CHURCH WORK TRAINING: BUILDING EFFECTIVE WORKERS / 2

April 30, 2020

CHURCH WORK TRAINING:

Building Effective Workers

ALL THROUGH THE YEAR / 2

Benefits of Training

In the last Blog, Building Effective Workers ALL THROUGH THE YEAR / 1 I mentioned that, “Training is a must-do task that should be conducted on a quarterly or (at least) bi-annual basis.”

The only way your church workers will progressively remain in-the-know of what and what not to do as your congregation grows is by being consistently trained. It was Donald Grey Barnhouse who said, “If I only had three years to serve the Lord, I would spend two of them studying and preparing”. Instead of thinking about the bill, you should count the cost of struggling through the stages of your ministry vision stuck with unprepared, ineffective, negative-attitude workers.

Training increases knowledge and efficiency. John R. W. Stott was noted to have said, “Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality and cut ourselves off from many of the riches of God’s grace. . . . Knowledge is given us to be used, to lead us to higher worship, greater faith, deeper holiness, better service”. Church work is as serious as medical practice or any other area of professional practice - if you don’t learn it, you will flounder at it! If you don’t think so, read Acts 6!

Your LOCAL church needs a Training Policy

Most Pastors whom we ask, “Do you have a Training Policy for your Workers?” give reply like:

“We’re a new church, we need to grow and build the congregation’s size” OR

“I have times I speak to the workers” OR

“Not exactly, but we meet from time to time” OR

“Do you want to come and preach again?” (This one makes me laugh)

Designing a Church Worker’s Training Policy

1) Outline your church’s goals for a time period – 5 new mission outposts by so and so; a bigger children’s church, creation of some new units, etc, by so and so time…

2) Outline the type and level of manpower you will require through the stages you can identify, project or in time belts (5 years, 10 years, etc). This will show the skills and proficiencies required. For example: 5 new mission outposts will need 5 leaders or managers, etc. A bigger children’s church will need more teachers, attendants, furniture, toys, books, etc. Manpower projections will show on three levels – Volunteer, Employed and Outsource. Put your resources on training your employed and volunteer workers.

3) Draw up a Time-table. Certain times should be set aside for training. However, leave some room for flexibility, especially with volunteer workers.

Determining Training Needs

Training needs can be assessed and determined at three levels:

1) Oversight – what the pastor sees is required,

2) Supervision – what the department head sees is required; and,

3) Execution - what the department members see they lack or need to do the work.

1. Oversight - The Pastor's View of Worker’s Training Needs

He has the divine blueprint of the vision and knows what God has said. The pastor knows the type and quality of manpower needed to achieve goal, but may not know which particular individual. He can also point out what type of training is required to build the available people into the required level.

2. Supervision - Appointed Leaders' View of Worker’s Training Needs

The unit leader is like the project-site foreman. He knows the day-to-day challenges of the job. He deals directly with the workers for project’s sake. He knows which individual possesses the qualities the pastor requires. Suggestions at this level are however subordinate to the oversight level.

His position makes it a duty to make reasonable recommendations that will facilitate the most conducive environment for his team members to get the expected results. Recommending training needs falls within the purview of his job.

3. Execution - The Workers View of Workers Training Needs

Workers are responsible for doing the work of the ministry. Although they know what tools they require and the problems associated with their work, their view of training needs may border on personal advancement. It however pays for leaders to consider their workers’ views on training needs. In the least they can provide practical insight to help the leader’s decision-making process.

Friend, church work is serious work. Like any professional practice, the uninstructed will certainly flounder and fumble at it! If you doubt me please read Acts 6! If what you want is effective workers, then you need an effective training policy! There’s no other way around it. Training is a means to position for the future. Consider the words of 18th Century Thomas Carlyle. He said, “Today is not yesterday. We ourselves change. How then, can our works and thoughts, if they are always to be the fittest, continue always the same? Change, indeed, is painful, yet ever needful; and if memory has its force and worth, so also has hope.”

Any Questions on Church Work?

Register Now for Online Or Class CHURCH WORK TRAINING With TOPE BANJO

- Affordable and structured to Transform Your Church Work and Church Life!

Enquiries & Bookings:

TOPE A. BANJO

Church Work Teacher,

Business Start-Up Trainer & Author.

- Lagos, Nigeria.

+234 803 3075 969 (WhatsApp)

Instagram: @topebanjo

buildyourvisions@gmail.com

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