I want to start with a quick, honest question.
Have you ever jumped in and handled something in ministry because it was just faster?
You knew how to do it. You knew it would get done right. And honestly, it felt easier than trying to walk someone else through it.
I’ve done that more times than I can count.
And in the moment, it works. Things get done. Problems get solved. But afterward, there’s this quiet realization: That should not have depended on me.
Not because I don’t care. But because if everything depends on me, we’re not building ministry, we’re limiting it.
And I think if we’re honest, this is one of the biggest tensions we all feel as staff. We want things done well. But we’re also called to build people. And sometimes those two things feel like they’re competing.
Now, here’s where this really matters.
In Bible, Ephesians 4:11–12, we’re given a clear picture of what our role actually is.
Not just as pastors, but as leaders.It says, Christ gave leaders to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. That means our primary job is not to do all the ministry. It’s to equip people to do the ministry.
So if that’s true, then we have to ask a harder question:
What does success actually look like for us?
Because if success is just “things getting done,” then the easiest way to succeed is to do everything ourselves.
But that’s not the calling. So here’s the shift we’re making as a staff. We’re redefining how we measure success.Your success is not measured simply by what you do, but by what gets done through the people you develop.
That’s a different scoreboard. It means you’re not just responsible for outcomes.
You’re responsible for people. It means you’re not the hero of the story. You’re the one raising up others who step into it.
And this is exactly why, before we rollout our new leadership pipeline plan we are proactively updating our job description format, to better help you to clearly see and know the areas that you must own yourself and those that you can develop and delegate to others.
Not to create more structure for the sake of structure, but to help us actually lead as a developer. (See new template for reference.)
Let me highlight a few of aspects you will notice. First, every role now starts with a success statement, because we want clarity on what winning actually looks like.
Second, we are KEEPING our essential Hedgehog Concept. This, as we know is a simple way of saying: What is the one thing that matters most in your role? Because if everything is important, nothing is. Clarity here protects your focus and your energy.
Third, we are defining Irreducible Minimums.
These are the things you must personally own. But here’s why that matters: Everything outside of that should force you to ask the question, Who can I develop to take this?
That’s where the development of others begins. The final important section will list what you CAN delegate to others. This may be the biggest shift. Some of your responsibilities are no longer things you do. They are things you are responsible to see done through others.
That means raising up leaders, letting go of control, and trusting people with real ownership. And yes, that can feel slower at first. But it’s how ministry actually multiplies.
So when you look at this new template, don’t just read it as a document. Read it as a leadership tool.
This is meant to help you focus on what matters most, let go of what doesn’t need to depend on you, and intentionally build people who carry the mission forward.
Let me leave you with this.
If our ministries grow, but our people don’t, we’ve missed it.
But if our people grow, ministry will always grow with them. That’s the kind of church we’re called to build. And this shift is one step in that direction.
Discussion Questions:
- What questions do you have about this new format?
- With this in place, what exciting changes do you anticipate seeing within your department a year from now?
Leave a Reply