The Ten Sacred Structures for Healthy Ministers and Churches

The objective of my consulting, coaching, training and speaking is to teach “the how” more than “the what.” How to put into place the sacred structures, disciplines, practices and habits that lead to long term personal and organizational health and effectiveness.

To not come in with all the answers but with the right questions and an ability and willingness to listen.

This objective is accomplished by focusing on one or more of The Ten Sacred Structures for Healthy Ministers and Churches:

• Mission – the church’s purpose, values and vision
• Manpower – the church’s staff and volunteers
• Methods – the church’s plans, programs, objectives and strategies
• Money – the church’s budget, funding and financial stewardship
• Movement – the growth, change and development of the church
• Meetings – the congregational, leadership and staff decision making gatherings of the church
• Maximization – the church’s priorities, effectiveness and efficiency
• Measurement – the alignment, goals, accountabilities and scorecard of the church
• Messages – the language and communication of the church
• Might – the leadership and governance of the church

Sacred Mission

Mission, vision, values and distinctives are established and agreed upon

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18

Learn How To:

• Design and implement a process for discerning church mission, vision and values

• Insure that the church’s unique purpose, values and direction are clear and supported

• Use mission, vision and values to change and influence church culture

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Sacred Manpower

People are selected and placed in positions that fit their gifts, passions and callings and that align with the church’s objectives and culture

“Moses father-in-law said to him, the thing you are doing is not good. You will wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.” Exodus 18:17-18

Learn How To:

• Delegate and empower consistently and effectively

• Motivate and influence staff and leaders

• Understand yourself and your people for improved morale and productivity

• Identify and select the right team

• Remove people honorably from jobs and positions

• Establish a fair and equitable performance management system for staff and volunteers

• Evaluate, recognize, reward and compensate staff

• Create a staffing and volunteer model that aligns with mission, vision and objectives

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Sacred Methods

Planning consistently happens in three areas, personal, ministry and organization and on three levels, strategic, tactical and operational

“David concluded, By the Lord’s hand on me, He enabled me to understand everything in writing, all the details of the plan.” 1 Chronicles 28:19

Learn How To:

• Implement the three areas and levels of planning

• Use theology to inform philosophy and philosophy to inform your methodology

• Incorporate spiritual discernment in your planning

• Insure your plan won’t sit on a shelf

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Sacred Money

A culture of stewardship is established and resources are allocated effectively, efficiently and synergistically

“The man who had received five talents brought the other five.” ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ Matthew 5:20

Learn How To:

• Move people up the giving ladder

• Increase trust as a way to increase giving

• Develop and nurture financial leaders

• Develop a variety of channels to fund your mission

• Harness synergy, the difference between normal and maximal productivity resulting from the proper allocation of resources

• Properly consider the principles of sunk costs, trade-offs and cost/risk benefit analysis

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Sacred Measurement

Execution is insured through measuring the right things, aligning each part to the whole, and establishing controls and reporting systems

“When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all they had done. Luke 9:10

Learn How To:

• Implement the Heisenberg Principle – you get what you inspect, not what you expect

• Use enabling control systems, measurements and feedback to insure progress

• Create organizational, ministry and personal alignment

• Set SMART Goals

• Determine the right measurements for your scorecard

• Create a Ministry Dashboard for tracking key metrics

• Appreciate the relationship of documentation to progress

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Sacred Messages

Culture is intentionally shaped as the right messages are consistently and clearly communicated to the staff, church leaders and membership

“Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” 1 Corinthians 14:40

Learn How To:

• Build and influence culture through messaging

• Connect both the heart and the head to the church’s mission and vision

• Establish a common language

• Organize oral and written messages

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Sacred Movement

A culture of constant personal and corporate growth and improvement is enabled through effective change management, self-development and a leadership pipeline

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10

Learn How To:

• Minimize the impact of change on individuals and organizations

• Establish an attitude and expectation of constant improvement

• Create a culture of self-development

• Elevate the value of Soul Care in your culture

• Develop a leadership pipeline

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Sacred Maximization

The church and its ministers and ministries operate at optimal levels of effectiveness and efficiency

“Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Learn How To:

• Prioritize effectiveness over efficiency

• Establish a system for prioritization and time management

• Avoid mission creep, where good becomes the enemy of great

• Understand the time saving formula of accomplishing more by doing less

• Value problem avoidance and how it contributes to effectiveness and efficiency

• Keep the main thing the main thing and avoid the trap of majoring on minors

• Appreciate and apply the 80/20 rule

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Sacred Meetings

Meetings are purposeful, planned, structured and facilitated to add value to participants and provide maximum impact to the organization

“Without consultation plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22

Learn How To:

• Avoid the root causes of bad church business, committee and staff meetings

• Plan and lead masterful church business, committee and staff meetings

• Facilitate meetings that ask the right questions and arrive at the right answers

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Sacred Might

Organizational, personal and positional influence sources are appropriately used to make decisions and influence people

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Zachariah 4:6

Learn How To:

• Understand the sources of real power and influence

• Lead with organizational sources of influence rather than just personal and positional sources

• Incorporate proven principles of decision making and problem solving

• Establish an effective, efficient and biblical governance structure

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