Staff Meetings – Are We Having Fun Yet?

One of my favorite pastors used to say, “Staff meetings should be for cheers and tears.” He meant the obvious: that people should not only relax but should also cry with each other, take hard looks at ministry, and learn of the tough challenges in each other’s way.

I have sat through a number of very boring staff meetings, and I wondered what good they were doing—and I felt really bad because I was the leader. You may have been there. If so, I apologize.

Here are some suggestions about staff meetings, gathered from my own learning experience but also from those of many other pastors in a variety of roles:

First of all, you’ve got to have them. Let’s start there. Many staffs in churches feel like they’re too small—they may have only two or three on staff. I say, “Nonsense! Every team needs a huddle.”

Staff meetings should be weekly or at least every other week. They also should be at an appointed time that the staff can count on.

Meetings should include staff only. Now and then a trusted volunteer who is considered part of the staff should be included. But this is a time for family candor. Everybody should know that what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas—I mean in staff meetings. All should be free to say what they are thinking or even grouch about some event or person—carefully.

These meetings should also have a clear leader. I personally do not think that heading up the staff meeting is the kind of thing that should be passed around. This is a great time for the pastor to shepherd staff, or, in large churches—I think over 1,500—for an executive-type pastor to lead in this way. Even then, the lead pastor should regularly lead the devotional time.

Every meeting must begin with time in God’s Word and in prayer. This obviously should not be a repeat of the sermon, but rather a personal look at Scripture and God.

Finally, a great way for people to get to know other staff better is to allow 10 minutes for someone to share the 5 or 10 most important decisions or events in their lives. This really helps with understanding why someone is who he or she is.