A New Model for Church-Staffing

I feel compelled to address an attitude or issue that may be holding the local church back from reaching our communities. In part, it is a structure vs. culture problem. Answer this question:

“Does your church ignore or reject the gig economy?”

The traditional structure of church staffing typically involves seeking full-time employees. We would lean toward those who have already received extensive biblical training and education. There would be significant costs in both time and money, finding the right candidate and relocating them and their family to our location.

Then, on top of their salaries, there’s often a retirement and benefits package. Sometimes, this structure works well. I repeat, sometimes this structure works well, and your church may benefit greatly from the service of a full-time pastoral or ministry employee.

Risks of Traditional Staffing

There’s a high cost in this structure that doesn’t unveil itself until the new associate arrives. The senior pastor or search committee has taken some risks:

• The new employee may not fully align with the mission and vision.
• The employee may have been given ‘filler’ responsibilities where they’re not gifted.
• There are potential conflicts based on personalities, values, or leadership styles.
• There can be a spouse and children who dislike the new location and/or the congregation.
• There’s biblical knowledge, but potentially a lack of necessary technical or social skills.

Soon enough, the Lead or Senior Pastor has that sinking feeling that although this employee loves Jesus and knows their Bible, they’re just not the right fit. They either put up with it or start finding a way to let them go.

Truth be told, many lead and senior pastors go through multiple associates and administrators. If the employee doesn’t work out, there’s a huge cost to remove the candidate and re-hire, not to mention the massive emotional cost on staff, leadership, and the congregation as a whole. These types of situations are extremely prevalent, especially in small to mid-sized churches.

Embrace the Gig Economy

There’s a better way if pastors are willing to pay attention to the rise of the gig economy in our culture. If pastors start looking in their congregations, they’ll find people who are skilled in many unique areas.

It’s common for people to be interested in part-time side gigs that fulfill a greater value or purpose. They’re not going to quit their full-time careers that pay the bills, but they want a more meaningful component to their career, and the church can provide that opportunity.

You have people in your congregation who are sold out for Jesus and the mission and vision of your church. The biblical education component is increasingly available through online and distance ed courses and programs. If they have the Holy Spirit and the technical and tangible skills, they can be trained in the Bible.

This is assuming, of course, that a foundation of discipleship has been laid under your preaching, teaching, and leadership.

The Success of Part-Time Staffing

As you can imagine, all of the risks that I outlined are amplified when leading a church in a northern culture like the Yukon, where I serve and lead. There’s a tiny pool of people who would have all the components needed to be in full-time ministry here in Whitehorse.

Little by little, we have moved completely to a part-time staffing structure, apart from my role. I am very comfortable seeking out amazing people within our congregation (and community) for 5, 10, or 20 hours of work per week. We start with a three-month contract and then move to annual contracts if the ‘church gig’ is working for them.

I have experienced great success with this structure! They’re not dependent on their ministry work to pay the bills. They’re already sold out to our church mission and vision. They already know my personality and leadership style. And our relationship has been established previously.

Character Over Credentials

Credentials are often the first marker for churches looking for staff, but they should be the last. (Yes, I said last, but I didn’t say never.) Biblical education is available through a variety of online resources, including distance ed programs through seminaries. Use these resources to create discipleship options through mentorship, internship, and apprenticeship programs.

Bottom line: we should be concerned with character and calling, which you don’t need a master’s degree for. If you’re interested in taking a deep dive into this concept, click the image below to get a copy of my ebook, Finding Church Staff for a couple of bucks.

Building a Dedicated Ministry Team

In this structure, even a small church can build a dedicated ministry team that can boost leadership morale and capacity for the local church, while increasing Gospel outcomes in the community.

A surprising hidden benefit is that sometimes the “employee” doesn’t need payment, although they function and interact on the team like everyone else, both in respect and expectation.

• They want the church gig, but they’re not concerned with the money.
• They’re volunteer leaders, but they’re treated just like employees.
• They don’t receive a paycheck, but they receive a title, email address, and business cards.

In this structure, even a small church can build a dedicated ministry team that can boost pastoral morale and capacity while increasing Gospel outcomes in the community.