Can’t We All Just Get Along?

By Gary L. McIntosh

In the ministry world of the 21st century, some think team-based leadership is a miracle cure for what ails churches. Unfortunately, what at first seems to be a simple paradigm to implement, may become another problem-filled approach to ministry. Most teams function well for a few months, but then experience predictable staff issues that threaten to pull the team apart.

Underlying all problems in team ministry is human nature. Team members are human beings with all the attendant characteristics. Senior pastors often talk about shared leadership, but revert to claiming the sandbox as their own by overcontrolling decision-making. Associate pastors talk about equality of input but refuse to share information with other staff members. Team members talk about the good of the team but end up arguing over who gets the credit for what the team produces.

While numerous problems may be encountered in team ministry, most fall into one of four major categories: motivational, communicational, organizational, and relational.

To read the rest of this article and obtain a downloadable PDF of this issue of Enrichment journal, click here.