I want to begin this by saying, "My Pastor generally does "NOT" do these things".
When I was an intern, the Pastor I worked with told me to keep two files in your drawer that had nothing to do with the things that are general working files. One file was for "Thank You" notes. I keep that file in the back of my drawer right in front of my file of comic books. If I have a bad day or ever think that I am doing a poor job or feel like I am not getting through, then I go to that file. It makes my day to see parent's and kid's notes. To me, that file is priceless. The greatest pick me up and inspiration I could possibly have is in that file because it reminds me of what God has done through the ministry I have done. The second file I keep is a file of things I would never do as a Senior Pastor (or at least I would hope I would never do). These are things that may deal with staff relations, leadership style, sermon types, etc. I was talking with a couple of other Kid's pastors and other guys and felt inspired to share some of my big time never do's. I want to add, I have no plans of ever becoming a "Grown Up" Pastor. It is just not something God has ever given me the desire to do.
Associate Pastors Can Not Save A Situation
Don't hire staff as a "Hail Mary Pass". If you are Pastoring a church in any situation, It rises and falls with God first but leadership will always affect the situation. I don't believe God has called every church to become a mega church. I do believe God has called every church to be a healthy church where people are getting saved regularly. I do believe God has called every church to be doing something of purpose. If your church is struggling to grow, don't put stress on it by hiring extra staff to see if that can get you out of a slump. Hiring staff can seem like a great way to excite people and spread the load of responsibility. It can also add stress to an already stressful situation. It is kind of like a family I knew once that couldn't pay their bills, neither of the parents worked because of disabilities, and yet they still kept popping kids out like no bodies business. They couldn't feed the ones they had but they just kept having kids.
Most likely if you are struggling you are stressed and that probably isn't the greatest environment for any young pastor. Let's be honest if that is your situation, you are hiring a young guy. You are not going to be able and find an established associate that knows how to ask questions and what to look for in a healthy situation. Young pastors need to be in situations where they can get wins. If their salary is strapping their budget (what budget? in most cases) they will be worried about so many other things mainly surviving than getting wins.
Hire staff because your church is ready for it. You have easy wins for them to come into. It is hard enough starting at a new church. It is hard enough creating ministry in a new church. Hire someone because God has blessed your church, and you are ready to enable them to do a great job.
Forced Praise is as good as False Praise
A pastor, I once worked for, would ask everyone periodically to share a good thing about different staff members during staff meetings. It was always awkward. We would go around the table and people would be searching for things to say. Some people, you really wanted to say, "Um that person can suck it". Most of the time, you could come up with something. Even if it was something like, "he wears deodorant". Like any office, even churches with staffs their is usually someone people just tolerate. I am sure I have been that guy before. You don't want to be told, "hey say something nice about them". Generally, you come away thankful but you can also come away asking the question, "What did they mean by that?"
Praise was meant to be spontaneous. It was meant to be genuine. If you create an environment of praise as a leader, you don't have to force it. If you have good things happening, you don't have to force praise in a meeting. Send notes, give pats on the back in public and in private, and call people in your office to tell them, "good job". Those are things that create an environment that is positive. If you only talk to your staff when things are business or bad then you create a workplace that isn't healthy. You want guys that lift each other up, lift your staff up.
America Is "Not" in the Bible
This isn't a staff issue as much as it is a preaching issue. I sit through about 10-15 minutes of my pastor's sermon each week during first service. As a kid's pastor, I have to create opportunities to get fed. It is definitely one of the "cons" of the job. I listen to lots of different preachers through podcasts and different means. I have heard sermons about many different topics. I have decided interpreting the Bible is not the easiest thing in the world. Even with tons of different concordances, commentaries, research, study Bibles, and books you can still screw it up. It is why education is so important. Everyone, America is "NOT" in the Bible. We are not Israel in the old testament. We are not found in the book of Revelation. We are not even in the apocrypha. I hoped to find Texas, but it was missing in there too. I might be able to claim Texas as Eden but the angels did not keep us out.
Please don't preach that America is God's chosen people. At this point, the church is God's chosen people. If you have asked Jesus into your heart, you are found in God's covenant. Scriptures given to the Hebrews were for certain situations. You need to take the time and figure out what those situations were about. You can not cherry pick them and create a new meaning for the scripture because we are in America. Likewise, to say anything that is prophetical and you know for sure it is talking about the good old USofA you are mistaken. God had a promise to keep with Abraham. He doesn't have that with our country. We can use those scriptures for application but make sure you take the time to understand the situation it is written for. I want God to bless our country and I support our country but I also want the Bible interpreted correctly and not so someone can get a few "amens" on a Sunday morning.
I have a whole list of other things. I don't know why I felt the need to share these today other than talking with some guys and felt they were appropriate for the time.
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