Help Your Team Function Well

This article is the first installment of a four-part series that addresses the following four propositions: the members of a ministry team that functions well will (1) share and articulate a common purpose, (2) know how each team member contributes to that purpose, (3) know how they work together, and (4) discuss difficult issues effectively.

Why doesn’t this ministry team function well?” Carla asks herself at the end of the Evangelism Team’s Tuesday meeting. “We do good things in meetings, like sharing what we’re doing. But there’s little synergy. We rarely learn from each other or share resources. And it feels more like we’re a gathering of individuals than a team. Why is that?”

Then Carla thinks about the Discipleship Team she’s on. “That team has synergy. We learn from each other, we focus on the team’s priorities, and we work together. It feels like we’re a real team. Why is that?” Then it hits her. The Discipleship Team has a documented purpose statement; the Evangelism Team does not.

“Why didn’t I notice this before?” she asks herself. “This explains so much. Every member of the Discipleship Team really understands the team’s purpose statement, regularly refers to it in meetings, and uses it to determine which ministry activities to pursue. If you asked a Discipleship Team member what the team does, he or she could readily tell you what the team does and doesn’t do.

“That’s so different from the Evangelism Team. We aren’t clear on our specific purpose, so we talk in general terms—which we then sometimes debate because of the wording. And that gets in the way of getting work done. Because we aren’t clear on our purpose, we aren’t clear on what ministry activities to pursue—so discussions on ministry activities take longer than they should and meetings get bogged down.

“My guess is that if I asked an Evangelism Team member what the team does, I wouldn’t get a clear answer—I know I couldn’t give a good one. Certainly not as coherent an answer as I could give for the Discipleship Team.”

Carla then muses, “If the Evangelism Team had a purpose statement that each member could explain, that would really help us function better. I think we’d make more effective decisions, be better able to capitalize on each other’s strengths, and be a real team. Our meetings would be more focused. We’d have less unhelpful debate and more synergy.

“I think at the next Evangelism Team meeting, I’ll share my thoughts about this. It shouldn’t be too hard to document our purpose statement. If we develop the purpose together, that should help each team member understand it. Once we get a statement, I’ll model using it in meetings. That should help.”

The point?

To help your ministry team function well, ensure your team shares and articulates a common purpose.

What about you?

1. What’s one ministry team you are on?

2. What’s satisfying/unsatisfying about that team?

3. To what extent do team members share and articulate a common purpose?

4. To what extent do you want them to?

5. What will you do?