On Longer-Term Staff Relationships
Dan Holloway, Pinnacle Associate
This past weekend I spoke at a retirement event for a longtime colleague in ministry with whom I was privileged to serve for nearly twenty-three years. As I prepared for that opportunity, I found myself realizing how rare it is to have such an experience. To share such a long-term journey with a partner in ministry is less and less common these days. While there are some notable exceptions, the trend in most denominations is toward shorter terms of service and it is increasingly rare to share our ministry journey with the same ministry partners for more than a few years.
No doubt there are many reasons for this trend, from increasing levels of conflict in faith communities to contextual changes that require new and different forms of leadership. Likewise, there are times when longer-term relationships are neither possible nor wise. I think of interim ministry, for example, which is often effective because it is both short-term and focused on a particular set of tasks. And it should also be recognized that different faith traditions have differing systems in place when it comes to clergy placement which also impacts the length of working relationships. Yet whenever possible, I am a proponent of longer-term relationships and believe there are unique gifts and opportunities to be found in such relationships.
1. Longer-term relationships allow for more depth in our human relationships and more understanding of the unique gifts that our colleagues in ministry bring to the table. It takes time to get to know the people with whom we work but the benefits of such knowledge are enormous. We come to understand both their strengths and weaknesses as they do ours and that allows for assignments of duty that both reflect our giftedness as a team and the needs of the organization being served.
2. Longer-term relationships make the building of trust more likely. Studies indicate that it often takes four to seven years to establish the deepest levels of trust with a majority of folks within a congregational system. This is especially true in faith communities that have experienced significant conflict. While time itself is no guarantee of increased trust, it does seem to improve the possibility where other necessary factors are also in place.
3. Longer-term relationships allow for more stability in the life of a congregation. When there is constant turnover in leadership, the odds of folks leaving the congregation increase significantly. Similarly, there is a greater likelihood of disagreement among the members when there is a regular change in leadership. Stability is a gift, assuming the leadership in place is doing the job they were called to do in a positive and consistent fashion and is likewise continuing to learn and grow.
4. Longer-term relationships allow for a longer-term view of the work of the gospel. In the heat of the moment, many bad decisions have been made that might have been avoided had folks stepped back and considered more carefully the big picture of their work. Not every battle needs to be fought. Not every issue needs to become central to congregational ministry. While there clearly are some issues that need to be engaged for the sake of the congregation’s mission and faithfulness to the gospel, wise leaders use their experience to learn which are truly crucial and which are not.
This is not to suggest that change is never appropriate in leadership teams. Change in leadership is sometimes best for all concerned. Indeed, I acknowledge that I have on a couple of occasions encouraged church colleagues to consider the possibility of service elsewhere. And four times in my career, I left one church to move to another one. So I fully recognize that good ministry can be done whether a person serves in a particular place for one year or for thirty. Yet today I want to give thanks for the gift of longer-term relationships and want to celebrate the particular benefits they bring to the work of the kingdom.
Dan can be reached at rdholloway65@gmail.com.