Pastoring a Team

Pastoring a Team

Matt Stinton & Paul McClure

Matt opened the session by outlining what would be discussed.

Pastoring a team
· Very important for the health of your team
· Keep in mind the five-fold ministry (discussed in the previous class)
 - Honoring Different giftings within your team,
 - The pastoral role is important even if you don’t have the gift. If you are not a pastor and you are missing that piece, finding someone who is pastoral and wants to see people grow is very important and a vital part of each community.

Paul tells a story about his ‘small town’ church in North Carolina. He discussed the fact that as a music pastor you wear many ‘hats’ (you act in many different roles) in small church culture but this also happens at larger churches. He talked about how Matt is an excellent pastor but even still it is important for everyone on Matt’s team to adopt some pastoral qualities.

Being a pastor is getting a heart for your team.
- Call out the gold in people and consistently check your teams’ health
- Managing and overseeing ‘creatives’ can be very difficult
- Creative people can tend to be more sensitive. There are always ups and downs and it is important to regularly check the pulse of your team.

Paul begins to talk about his relationship with Matt at Bethel music and in the roles, they both possess in their team:
“I’ve learned a lot from Matt, he has taught me so much about believing the best about people and assuming their motives are pure. A lot of times in pastoring people, we can have conflict and we build a case against a person and we argue in our heads, but Matt has taught me a lot about avoiding bad communication by avoiding poor communication. Assume the best. It helps to avoid negativity.”

Matt then quotes Bill Johnson:
 “You can never know someone’s heart and you can never jump to conclusions.”

Matt talks about his passion for strong communication:
“I am a communication junkie, I feel bad for people because I love to be understood and understand. Communication puts a value on the other person. We are setting aside time to understand each other. Positive and negative conversations can show you value the individual. Most things only become problems when they get ignored. Problems don’t just go away from ignoring the issue. It can devalue the individuals involved. Problems always get worse when they don’t get addressed."

We don’t communicate and we ignore situations because we are afraid. (Paul)
 - A lot of times we create this big scary thing in our minds about a situation and in the end, the issue really isn’t as big as we thought.
 - We can isolate ourselves through closed doors. Open the doors of communication!
 - As leaders, go after stuff. If you feel like it’s a small problem now talk through it before it gets big.

In communication always ask questions don’t make accusations (Matt)

- Matt tells a story about when he first got hired at his position and he didn’t realize that he was actually supposed to lead a meeting he was attending concerning an issue with an individual.
- “I voiced concerns in a way that was accusatory instead of in a way that sought to understand the situation. Understanding is slightly more important because you want people to have a voice.”

As a younger leader, your heart posture can be to prove that you know a lot. Later on, you move towards not always being right but to better the lives of the people around you. (Paul)

Approach communication with a heart of humility... Don’t try to win.
· Try to understand. That is a healthy team.
· Communication is an opportunity to pour into people’s lives. Have a humble heart and serve.

Good communication will prevent wounds and heal them (Matt)
- People can get really hurt by poor communication.
- When you communicate well you can prevent wounds and you show the person communication doesn’t have to be scary. We set examples as leaders.

It is liberating to be under leadership that wants the best! (Paul)

I love the communication that causes people to leave feeling empowered.
- Let’s go somewhere together!
- Lead/go with a group of people!
- Bill Johnson never domineers people, they are loving people well guiding and shepherding them.
- Get rid of the unneeded mess!

What are some difficult things we have to do as leaders handling?
· Misbehavior
· How to let people go from your team.

In all things being led by the Spirit is so important Just because it makes sense to you (in handling a situation) the Lord may have a different approach and opinion.

Misbehavior:
- Seek to understand where the person is coming from is the first step.
- Let them explain
- Every misbehavior has pain behind it. Wounded people wound people
- Finding out where someone is coming from can help you know where their heart is
- Getting training in counseling is a great tool.
- Even personally getting counseling can feel like a shameful thing but in reality, it can really help us
- Don’t go in and lay the law down, ask questions.
- Shepherd and pastor
- There are times where people do need discipline but tread that ground well.

The goal should be restoration! (Matt)
- We are made in his image and we should want to see people restored.
- Some people need professional help before we can allow for positions.
- The type of misbehavior really dictates the level of discipline.
- Having someone to bounce ideas by is super important. The best leader in the world doesn’t know everything.

Don’t be afraid to require things of people
- Lead in such a way that you are so gracious and humble that when something comes up you can require things

”Here at Bethel, the only time we have taken people off our team is if they don’t want to work on their problems. I can work with you if you have a problem. The only time we aren’t willing is when they aren’t willing to be worked with.”

It’s rare to run into someone who isn’t willing to work.

When people feel loved it is amazing how much people will do.

How to ask people to step down:· Aside from disciplining, when you have that conversation it shouldn’t be the first time they hear about it
- Give people as many opportunities to grow as you can
- For anyone who is not meeting expectation musically, be positive but sit down with them and talk through expectations and ways to grow
- You are alerting the individual, telling them what you would like to see them grown in.
- Follow up.
- If there isn’t enough improvement, you can have a conversation and have them step down. What you have created is a history of relationship and you have shown that you have done everything you can to honor the individual. Showing value to people through good communication is most of it.