How to Be a Great Team Member
One of the biggest pain points for a leader's story can be a bad staff experience. How many youth leaders have you heard share nightmares or frustrations from previous churches? While there are so many great churches that support, care for, and love staff well, the reality is that, unfortunately, there are some not-so-positive staff environments out there. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for youth staff turnover and job transition. Sometimes, church staff teams can be deflating and discouraging, turning an otherwise good work into a dreadful experience. In cases like these, it is easy to play the blame game. Blame the lead pastor. Blame the church culture. Blame the committees and leadership. And at times, the blame may truly lie there. However, for each youth leader, it is far more important to see your staff environment through the lens of responsibility rather than blame. It changes everything.
You have a responsibility before Christ and your church to be a good team member. That can look different based on your context, but we all share some similar responsibilities. Regardless of the staff environment you are in, your responsibility comes first because it is your obligation to Christ and the only thing you can truly control. In the same breath, you also have the privilege in Christ and your church to be a good team member. Being on a church staff team is a privilege and joy because you get to experience the thrill of ministry while abiding by the commands of Christ- the commands to honor, love, serve, and care alongside co-laborers in Christ. So, in the spirit of that responsibility and privilege given to us as team members, here are three simple ways to be a good team member:
Be Honoring
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10). Great teams are built on mutual respect and charity. When you feel respected, there is freedom in your work. When you show respect and honor to others, it cultivates trust and loyalty, which is indispensable in shared ministry. A kind word, a simple affirmation, or a proud thank you will go a long way in communicating honor and brotherly affection. While empty flattery should be avoided at all costs, genuine honor is a staple of a healthy staff culture.
Do you have a culture of honor among your staff? One of the greatest ways to tell is to see what your team says of each other behind closed doors. Do you speak positively of your team when nobody's watching, or do you take the opportunity of privacy to be critical? By the grace of God, I can honestly say that our staff truly does not speak poorly of each other behind each other's backs. Even in necessary moments of correction, there is compassion and respect. This affords our staff a confidence that is hard to beat because we trust each other and know we have each other's backs. Here's a sobering question to think about: what would a fly on the wall hear you say about each other when others aren't around?
Be Humble
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). Few things poison the water of staff culture like a critical spirit. A critical spirit shouts about the weaknesses but whispers about the strengths. A critical spirit thinks highly of self but lowly of others. A critical spirit constantly refrains, "I wouldn't have done it that way, or I would've said that differently." How can you be a great team player if you are always thinking you are better than everyone else? Just because it's not how you would have done something doesn't mean the other way is wrong.
One of the best antidotes to a critical spirit is humility. A humble spirit recognizes one's limitations. A humble spirit is willing to submit to the team and learn from them. A humble spirit always says, "What can I learn from this?" Humble leaders are not in it for selfish ambition or gain but see others as more significant than themselves. They see others as rock stars and themselves as roadies. When a team of humble servants come together, they are able to uniquely focus on their mission more than their own personal agendas.
Be Helpful
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4). The Lead Pastor at my church can often be heard in the hallways saying to anyone and everyone, "What can I do for you? How can I help you?" Translation: "How can I look out for your interests rather than my own?" Silo ministries, where the leader's focus is on one ministry and that ministry alone, often make for a disconnected church and a disconnected team. Even worse, it can lead to competition and comparison. However, a healthy amount of teamwork and contribution to shared ministry benefits everyone. A rising tide lifts all boats!
Whenever you get a chance, serve your team. In my student ministry, the Worship Pastor comes to camp, my lead pastor will preach on a Wednesday night, and my Kids' Pastor will lead a teen training for VBS. There is a real sense that ministry to students is our shared responsibility, not just mine. And the feeling extends to other areas of the church. My entire church staff participates heavily in Vacation Bible School. The team are all willing to share ministry space and resources. Everyone goes above and beyond to help each other prepare for events and tear down. The example set by my lead pastor has truly trickled down to the rest of the team, and everyone is better for it. Perhaps more importantly, everyone enjoys working with each other even more. And that's the beauty of a healthy staff culture- it makes ministry more enjoyable and effective for everyone.
Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:
- Am I taking responsibility for my role as a healthy, contributing staff member? Why or why not?
- Which area (honor, humility, or helpfulness) can I grow in to help my staff culture improve?
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