6-Point Checklist for Leading Teams with Excellence

Church Life, Operations, People

Teams are essential to be an effective growing church. Whatever you call them (Serve Teams, Dream Team, etc), churches that develop teams understand that people need places to be a part of the mission. God never intended for the church to be a place where a small handful of people do all the work and everybody else is simply coming in as consumers. People WANT to get their hands dirty and be involved.

But as you’re developing this “team-culture”, obviously there are difficulties along the way. One of the obstacles is simply making sure Team Leaders understand what they’re supposed to be doing, and that they’re in-sync with the vision of the house.

Make no mistake about it.

“When the Leader gets better everything gets better.”

You need to understand that your role as a leader of a church, group, or team is like a Two-Sided Coin.

  • On one side, you LEAD PEOPLE.
  • On the other side, you MANAGE TASKS.

It’s really THAT simple. Lead People & Manage the Tasks.

Even though it’s simple, sometimes it doesn’t seem simple. As a leader, you might wonder, “How do I know if I am winning?”

With that in mind…

Here’s a 6-Point Check List to help bring clarity to the way you Lead People and Manage Tasks as a Team Leader.

1: Protect the Culture

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “Culture Trumps Everything”.

That’s a true statement whether it’s a restaurant, night-club, or a church. The way your church FEELS when people come in makes ALL the difference.

If you get everything “technically right” but it doesn’t FEEL good, people won’t be interested in making it THEIR church. So no matter what, make sure CULTURE is at the top of the priority list.

And here’s a hint on HOW… Core Values, such as “We Value People over Process”, will determine the Culture.

QUESTION: Is the culture the strongest part of your team?

2: On-Board with Excellence

Many times, there’s a gap between people attending and people getting more involved. This gap is where on-boarding is critical.

As leaders, we need to design a clear process for people to join our teams and groups.

Remember this: Clear steps are easier to take. If it’s fuzzy, it will rarely happen.

Question: What is the step-by-step clear process for a new person joining your team?

3: Execute the Task

This simply boils down to having a heart of excellence. As leaders, we understand that EVERYTHING matters.

  • What time does church start?
  • When does your team need to be there?
  • Who needs to turn on the air conditioner?
  • When should the coffee be ready?
  • Is Kid’s Check in set up BEFORE kids show up? : )

Details matter.

Question: Do your team members clearly understand the What, When, Where and Why of their Serve?

4: Build Personal Connections

Like I mentioned above, leading a Team is like a two-sided coin. On one side, the task needs to be done with excellence. But on the other side, we’re leading PEOPLE.

The people on our team or in our group NEED relationships, and your efforts to build personal relationships will be the GLUE that holds your team tight. Why? Because when people feel loved, people love their serve.

Question: Do your members feel like they’re part of a family with purpose, or like they’re showing up for a shift?

5: Always Be Recruiting

God doesn’t intend for you to find a few good people to serve on your team, then coast.

Serving and Connecting are ESSENTIAL pieces for every growing Christian. So, it’s incredibly important that we continue to recruit new people. Sometimes, a personal ASK is all it takes to unlock a brand new season for somebody.

Not only recruiting new people to join your team, but also recruiting existing team members to step-up in their roles. As you identify gifts, pull them higher.

Questions: Are you consistently recruiting new members? Are you focused on elevating your current members?

6: Develop Spiritual Health

At its CORE, being a church leader is about helping people discover God’s plan for their lives.

As people join your team, never forget the importance of helping them take steps spiritually. As you develop a personal relationship with them, you will automatically have influence in their life. Use that influence to push them toward growth.

You don’t have to preach to them every time you see them, but your words might encourage them to get baptized, start serving, start using their gifts, etc.

Question: How are you consistently helping people take spiritual next steps?

As a Team Leader in a local church, you are one of the most important people on EARTH!

  • You give opportunities to people who are eager to get involved.
  • You believe in people when nobody has in a while.
  • You help set the atmosphere for the weekend services.

Take a look through the list above. Think about which area your team could use a tune-up, then go to work on it. The better your team is, the better your church is.

by Ethan Estes
FCA Director, North MS and Staff Pastor at Church of the Crossroads

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