ability to triage people with speed, wisdom, and kindness can be learned, but it doesn’t come automatically with the call to ministry.

Understanding Personality Traits

Learning basic temperament traits will help pastors understand why certain individuals respond the way they do. There are four basic categories and each one has natural strengths and common weaknesses. Each temperament has a definite drive or compulsion that predisposes that person toward certain activities. A sanguine will participate quicker if the activity is fun. The choleric will be delighted to be in charge and may take charge even when not appointed to lead. A melancholy needs to have things in order and done by the book. Phlegmatics like peace and will get involved if there isn’t turmoil.

Each temperament has specific emotional needs. The sanguine needs approval from others and attention for himself. The choleric needs achievement for himself and appreciation from others. The melancholy needs order for herself and sensitivity from others. Phlegmatics need respect from others and a personal sense of self-worth. When those emotional needs are not being adequately met, the negative traits or weaknesses of that particular temperament will likely be expressed. When selecting individuals to fill ministry positions, knowing how the applicant is wired temperamentally will be a valuable asset.

Sanguine individuals are friendly and talkative. They make wonderful ushers, greeters, and receptionists. They delight children and never meet a stranger. Cholerics are leaders by nature; put them in charge of projects or groups of people. Melancholies prefer behind-the-scenes work and are great with remembering details and keeping accurate records. Phlegmatics are quiet and easygoing. They never make waves.

Understanding Work Styles

There are two general work styles that need to be understood to further develop your people skills. One is not better than the other; they are just different. Individuals with a monochronic work style are linear in their work processes. They function best when they work on one project at a time and bring it to completion, or at least to a clearly defined stopping place before addressing a new task. Polychronic individuals can have many plates spinning at the same time and can easily switch between projects at any given time without feeling frustrated. It is imperative that such differences are considered when filling office staff positions. When hiring for an office manager position, search for a polychronic person who won’t be shaken when pulled in many directions. Monochronic people make excellent bookkeepers because they respect the sequential aspects of accounting. They are more methodical and focused on necessary steps.

Communication

If you took a survey of church office staff members and asked them what their greatest frustration is, the most common answer would be lack of communication. Although we think we are communicating, becoming a good communicator takes time and effort. No one is born a good communicator. Communication is a skill to be learned and improved on with focused and determined practice. Clear, concise, and consistent communication to staff members has a positive effect on staff morale. Here are some important areas the senior pastor needs to communicate with his office staff.

Communicate plans, vision, and expectations.

It is crucial that the senior pastor communicate his plans, vision, and expectations to his staff. Don’t expect them to be mind readers. When staff members are left in the dark about events, decisions, or even the pastors whereabouts, they become frustrated and angry. As a result, productivity and ministry suffer. Keeping staff updated and apprised of important details enables them to make wise decisions, respond accurately to inquiries, and appear competent to your congregation and community. When staff members lack pertinent information, efficiency is lost and a negative impression will be cast on individuals, the church, and its leadership.

Communicate personal preferences.

The senior pastor needs to communicate how he wants information given to him. Does he want it verbally, in writing, or via e-mail? Often staff members follow one procedure, and then a new pastor comes who wants information processed in a different format. Tell them in words; don’t expect staff to know your desires. Most pastors know what they want their people to do, but they may fail to tell their staff in a way they understand.

Communicate how you want your secretary to handle calls from your spouse or family members.

Should the secretary interrupt a counseling session with a call from your spouse or first tell your spouse that you are in counseling, giving the spouse the option of whether or not to interrupt.

Communicate your schedule.

When you leave the church building, does your secretary know when you will be returning and how to contact you in the event of an emergency? When your plans change, do you update her on your anticipated return? When individuals call and ask when you will be back in the office, your secretary feels stupid and embarrassed if she has to admit she has no clue. When repeatedly placed in such awkward circumstances, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to be loyal to you as a boss. She deeply desires to be a quality representative of you and the church, but without your faithful communication, she’ll fail in her goal and both of you will tarnish your public image.

Communicate staff-behavioral issues.

Give constructive observations to staff members on a regular basis. In the book, The One Minute Manager, coauthor Ken Blanchard encourages bosses to regularly give 1-minute praises and 1-minute reprimands. He offers the following suggestions to help people reach their full potential:

1. Tell people up front that you are going to let them know how they are doing.
2. Praise people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did right—be specific.
4. Tell people how good you feel about what they did right, and how it helps the organization and the other people who work there.
5. Stop for a moment of silence to let them feel how good you feel.
6. Encourage them to do more of the same.
7. Shake hands or touch people in a way that makes it clear that you support their success in the organization.

Blanchard states that his purpose in the 1-minute reprimand is to eliminate the behavior and keep the person. He recommends that you get to the individual as soon as you observe the misbehavior or are tipped off in some way regarding the action or attitude. Pastors will do well to keep in mind that they are to shepherd the flock and make disciples—even of those individuals who are on the church payroll. As Blanchard says, "It is very important when you are managing people to remember that behavior and worth are not the same things." He adds, "You will be successful with the 1-minute reprimand when you really care about the welfare of the person you are reprimanding." Being honest and genuine with people works. And it sure beats being inwardly irritated while trying to act like nothing is wrong.

Electronic communication

One of the most common ways people communicate today is through e-mail. While e-mails may be a convenient and effective form of communication, they can also interrupt work and become time consuming. Learning to manage and use e-mail properly can help you communicate more effectively to your staff and others. (See sidebar "E-mail Tips" to learn how to use e-mails more effectively.)

Developing and maintaining effective communication is a major hurdle for nearly every pastor. Learning to express your expectations and frustrations in an appropriate manner so deadlines, instructions, and desires are understood and accepted is an ongoing challenge. When you are unhappy with your staff, tell them, not your spouse. Tell them what you want and what you don’t want. While it may be uncomfortable initially, it will develop better relationships in the long haul.

Acquiring And Discipling Staff

Determining staff needs

Finding the right person to fill office positions can be a dangerous venture. Hire slowly and carefully. Do your homework and be prepared before adding to your staff. Before you even begin thinking about who could fill a position or do a job, determine what the job entails. Establish a written job description that includes what you want the individual to do annually, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily. (For a sample job description for the pastor’s secretary, visit: www.webedelic.com/church/secjobf.htm.) After you have listed the specifics on what the individual is to do, consider what qualifications are needed to accomplish those tasks and write them down as well. A good job description will take some time to develop. Think it through, fine-tune it, and become familiar with the details. Only after you have created a quality job description and prepared your interview questions should you advertise the job position.

Conducting a job interview

Draft a list of questions for the interview, but make sure your questions avoid topics that are deemed discriminatory by federal law. It is critical that you avoid subjects related to the applicant’s race, skin color, origin, marital status, arrest or criminal conviction record, height and weight, debts, or disabilities. All questions should relate strictly to the applicant’s qualifications for the job and the ability to carry out the job description. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a federal agency that issues regulations and enforces labor laws. (See EEOC home page: www.eeoc.gov, and click on the link, "Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination: Q&A.") Churches and religious organizations, though, are permitted to discriminate on the basis of religion.

During the interview you could say to the applicant, "Tell me about yourself," and after he or she answers say, "Tell me more." But you cannot ask, "How old are you?" "Are you married?" "Do you have any children?" "Who takes care of your children when you work?" "Where were you born?" Such questions fall into discrimination categories. If a woman applies for a position and is obviously pregnant, it is not permissible to ask when her baby is due. The reason? Pregnancy discrimination.

Be meticulous and methodical in your interviewing; take notes and move slowly. If you are a married man interviewing a female to serve as your personal secretary, invite your wife to be present during the interview. If she votes no, you also vote no. Don’t violate your spouse’s gut feelings when evaluating applicants of the opposite sex. Many pastors spend more time with their secretary during the week than they do with their wives. Choose carefully.

Check references carefully and prayerfully. Determine in advance that you will hire based on qualification, experience, and character qualities, not on personality. "Nice person" and "efficient person" are often worlds apart. And it’s rarely easy to delete poor choice employees, especially if they are church members.

Managing Office Staff

Once you have selected your staff, the real work begins. Few pastors are totally comfortable wearing the boss hat. They love being pastor, but many of the duties involved in managing the office represent foreign territory. Tom Peters, who cowrote the book In Search of Excellence, tried to identify policies, structures, and procedures that made a company great. Instead, what they found were intangibles like enthusiasm, pride, respect, caring, fun, and love. If those components are present in your office, the atmosphere of your office will be warmer and work will be more enjoyable.

Realize in advance that most of your congregation erroneously believes that you are anointed 24/7. And they often think pastors are born with administrative expertise. It is disconcerting to discover they were wrong. Managing the church office may not come easy to you, but you can learn to do it well.

Ongoing training, developing time-management skills, and keeping abreast of new technology and equipment are time-consuming and sometimes expensive. Such discipleship will also involve learning to set priorities, establishing boundaries, and incorporating methods that diminish stress.

It is common to find it difficult to stay spiritually healthy while employed in a church office. So much time and energy are required for the work of the ministry that the spiritual walk of those consumed in office management details often suffers. Using volunteers can help achieve goals, but doing so without thought and planning may backfire. (See sidebar "Finding and Discipling Quality Volunteers.")

Performing Annual Reviews

Good office managers conduct annual performance reviews. This scares some pastors. The process is not merely an opportune time to express disapproval, but to set goals, offer help, gain insight, improve efficiency, and communicate preferences. Most secretaries look forward to finding out how they are doing; they want to know the boss’s opinion regarding their efforts. (The sidebar, "Why Do Performance Appraisals?" will give you ideas on what to evaluate and how to express it.)

PROCESSING PAPERWORK

Producing and moving written information in a timely manner to facilitate ministry takes practice and skill. Without determined effort, paperwork can bury a pastor and office. Most churches suffer from an information and paperwork overload. How do you conquer it?

Develop an effective filing system.

With or without a secretary, keeping up with paperwork and mail is a common challenge in most church offices. Few people like to file, and there are some common reasons most people dislike this task. When individual file folders are stuffed so full of paper that jamming another sheet into it requires a serious outlay of energy, people will put off filing. Another reason filing is a pain is that people frequently have to strain to figure out where to file it. And when you need to retrieve a document, divine revelation may be required to know where it is located. It is no wonder many individuals think piling is easier than filing. But when your files are established with a logical and practical plan, easy retrieval is possible.

Files are not just a place to stick papers to get them off your desk and out of sight. (Find guidelines to establishing and maintaining a quality filing system in "Your Church Filing System.")

Handle mail effectively.

To quickly and efficiently process mail, establish three folders: one for high priority items—paperwork that is urgent and needs immediate attention; the second for financial items; and the third for low-priority items. The first folder should be handled daily with every item being addressed, delegated, deposited in a file, or disposed of as unnecessary. When mail is opened, the envelopes should be discarded, multiple page documents stapled together, and date-sensitive or response requested items highlighted. If a secretary can process the mail, it saves the pastor a lot of time. Also, all incoming mail should be date stamped. The pastor who establishes a daily routine for handling mail will avoid being bogged down with paperwork.

When considering whether to retain a particular document, ask yourself:

1. Will it prove something that needs to be proven or verified?
2. Will it help me make a wise decision?
3. Will it help me to produce a sermon or an activity in the future?

If the answer to all three questions is no, dispose of it; you probably don’t need it.

Policies And Procedures

Policies, procedures, and written job descriptions are essential. The Bible is full of them and a well-managed church will follow that pattern. In some churches, the pastor establishes many policies on his own, but it is always wise to involve church leadership in developing policies and procedures. This will help them understand why and take ownership of the guidelines.

The size of the church probably has the greatest bearing on how stringent the regulations need to be, but every church will diminish the stress potential if policies and procedures are determined in advance and put into operation. (See sidebar "Church Office Employee Policy Manual." For a sample church office policy manual, go to www.webedelic.com/church/polmanf.htm.)

With the growing use of computers and the Internet in church offices, it is imperative that churches develop information system policies. Doing so can prevent or curtail misuse of church equipment by employees and help maintain the church’s and its employee’s integrity. According to Nick Nicholaou of Ministry Business Services, "In ministry we trust each other. The world of computing is changing, though, and many ministries are looking for resources to help them keep up with the changing legal issues that accompany providing computers for staff use." Ministry Business Services has put together a recommended and editable set of policies and procedures to help keep your ministry current in light of new laws impacting computers in the workplace. They also include policies that help improve computer strategies, and are done with Christian ministry in mind. They are available at www.mbsinc.com. For computer policies and procedures information, see Technology Appendix.

Office Setup And Layout

Office appearance

What does your office look like? Does it contain a clean and neat reception area that communicates that your church cares enough about its visitors to keep its environment pleasant? The office goal should state by appearance the following:

• This is a professional office, not a home.
• Men and women work in this office.
• We care that you’re comfortable.
• We are ruled by the Prince of Peace; clutter and chaos do not belong here.
• This is a joyful place to work.
• We have planned our office decor.

These goals can better be met by avoiding the following:

• Covering the walls with announcements.
• Having notes everywhere, making the staff appear mindless.
• Cluttered desks.
• The look of an office supply store.
• The look of a computer repair shop.
• Crocheted poodle toilet tissue covers and lace doilies.
• Grungy, soiled carpeting.
• Overly busy wall coverings.
• Stacks of magazines and boxes.
• Dead or dying plants.

If you want to create a sharp look in your office, observe the components of a classy hotel lobby. Visit a new bank or business. Look at their walls, windows, and desks. What impressions do you get from their office? Visitors to your office are getting an impression too. Make sure it’s a positive one.

Conclusion

Managing a church office with expertise takes time, energy, determination, and prayer. But it’s part of every pastor’s job description and pertinent to equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.

Shirley J. Good is director of Office Revival, a church-office efficiency consulting service, based in Springfield, Missouri.