So in the last post were talking about a team that delegates and recruits correctly.  In this post, let’s chat about another aspect of the power of the team.

Relationships!  This is huge and for me going into a new position is one of my top priorities. There are many levels of relationships on a team, aka the church.As a new children’s pastor to a team, I need to come in and cast a vision that relationship’s are how we will build and support our team so that we stay in good health. When relationships are pushed back for other areas like building renovations, adding new programs, or some flashy campaign, a team will suffer great damage.

I know this personally. While in a former ministry, I was asked to make a room renovation my top priority in my first six months. While I did protest this to my senior pastor, he insisted that is what he wanted and so I submitted. As I expected, the team that so eagerly awaited my arrival, felt abandoned and uncared for. Many quit, some left the church completely.  I knew I had to find a way to stop this and change directions, all the while working on the building.  It wasn’t easy but I did spend a great deal of time talking with volunteers and apologizing for my error. I worked hard to cast a new vision and more importantly, get feedback and dialogue from my team.

It took several years to heal broken relationships. Some still never healed and I lost teammates.

Going into this new ministry, I’ve already made it clear that I will spend a great deal of time just building relationships. I won’t do renovations, I won’t spend time creating new programs. I will love on the team, God has given me. I will ask lots of questions and listen. I will find out what is working and what is not working. I will find out where my team is with their relationship with Jesus, and find out ways that I can express my appreciation for them.

I want my team to then take this passion for relationship and love the kids that come into our ministry. I want them to love the parents who bring their children into our ministry.  I want them to love each other as teammates!  I value relationships over what a person can or can’t do for my team.

The power of a team is maximized when relationships are valued!

 

How do you help your team value relationships?