4 Keys to Changing Your Church Culture in 2013
Whether it’s a business, a nonprofit organization, or a church, I am sure you have walked into a building and noticed either a level of excitement from those inside or a sense of doom! The energy which emanates from culture cannot be faked. It’s similar to the intent which stems from a persons heart. God has wired us in a way that it is very difficult to project an intent which is different than what is in our heart. Culture works the same. If people are operating in a toxic culture, they cannot easily project an attitude of joy and excitement. Anyone who regularly flies on United Airlines (and many others for that matter) can attest to this!
If you think your church culture could use some improving, here are four things to consider in 2013.
- Start with your staff.
Perhaps your church has had trouble getting the right people in the right roles. Maybe some do not share the overall vision. Maybe morale has been low or your middle school minister and high school minister don’t get along. The church’s culture will only evolve when the staff culture changes. Get your staff right so the rest of church life can follow suit. - Study up on leadership.
Morale rises and falls on leadership. How can you change your shepherding approach to help improve commitment, trust, and motivation? Start by reading resources on the topic. Both Leadership Is an Art and Leadership and Self-Deception are great first steps. - Focus on people.
Empower your staff, lay leadership, and volunteers to take ownership of the ministries they are involved in and approach leadership with fresh ideas. Encourage your team to be intentional with the relationships that are forged through ministry. Just as they show the church and local community that each individual is valued, your leadership team needs to express to volunteers how much they are treasured. - Commit to authenticity.
Inspire authenticity within your staff by practicing authentic leadership. Do you give your staff the opportunity to provide feedback each week? If you model transparency and vulnerability, they will too.
Have you seen radical change in your church’s culture over the past year? What was the catalyst?
Read more from Steve here.
Tags: Leadership, Serve, Staff, Steve Caton
