Church Ops 500: Doing the Impossible with Less

The podcast features Pastor Mike Cantrell discussing church operations systems, focusing on the worship planning system. The conversation emphasizes the importance of developing effective systems to manage church operations efficiently.Key points include:Systems are designed to save stress, time, energy, and money (STEM).The worship planning system is one of eight church systems, including evangelism, assimilation, discipleship, ministry, stewardship, leadership, and strategic planning.The worship planning system involves planning, implementing, and evaluating weekly church services.Four main components of the worship planning system: a. Philosophy of worship b. Preaching calendar c. Preparing and executing the service d. Evaluating and improving the serviceDeveloping a clear philosophy of worship is crucial as it drives the planning process and helps measure success.The importance of working on the ministry, not just in it, by taking time to strategically plan and evaluate systems.Considering factors like theological foundations, cultural context, mission alignment, congregational participation, and aesthetics when developing a worship philosophy.The acronym WORSHIP outlines seven philosophical foundations for life-transforming worship: W - Work together as a team O - Organize the preaching calendar R - Repentance is the goal of worship S - Sundays matter H - Honor God through excellence I - Invite people to take next steps P - Planning honors GodThe physical church environment sends a message to visitors and should be maintained to avoid distractions from worship.The preaching calendar is highlighted as a crucial tool for effective worship planning, allowing for creativity and preparation.The importance of loving Sundays and viewing them as critical moments in people's lives.Striving for excellence in worship as a way to honor God and represent Him to the community.Recognizing that spiritual growth is a journey and inviting people to take next steps regardless of where they are in their faith.Planning is not an interruption but a way to honor God and prepare for His provision.The conversation emphasizes the need for intentional, systematic approaches to church operations, particularly in worship planning. It encourages church leaders to step back from day-to-day tasks to work on improving systems, which can lead to more effective ministry and reduced stress. The speakers highlight that while systems and planning are crucial, they should always serve the ultimate goal of sharing the Gospel and helping people grow in their faith.Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

In this episode of Church Ops 500, host Van Dobbins discusses the "hidden gems" of great volunteer impact in church operations. The podcast focuses on strategies to build and maintain strong volunteer teams, particularly for growing churches.Key Points:Building Relationships: Focus on fostering relationships among team members, not just between leaders and volunteers.Create environments that encourage relationship-building, such as pre-service huddles and mid-week gatherings.Empower relationally-strong team members to organize meetups and hangouts.Multiple Services: Implementing multiple services is crucial, even for smaller churches.Having only one service forces volunteers to choose between serving and attending worship.Start by investing in livestreaming or recording services to allow volunteers to engage with the message.Aim to have volunteers serve only once a month by deepening the volunteer bench.Sharing the Vision: People will temporarily sacrifice for an obligation but will sacrifice long-term for a vision.Help volunteers see the importance of their role beyond just fulfilling a task.Example: Shuttle drivers are not just transporters but the first point of contact for guests, setting the tone for their entire church experience.Multiplication vs. Addition: Focus on creating systems that multiply impact rather than just adding more volunteers.Develop clear processes for taking first-time attendees to becoming leaders or serving on teams.Implement a connection card system to capture visitor information and follow up.Ensure every church member knows the connection process and can engage with newcomers.Overcoming Challenges: For churches with limited volunteers, start small and use the "flywheel momentum" approach.Consistently work the system, aiming for gradual growth in volunteer numbers.Learn from other successful churches by visiting them, attending workshops, or reaching out to ministry leaders.The podcast emphasizes the importance of creating sustainable systems that allow for church growth and effective volunteer management. Van Dobbins encourages listeners to think beyond traditional approaches and consider these "hidden gems" to maximize volunteer impact.Key takeaway: "Your amount of resources doesn't speak for you, but how you use them says everything. Every day with the right tools, it's possible for you to do the impossible with less."Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

This episode of Church Ops 500 continues an interview with Pastor Chris Kelly from Mid Cities Church on how to stay in ministry for the long haul. It covers points 3-5 of his advice, following up on the first two points discussed in the previous episode . The third tip is to follow God's vision for your role. While there are many day-to-day responsibilities and "firefighting" tasks in church operations roles, Pastor Chris believes God places people in specific roles to accomplish something unique that only they can do. He encourages seeking God's guidance to uncover this vision, involving the senior leader, and ensuring it aligns with the church's overall direction without causing division. Importantly, other job duties must still be fulfilled alongside pursuing this vision. The fourth point is getting your financial house in order. Pastor Chris notes that ministry roles often don't pay as well as other jobs, so having sound financial management is crucial. He advises living on a zero-based budget, below one's means, and having an emergency fund in place. He cautions against being tempted by comparing oneself to peers who may have different lifestyles. If struggling financially, he recommends seeking help and resources. The eternal impact of ministry work should be the focus rather than financial compensation. The host adds that because ministry work is deeply meaningful, it can be harder to take breaks and vacations. He emphasizes the importance of enforcing boundaries and rest for oneself and one's team to avoid burnout. The fifth and final point, which Pastor Chris considers most important, is staying connected to God as the source of strength, creativity, wisdom and more. He warns against the temptation to feel everything depends on oneself, which can lead to burnout. Instead, he encourages resisting self-reliance and remaining connected to God and community. Even if one could succeed through their own efforts, success disconnected from Jesus is ultimately meaningless. Pastor Chris recommends: Building connections with people in similar roles at other churches for advice and support. Developing relationships with professionals who work with churches, like accountants and lawyers. Reading books on rest, mentioning "The Rest of God" by Mark Buchanan and "Sacred Rest" by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith as life-changing reads. However, Pastor Chris notes that experiential knowledge often has a more lasting impact than intellectual knowledge alone. He shares that some of his deepest lessons about rest came through difficult experiences where God forced him to rest. He believes there is much to learn through suffering, as Jesus calls believers to suffer, but God never wastes these experiences. The host agrees, referencing Psalm 23 and how God sometimes forcefully leads people to rest for their own good. He encourages viewers going through difficult times to trust that God is cultivating strength in them through these experiences. The episode concludes with the host emphasizing the importance of proactively building relationships in church operations roles. He explains that the podcast aims to create a space for building connections and confirming listeners' calling to their work. While they may not be in frontline ministry, their behind-the-scenes roles are vital to growing leaders and supporting ministry work. Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

This episode of Church Ops 500 features an interview with Pastor Chris Kelly from Mid Cities Church, discussing how to stay in ministry for the long haul. Pastor Chris has been in ministry for over 20 years and currently serves as the executive pastor, overseeing staff and campuses at Mid Cities Church.The podcast host emphasizes the importance of sustainability in ministry roles, particularly for those in church operations positions. These roles often involve constant demands and can lead to burnout if not managed properly.Pastor Chris shares his background, describing how he came to faith in college and eventually joined the staff at Mid Cities Church. He highlights the importance of finding contentment in supporting roles rather than always aspiring to be the lead pastor.The episode focuses on the first two of five tips for staying in ministry long-term:Setting boundaries unapologetically: This involves establishing clear work hours, delineating between work and home life, and creating a culture of respect for these boundaries. Pastor Chris stresses the importance of working with senior leadership to set these expectations and maintain them consistently.Establishing rhythms of rest: This includes daily breaks, weekly Sabbath observance, monthly "Days with Jesus" (full days dedicated to connecting with God), and proper use of vacation time. Pastor Chris also mentions their church's sabbatical policy, which allows for a six-week, fully disconnected break after certain tenure milestones.The host emphasizes that rest looks different for everyone, especially for those in operations roles who may find fulfillment in productive activities during their time off. The key is to identify what truly refreshes and refuels each individual.Both the host and Pastor Chris stress the importance of viewing ministry as a marathon rather than a sprint. They encourage listeners to pace themselves, set boundaries, and prioritize rest to avoid burnout and "fouling out" of ministry.The episode concludes with a preview of the second part of the interview, which will cover the remaining three tips: following God's vision for your role, keeping your financial house in order, and staying connected to the vine (maintaining a strong spiritual connection).Throughout the discussion, there's an emphasis on the unique challenges faced by those in church operations roles, including the constant accessibility expected in today's culture and the need to manage various aspects of church life simultaneously. The advice given is aimed at helping these individuals create sustainable practices that will allow them to serve effectively in their ministries for many years.Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

In this Church Ops 500 podcast episode, host Van Dobbins discusses the importance of cultivating a problem-solving culture within church organizations. Rather than waiting for problems to arise, he suggests that churches should proactively develop their teams to view challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement.Dobbins outlines four key requirements for building a problem-solving culture:Local requirements: Building relationships with leaders in your area of focus to share knowledge and best practices.Global requirements: Expanding one's knowledge beyond city limits to stay informed about trends and challenges that may impact your church.Relational requirements: Fostering strong relationships with your teams and leaders, and tapping into the skills and expertise of volunteers.Missional requirements: Building systems and structures that provide clarity and instill confidence in teams, such as developing leadership teams within each ministry area.Dobbins emphasizes the importance of personal development for church leaders, encouraging them to attend conferences, watch relevant podcasts, and seek out new learning opportunities. He shares a cautionary tale from his church's recent website development process, where an effort to be cost-effective led to challenges and frustration. He recognizes that they should have considered the true costs, including time and energy, of the "cost-effective" option.To cultivate a proactive problem-solving culture, Dobbins recommends that church leaders prioritize their own education and growth by consuming content related to personal development, operational best practices, and building effective habits and disciplines. By staying informed and continuously learning, leaders can anticipate and address challenges before they become major issues.Dobbins concludes by reminding listeners that they don't need vast resources to make a meaningful impact, and that what matters most is how they utilize the resources they have. By working smarter, not harder, and leveraging the principles of problem-solving culture, churches can achieve the "impossible" with less.The main takeaways from this episode are:Cultivate a proactive problem-solving culture within your church organization.Build relationships locally and globally to share knowledge and stay informed about trends and challenges.Foster strong relationships with your teams and tap into the skills and expertise of volunteers.Develop systems and structures, such as leadership teams, to empower volunteers and create a sustainable model for growth.Prioritize personal development and continuous learning to anticipate and address challenges effectively.By focusing on these key areas, church leaders can position their organizations to navigate the ever-changing landscape of ministry with greater resilience and effectiveness, even with limited resources.Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

The audio features a conversation between Van Dobbins and Kendra Parker, the Director of Ministries and Women's Ministry Leader at Bethel Community Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The discussion focuses on the importance of servant leadership and its impact on ministry.Kendra defines servant leadership as a heart posture and a position that leaders must take to lead people well. She cites Jesus as the ultimate example of a servant leader, referring to his interaction with James and John, where he emphasized that greatness comes through serving others. Kendra highlights several key aspects of servant leadership:1. Nothing is beneath the leader - being willing to get in the trenches and do the same work as the team.2. Leading by example - modeling the behavior and work ethic expected from others.3. Building trust and relationships - serving alongside team members to foster trust and connection.Van and Kendra discuss the challenge of balancing the desire to do things oneself with the need to empower and train others. They emphasize the importance of continuing to model servant leadership even after delegating tasks, to avoid creating a sense of separation or superiority.Kendra shares her experience of leading the children's ministry at her church, where she had to rebuild the program from the ground up. By serving in the classrooms alongside her team, she was able to identify potential leaders, build relationships, and establish trust.The conversation also touches on the importance of being proactive in leadership, making oneself available and approachable to team members. Kendra stresses the value of regular check-ins and creating a safe space for open communication. Van adds that acknowledging the busy nature of the role while still prioritizing time for team members helps to combat the narrative that leaders are too busy to care.Kendra and Van discuss the challenges of leading friends within a church context. They recommend setting clear expectations for conversations, distinguishing between the "friend hat" and the "boss hat." Having relational equity and mutual respect built through servant leadership makes difficult conversations easier.In terms of resources for growth, Kendra recommends the Bible, Craig Groeschel's leadership podcast, and the book "Realer" by Dr. John Chastin. Van suggests using apps like Speechify to turn written content into audio for more efficient learning.As a final piece of advice to her younger self, Kendra emphasizes the importance of humility, not overwhelming oneself with the need to know everything, and surrounding oneself with trustworthy mentors who can provide guidance and support.The conversation aims to encourage those in church operations roles, reminding them that they are not alone and that their work is valuable and needed. Van and Kendra stress the importance of using available resources wisely and believing in the possibility of doing great things with God's help.Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

We started the conversation about finding great team members and needed to keep going!  Fellow ops team members Charles Haith Ops Director at Orlando World Outreach Center in Orlando, FL, and Simone Strange Executive Administrator at Bethel Murfreesboro Church Murfreesboro, TN. We discuss the following questions.What is HR and what does it encompass?What has the HR process looked like for you? What are the benefits of paying attention to HR?Self-Taught vs Learned (Where do you fall?) (5 mins per person)Where are your learning resources? Resources mentioned in the podcast:https://www.churchlawandtax.com/https://www.shrm.org/front-doorVisit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

This episode features two regulars on the podcast, fellow ops team members Charles Haith Ops Director at Orlando World Outreach Center in Orlando, FL, and Simone Strange Executive Administrator at Bethel Murfreesboro Church Murfreesboro, TN. We discuss the following questions.Finding the Right Kind of Team Members.What qualities do you look for in team members (volunteer or paid)Do you have any systems or processes you use to simply volunteer or team member management? Resource links mentioned in the podcast https://www.workinggenius.comhttps://www.vanderbloemen.comhttps://www.craiggroeschel.com/Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

Pastor Mike Cantrell joins us from Mid-Cities Church in Texas.  He has worn many hats in ministry from campus ministry to several # 2 church operations roles, to church planter and senior pastor, to missions director for a global ministry called Every Nation to his position now: Church Planting Pastor + Groups Pastor.  He shares with us the proper mindset for church operations and some valuable resources. We are not paid to endorse any products and only share these links as a possible resource for learning. We are not held liable for any cost incurred by you in using these resources  mentioned in the podcasthttps://churchleaderinsights.com/systems/Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.

We have Pastor Charles Haith of Orlando World Outreach back again to talk about what matters when it comes to evaluating the success of your ministry. Knowing what to count and why it matters can have a huge impact on your ministry! Visit Church Ops 500 YouTube for video content or our Facebook page to ask questions and share your insight.