The Spiritual Dimension of Church Staff Meetings

Many ministers falter or burn out because they do not attend to their personal spiritual health. The justification for failing to invest in one’s spiritual life is often, “I am just too busy.” The same is true for the church staff. They are so busy doing good things that they may not spend time encouraging each other as disciples and facilitating each other’s spiritual growth.

Sam Rainer dealt with this in a recent article on “4 ‘Must-Haves’ for Weekly Staff Meetings.” Here are some of the things he suggested and some additional ideas.

First, prayer is essential. Many churches collect prayer requests during weekend worship, then the staff prays about them during the weekly staff meetings. The staff should also pray for each other, other needs of congregational members, and the challenges of the ministry.

Second, sharing of scripture keeps everyone on track. The pastor might share the scripture for the coming weekend’s services. If the lectionary is used, a particular scripture for the day of the staff meeting can be read by a participant.

Third, both ministry successes and challenges of the previous week can be shared and made the subject of prayer by the staff. Celebration and support help build a team spirit.

Fourth, personal concerns should also be presented and committed to God in prayer. This is most effective when staff ministers really care about each other.

Fifth, prayer can provide a bond among staff members in the setting of a weekly meeting, but more in-depth sharing and encouragement can only take place in a longer setting. Weekly staff meetings should be augmented by one day meetings each month and an overnight retreat at least once a year. These extended sessions provide more opportunity for staff members to know each other and be aware of how to encourage one another.

Let’s not be so busy that we neglect to include the spiritual in our meetings.

https://www.visionroom.com/4-must-haves-weekly-staff-meetings/

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