Position Descriptions by Design: Preparing Your Staff for Effective Ministry

Position

Descriptions

By Design

Preparing Your Staff for Effective Ministry

Gary H Woolverton

Copyright © 2012 Gary H Woolverton

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Cover photography by Aimee Stephens Woolverton

ISBN: 978-1-4497-4736-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-4735-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012906728

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/02/2012

Contents

Introduction: Position Descriptions and Ministry By Design: The Series

Chapter 1: Ministry Roles and Responsibilities

Chapter 2: The Definition and Purposes of Effective Position Descriptions

Chapter 3: Components of Effective Position Descriptions

Chapter 4: Connecting Points for Position Descriptions

Chapter 5: Determination of Paid and Volunteer Positions

Chapter 6: Development and Maintenance of Effective Position Descriptions

Chapter 7: Position Descriptions by Department/Ministry

Administrative Staff

Accountant, Accounts Payable

Accountant, Accounts Receivable

Administrator, Membership Records

Clerk, Accounting (Payroll)

Financial Director

Manager, Human Resources

Pastor, Business Administration

Adult Ministries

Director, Adult Ministries

Pastor, Adult Ministries

Teacher, Bible Study (Adults)

Assimilation Ministries

Director, Assimilation

Pastor, Assimilation

Audio/Video Ministries

Audio Engineer

Director, Audio/Visual

Sound Technician

Baptism/Communion Ministries

Baptismal Assistant

Communion Assistant

Benevolence Ministry

Minister, Benevolence Ministry

Bereavement/Grief Ministries

Director, Bereavement Ministry

Minister, Bereavement Ministry

Bookstore Ministry

Bookstore Associate/Bookkeeper

Bookstore Associate/Floor Staff

Director, Bookstore

Children’s Ministries

General

Assistant, Music (Children)

Director, Children’s Ministries

Director, Music (Children)

Director, Vacation Bible School (VBS)

Pastor, Children’s Ministries

Teacher (Children)

Preschool & Elementary

Associate Director, Early Childhood Division

Associate Director, Elementary Division

Caregiver, Nursery

Director, Child Development Center

Director, Nursery

Teacher, Sunday School (Preschool)

Christian Education/Discipleship/Spiritual Formation Ministries

Director, Christian Education

Director, Sunday School

Pastor, Discipleship

Teacher, Sunday School (Adults)

Church Governance Ministries

Chairman, Board of Elders

Deacon

Elder

Trustee

College Ministries

Director, College Ministries

Leader, Praise Team (Campus Ministry)

Pastor, College Ministries

Communication Ministries

Director, Communications

Photographer

Video Editor

Community Care Ministries

Director, Community Services

Director, Disaster Preparedness

Counseling Ministries

Director, Counseling Center

Pastor, Biblical Counseling

Daycare Ministries

Coordinator, Daycare

Coordinator, Parents Day Out

Director, Mothers Day Out

Drama Ministries

Actor/Actress

Costume Designer/Seamstress

Director, Drama

Evangelism/Missions/Outreach Ministries

Director, Community Ministries

Director, Evangelism

Minister, Evangelism and Outreach

Pastor, Missions and Outreach

Events/Seminars Ministries

Assistant, Special Events

Coordinator, Seminars

Executive Staff

Associate Pastor

Executive Pastor

Pastor

Secretary, Senior Pastor

Senior Associate Pastor

Senior Pastor

Facilities/Maintenance Ministries

Custodian

Director, Buildings and Grounds

Head Groundskeeper

Manager, Facilities Services

Family Ministries

Associate Pastor, Family Ministries

Pastor, Family Life Ministries

Fellowship/Hospitality Ministries

Coordinator, Fellowship

Coordinator, Hospitality

Fine Arts Ministries

Coordinator, Banner Ministry

Creative Dancer

Director, Special Productions

Food Services Ministries

Chef

Cook

Director, Food Services

Funeral Ministries

Coordinator, Funeral Receptions/Dinners

Helper, Funeral Receptions/Dinners

Guest Services Ministries

Coordinator, Decorations

Director, Guest Services

Greeter

Reception Server

Usher

Information Technology Ministries

Desktop Support Technician

Director, MIS

Library Ministries

Book Processing Assistant

Coordinator, Yearbook

Librarian

Life Issues Ministries

Director, Personal and Family Enrichment

Marriage Ministries

Directors, Activities and Events

Directors, Marriage Mentor Training

Directors, Newlyweds

Executive Directors, Marriage Ministries

Mentor Couple, Newlyweds

Pastor, Couples and Marriage Ministries

Media/PR Ministries

Director, Media Library

Webmaster

Men’s Ministries

Director, Men’s Ministries

Leader, Small Group (Men)

Pastor, Men’s Ministries

Mentoring Ministries

Director, Mentoring

Middle Adult Ministries

Pastor, Middle Adult Ministries

Music/Worship Ministries

Director, Choir

Director, Orchestra

Leader, Praise Team

Leader, Worship

Minister, Music and Worship

Pastor, Music and Worship

Pastoral Care Ministries

Minister, Hospital Visitation

Pastor, Pastoral Care

Prayer Ministries

Coordinator, Prayer Ministry

Prayer Counselor (Altar Ministry)

Prison Ministries

Director, Prison Ministry

Prison Minister

Recreation/Sports Ministries

Director, Sports Ministries

Pastor, Recreation and Activities

Religious Liberties Ministry

Leader, Religious Liberties Team

Member, Religious Liberties Team

Security Ministry

Director, Security

Member, Security Team

Senior Adult Ministries

Leader, Missions (Senior Adults)

Leader, Prayer (Senior Adults)

Pastor, Senior Adult Ministries

Single Adult Ministries

Assistant, Events & Activities (Single Adults)

Executive Director, Single Adult Ministries

Pastor, Single Adult Ministries

Teacher, Bible Study (Single Adults)

Team Captain (Coach), Community/Small Groups

Team Captain, Inreach

Team Captain, Music/Praise & Worship

Small/Life Groups Ministries

Apprentice (Small Group)

Leader, Small Group

Pastor, Connecting

Pastor, Small Group Ministries

Special Needs Ministries

Coordinator, Disabilities Ministries

Interpreter for the Deaf

Reader for the Blind

Stewardship Ministries

Director, Stewardship

Pastor, Stewardship

Student Ministries

Director, Student Ministries

Pastor, Student Ministries

Support/Recovery Group Ministries

Director, Support Groups

Facilitator, Support Group

Leader, Divorce Recovery

Traffic/Transportation Ministries

Coach, Parking Team

Parking Lot Attendant

Volunteer Ministries

Director, Volunteers

Pastor, Volunteer Services

Wedding Ministries

Coordinator, Weddings

Wedding Consultant

Women’s Ministries

Coordinator, Activities (Women)

Director, Women’s Ministries

Pastor, Women’s Ministries

Young Adult Ministries

Leader, Young Adults

Pastor, Young Adult Ministries

Youth Ministries

Associate Pastor, Youth

Coach (Youth)

Coordinator, Music (Youth)

Counselor/Mentor (Youth)

Director, Youth Ministries

Leader, Outreach (Youth)

Pastor, Youth Ministries

Appendix A: Position Descriptions Alphabetically By Position Title

Appendix B: Examples of Exempt/Non-Exempt/Volunteer Positions

Appendix C:Incumbent Position Description Questionnaire

Appendix D: New Position Description Questionnaire

Introduction:

Position Descriptions and

Ministry By Design: The Series

Will is in his first pastorate after completing seminary. His assignment is to shepherd a small church with about three hundred regular attendees. Will is excited about getting such a great position with so little experience. The church is in a rural town and has had a number of pastors over the last thirty years. Although he graduated near the top of his class, Will has never been in a management position at a church, much less at a real-world company or organization. His four years of seminary training, coupled with his experience in undergraduate school and the summer internships, should have prepared him for what to expect at this plum first assignment to shepherd God’s people. But Will never received the practical instruction needed to put together and oversee a staff to handle the necessary administrative duties, such as creating financial statements and filing labor statements. Will was set up for failure.

You are not going to get sufficient, effective, and practical business training at most seminaries. That’s why you are probably not going to be prepared for all the work required just to keep your church going. Seasoned pastors know what kind of problems they encountered when they were first starting out with a small church. They know their training in hermeneutics, homiletics, theology, and basic Bible knowledge did not prepare them sufficiently for dealing with building programs, finances, legal matters, accounting statements, and personnel supervision. Basic church management can be taught in Church Business 101, but appropriate advanced 900-level courses and higher are usually not taught formally, so the required advanced learning is achieved mostly through experience and expert advice. This is why even the pastor of a small church must be prepared to hire the best staff available to help him grow his church to what God has called it to be.

An essential part of every thriving church is its administrative function. Without proper administration of the annual budget, finances, human resources, and other related functions, no organization can function properly. In every church, those tasked with administrative duties have vitally responsible roles, including paying the bills, keeping up with tithing records, ensuring computers run properly, answering phones, and paying staff. Then there is the need for someone to shepherd that staff. These functions are quite often handled by the senior pastor, simply because the church is not large enough to support the number of positions that fulfill these roles. However, as the church grows, it must have the capability to hire a sufficient number of staff who will either do these functions exclusively or share the responsibilities with others.

As in any organization, there is much to be done in a church. Unless each position in the church has been fully defined and described—including who does what, what is expected of everyone, and how all the pieces fit together—the church cannot function effectively. A dysfunctional staff creates an atmosphere in which any conflict may result in tension in and dissatisfaction with the working environment. This hinders the effectiveness of reaching people who seek a relationship with Christ. Carefully crafted and thought-out formal descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of every person on the staff can help avoid such conflict.

Many organizations and churches do not have carefully, cautiously, and congruently crafted position descriptions. Many church leaders honestly believe ministries can be defined by how the ministry just pans out. There are those who believe the Holy Spirit will guide everyone in what they need to know to perform their work. Some ministries have become so bogged down in the work of ministry, and the required administration of it, that the leaders cannot wade through the organizational map to know how to use people’s time, abilities, gifts, and talents in the most effective manner.

Position descriptions help employees of the church or ministry gain a better sense of their responsibilities, what is expected of them, and the various standards by which they will be evaluated and rewarded. They can also help the church develop effective recruiting materials, develop orientation and associated training programs, and ensure consistency and equity among positions. A position description that has been carefully crafted, designed, and written provides an organized summary of the duties, tasks, responsibilities, qualifications, and accountabilities inherent in a ministry personnel position.

We’ve provided you and your staff a number of helps through Position Descriptions By Design, a major component of Ministry By Design: The Series. You will find background information about the need for position descriptions, as well as help for your church staff in understanding the purpose of position descriptions. Guidelines are then given for using some of the best practices to develop effective position descriptions for your staff. Comprising the bulk of this book is the section that provides a number of position descriptions to help jump-start your development of those specific to your staff needs. In addition to the more than 170 descriptions provided in this book, there are more than 950 position descriptions available through the ministry.

Position descriptions provided in this book have been developed from many years of experience in secular and ministry employment. The formats are examples of what can be used in any ministry situation, yet they are simple enough to be integrated into a position description manual or handbook you may already have in place. Granted, it is unlikely you will have staff members in all of these positions in your church. There are, however, enough position descriptions that you will be able to find ones you can easily and quickly adapt to your particular needs. Additional descriptions will be added to future editions of this volume as warranted.

Ministry By Design: The Series

Position Descriptions By Design is the second volume in Ministry By Design: The Series, a comprehensive series that addresses the needs of the church in designing the most effective ministry possible. Not everyone who completes Bible college or seminary is adequately prepared for what it takes to develop, implement, and maintain an effective ministry that touches the lives of hundreds and thousands. By addressing the issues that most pastors, ministers, and other staff members confront daily, the Series is a great reference tool that provides assistance and encouragement that may not be found in other sources.

Other books planned for Ministry By Design: The Series include the following:

Church Growth By Design

Church Staffing By Design

Group Ministry By design

Marriage Ministry By Design

Mentoring Ministry By Design

Purposes of the Church By Design

Spiritual Ministry By Design

Church Ministry By Design, the first volume released in the Series, was published in August 2011.

Chapter 1:

Ministry Roles and Responsibilities

The individual roles in ministry at a church vary greatly from church to church and from ministry to ministry. For the most part, all members have the potential to contribute to the church’s ministries, and everyone may be willing to do their part. Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge to get someone to volunteer to serve. Churches are comprised of ordinary people who can be motivated to serve others by an extraordinary God. But in order for members to know where they fit into service, it’s important to define the various positions.

Position descriptions are written explanations of the roles, duties, and qualifications required for an individual to perform successfully in a position of responsibility in an organization. They describe the duties and responsibilities that work together to provide a service or ministry to others. All of the descriptions are predicated on the premise that there are a number of roles in which individuals may serve in ministry. When these roles are filled by people with the proper skill set, a common goal can be reached.

In order to find the people who can best fill these roles, one has to have a clear understanding of what those roles are. To do so, the position descriptions must be put together by an individual or individuals with a good understanding of the roles found in their particular church.

What Are the Types of Ministry Roles in the Church?

How can motivated individuals and families serve in their church? Are there different types of ministry workers and servers? For the purposes of this study, we identify two predominant types of ministry options for those called to serve in the name of God: lay ministers and vocational ministers.

Lay Ministers

In simplest terms, lay ministers are individuals who have been called to serve the Lord but do not receive, or expect, any remuneration for their services. They may feel a calling to minister to others but may not necessarily feel called to full-time vocational ministry. These individuals are often called volunteers.

Another way of looking at the definition is to consider all persons not in the clergy as being laity. Some churches and denominations have determined it best for their church or denomination to certify (or in some cases, ordain) lay individuals for the work of the Lord. Although this may give the lay ministers a bit more credibility as ministers of the gospel, it does not make them clergy. Furthermore, although these individuals may exercise their ministry through a religious order of some type, they may not be considered clergy.

Throughout the pages and accompanying materials of this volume, detailed descriptions are provided for positions in the church and ministries that may be filled by lay ministers. In fact, most positions in a church and/or ministry are filled by volunteers. However, there should always be paid staff to oversee groups of volunteers; there should also be qualified unpaid individuals who lead other volunteers. To the staff members of most churches, a well-trained and eager volunteer team always takes quite a bit of burden off the paid clergy staff.

Professional (Vocational) Ministers

Professional ministers are individuals who have been called by God to engage in service to His people and to receive sufficient remuneration for that service. An authentic call is one recognized and affirmed by other individuals in the church and validated by effective service to God and others. Although it may require specialized training, the service results in compensation from a church, ministry, or other related entity that provides ministry services.

Most churches are led by professionals who have been called to ministry and to leadership positions. The associates on the church staff may or may not be vocational ministers, or they may be bi-vocational in nature (This is the situation in which income from employment outside the church is necessary to help the minister defray the expenses involved in running and leading a church or ministry). In most cases, though, the professional staff of a church (regardless of whether the church staff consists of a solo pastor or a lead pastor, with a number of staff members) oversee a large group of volunteers (lay ministers) who provide services the staff may not be able to provide as effectively.

What Are the Main Roles in Ministry?

In many cases, there is a great blurring of roles in ministry between the vocational minister and the lay minister. For example, one church may have a group of professional counselors who minister to the congregation during weekend worship services, while another church may have well-trained, nonprofessional lay ministers who minister to the congregation. What’s the difference? Mostly it is the decision of the church staff as to how to handle the given situation. Not all churches may have the luxury of professional counselors as parishioners.

There are other church roles that may actually be different when they are filled by a professional or a layperson. On the volunteer staff, professionals often serve as volunteers in positions for which they have no professional training or equipping. This is an area in which many individuals are able to serve best. And it is one in which the church may find professionals in one area may be equally or more suited to serve in a completely different ministry. Be sure your ministry needs are matched well with the available volunteer base.

For more information on matching individuals with ministry opportunities, see the volume of this series titled Spiritual Ministry By Design. It provides an in-depth look at how knowing the personality traits, skills, abilities, spiritual gifts, spiritual disciplines, and capabilities of your available volunteer base can help match individuals with ministry roles.

Ministry Roles

Area/State/Regional Administrator

In many larger denominations, administrative offices are given the responsibility of overseeing the needs of a number of churches and ministries within a given area, state, or region. This does not necessarily mean the churches report to this office; instead, the administrator provides information, encouragement, exhortation, instruction, and fellowship to the leaders of the churches and ministries within the office’s jurisdiction.

In many cases, the administrator position is filled by an individual who has worked in a church or ministry within the office’s oversight. This individual may or may not have a staff, depending on the amount of the work necessary to perform the functions of the role. Funding for the role may come from a denominational or associational source, or the position may be titular only and without remuneration.

Bi-Vocational Minister

Although it may seem somewhat difficult to believe, most ministers and pastors at churches throughout the world are bi-vocational by necessity! This means an individual called to serve in ministry does not have ample remuneration coming from the ministry to provide adequately for his or her family and must, therefore, maintain employment at an organization or other ministry outside of the church to which he or she is currently called. This is especially true in situations in which a church ministry is just getting started (e.g., a new church plant) or the congregation is too small to provide an adequate income for a pastor, much less a staff.

Ministry workers who must earn outside income while ministering are not always limited to the position of pastor or lead pastor. There are situations in which the funds are available for a senior or lead pastor, but not for any staff positions. Ministries to youth or children are often led by individuals who must be bi-vocational.

Camp Director

This is a minister that directs the activities at a Christian campground or seasonal camp for children and youth. The campground may be connected to a church, or it may be autonomous. In many cases, the position may simply be a seasonal position that is filled by an individual in college and/or studying for a career in ministry. It may be a volunteer or paid position.

Roles of the camp director may include overseeing the operations of the camp, securing individuals to work as camp workers, and ensuring the safety of the campers who visit the camp. In many cases, the main role of the director of the camp is to minister to the lives of the individuals who serve as counselors and other workers at the camp. Not only should the lives of those attending the camp be transformed, so should the lives of the individuals selected to lead the visitors to the camp.

Chaplain

A specific group of people are ministered to by an individual with this role. The role of chaplain is used by the military, police and fire departments and agencies, hospitals, colleges and universities, and by a growing number of businesses, both large and small. Although the position is often volunteer in nature, there are many instances in which the entity the chaplain serves provides some form of remuneration for his or her services. It may simply be in the form of a stipend that covers expected expenses, an expense account through which actual expenses are reimbursed, or it may be a paid position.

The role of the chaplain is to provide ministry services to the members of the group to whom he or she is assigned. These services may include prayer for individuals, counseling, guidance, mentoring, and sometimes the leading of regular worship services.

Church Planter

This may be one of the most difficult roles in ministry. The usual role for this individual is to undertake the pastoral leadership responsibilities involved in starting a new congregation. In some cases, though, the new congregation may simply be an extension of an established congregation, but in a new location. Abilities necessary for this position may mirror those of a senior pastor at an established church, although additional gifts may be necessary to attract and disciple individuals and families who may have been previously unchurched or underchurched. In many cases, the earliest periods of this role may require the individual to be bi-vocational. There are some planters, though, who have sufficient funding in place prior to the assignment of the church plant. This funding may only be sufficient, however, for a given period of time, after which other plans may have to be implemented in the event the church plant has not garnered sufficient self-funding to pay its own way.

There are a number of boot camps and other places that provide equipping for potential church planters. The best church planters, however, are those individuals who have experience in launching ministries, serving people, and leading a group of church members and staff through change. It is not a role for every individual seeking to build a new church, but it can be a rewarding opportunity for the entrepreneur who desires to serve God with his or her unique and life-changing gifts.

Conference Director

This individual is the minister who directs the activities at a Christian conference center, where retreats, conferences, and other meetings are held. The hospitality gifts of this individual must be extremely high, as a number of events and activities will flow through the center on a regular basis. The center may or may not be directly related to a church, but it is usually supported by some sort of ministry, quite often one that is regional or national in nature (e.g., the two conference centers maintained by the Southern Baptist Convention in New Mexico and North Carolina).

Responsibilities include overseeing the operations of the conference center, as well as scheduling, hosting, presenting, tearing down, cleaning, and other related activities, as necessary. This position requires some sort of staff to assist with the work required to maintain a professional and inviting environment for those utilizing the facilities.

Another important role is that of ministering to the individuals and families who comprise the staff and the volunteers who assist in the associated responsibilities. This is where most of the ministry responsibilities for this individual will be evident, and where most of the personal impact may be.

Counselor/Pastoral Counselor

This individual may work in the church, in an institution, or in the public domain. Most states or provinces require some sort of licensing before an individual may be considered a counselor, but pastoral counseling is usually not regulated by a government entity. Your church must ensure that any individual who takes on the role of a counselor or pastoral counselor is trained and sufficiently equipped to handle the situations that may arise. Sufficient support services should be available when needed.

Unless the church hires professional counselors to provide services to the congregation and community, counselors working through the church are usually not certified to counsel officially. They are often not paid; they should not expect remuneration for their services. Pastors on the staff of the church may be considered pastoral counselors when they provide effective Biblical counsel, blending their limited understanding of psychology and sociology with their understanding of theology.

Some states and provinces regulate the use of the term pastoral counselor, so be sure you know the laws and guidelines for your area. There is a national association set up in the United States for the certification of individuals as pastoral counselors, which may help your church determine the right individuals for the position.

Evangelist

For the most part, an evangelist, by trade, is an itinerant preacher/teacher who ministers through a number of churches by giving evangelistic messages to the lost. The messages may also be encouragement to live a Christian life, as well as evangelistic for nonbelievers and believers alike. Churches usually schedule this individual for a series of messages, providing a base compensation that may be supplemented by contributions from the congregation or community attendees.

Interim Director

In the Christian world, leaders move around from ministry to ministry. For example, how often has your church hired a new youth or student minister or pastor? Once the director or minister has moved on to other pastures, there is usually a period of time during which the ministry may lack direction, as well as direct oversight. This is a situation in which an interim director may be used.

In most cases, this role is not a long-term solution. Acting in an interim role until a permanent director may be selected and hired, this individual provides all the services of a full-time director, but only for a given period of time. Because of the unclear nature of the longevity of this position, the individual may not be able (or allowed, for that matter, by ministry by-laws or guidelines) to hire, fire, promote, or begin new projects or ministries. It may be a somewhat difficult position for anyone with aspirations of making a greater impact than is usually permitted in this situation. However, it may be a chance for the interim individual to prove his or her worth to the ministry or others, potentially opening up future ministry opportunities. There are situations where someone in an interim position has been offered the position full time as a result of the individual’s commitment to excellence and professionalism during the interim period.

This position is usually not compensated in the same manner as a full-time director; therefore, there are probably few, if any, benefits that come with the position.

Interim Pastor

Many churches have plans in place that provide for a succession in leadership positions when they open up due to a number of circumstances (e.g., moving on, promotion, new opportunity). However, a large number of churches, especially in certain denominations, are not prepared when a key player in the leadership of the church leaves. It is for this reason that the role of interim pastor comes into play.

Like an interim director position, this role is not permanent; nor does it come with many benefits. However, the role does provide opportunities to preach, teach, fellowship, worship, and for personal growth for qualified individuals seeking those ministry characteristics. During the individual’s tenure as interim pastor, there may be opportunities for mentoring, as well as for discipling of members of the church staff. Therefore, this is probably a role best suited for individuals with many years of pastoral experience who have either retired or are working in another area of ministry and wish to provide assistance and guidance to other ministries.

It may take some churches more than twelve months to recruit, select, and hire a permanent pastor, so the interim nature of the role may not be so short lived. It is also possible the church may decide that the interim role may become a permanent role of some type.

Ministry Director

This is an individual who leads a ministry that may not be directly affiliated with a local church, but serves other churches and ministries in some manner. It is a role that is exceptionally multifaceted in nature, especially when it comes to overseeing the ministry. This oversight includes seeking sources of funding, maintaining and growing staff needs, expanding and growing ministry opportunities, and establishing and maintaining relationships with other ministries.

Missionary

This individual leaves the comfort of normal life and ministers to people in a foreign country, region, or area, providing services in a special way to the hurting and unchurched people of the area. There are also missionaries who serve in their own country. This role is one of the most rewarding of all ministry roles, especially when making an impact on the lives of individuals and people groups that may not have had access to the Gospel of Christ and opportunities to receive His salvation.

Missionaries often work simply on the grace of God and the contributions from as many partners as possible back in their country of origin. Receiving sufficient funding for the journey as a missionary is a constant concern and a constant responsibility for those called to this role.

Missionaries are usually sent to the mission field by a mission organization; others are sent by church denominations or associations; others even go to the field on their own accord. It is best to have a missional/spiritual covering of some kind before embarking on a mission to a foreign country, which is usually socially and culturally different from what is the norm for the individual.

National/International Ministry Staff

This minister is on the staff of a ministry that serves others on a national or international level. The role may have responsibilities that may not always be assigned to someone in ministry, but the outcome of the responsibilities will, in some manner, serve others through Christ. In some instances, this individual may have prior ministry experience, such as being on the staff of a church or some other local ministry.

This individual is usually compensated for being a professional doing the work of a professional, and not necessarily as a former pastor or minister doing the work of a professional. However, it is quite possible this individual has left full-time ministry at a church and moved on to oversee other ministries or projects on a much larger level.

Parachurch Ministry Member

This individual works with organizations or agencies that are funded through charitable contributions that provide ministry and/or ministry services to somewhat specific groups of people. These organizations can be either large national/international organizations (e.g., FamilyLife Ministries, Association of Marriage and Family Ministries, Marriage Today, Turning Point Ministries, Willow Creek Association, Focus on the Family) or small and local in nature (e.g., homeless shelter, crisis pregnancy center, food bank run by an association of churches).

In some cases, the individual working in a parachurch organization may be a volunteer minister, such as one working with the homeless or at a crisis pregnancy center. However, some of these organizations compensate their ministry workers in some manner. Many individuals who desire to work in ministry, but want to do it outside of their local church, will minister with their time and their efforts through a parachurch organization.

Pastor/Minister

This is the most obvious of all ministry roles. Using the title of pastor or minister is of no importance, unless there is a denominational or doctrinal guideline for the title of the person who leads a ministry or group of ministries at a church. All who are believers in Christ are called to be ministers; the Bible teaches us, however, that some are called to be pastors and teachers, and that is the role to which this individual ascribes.

Pastors may be compensated or volunteers, depending on their calling in ministry. Most pastors/ministers hired by a church or other type of ministry are paid for their service; individuals called to be leaders of most home groups or home churches are usually not compensated. This discrepancy in compensation policy does not imply one is better than the other. There is little precedent for compensating a pastor who leads a small group of individuals in someone’s home. When the group gets larger, and has a larger base from which to gain funding, the compensation plan may have to change for the pastor of the home church.

Pulpit Supply Minister

There are a number of ministers who have left full-time ministry, usually to go into new work, to retire, to make a career change, or to make a change from the roles in which they were in. Churches in need of temporary or semi-permanent pulpit ministers may call on this pool of ministers to fill those vacancies. Some churches that tend not to need a permanent pulpit minister use a regular rotation of temporary ones. Many denominations maintain a database of ministers and pastors who are available for pulpit supply assignments. Pulpit supply ministers, therefore, have a number of opportunities for ministry open to them through this system.

Compensation is usually provided by the inviting church, with expenses paid for the time the supply minister provides his or her services. Some churches may use volunteer pastors or ministers to fill their pulpits on weekends, but this is not the norm for most church situations.

Ministers from a pulpit supply are different from ministers in an interim situation in that the pulpit provides individuals with multiple opportunities for ministry at a number of different locations, while an interim minister is assigned to a particular church or ministry for a given period of time. Ministers provided by a pulpit supply system may become interim ministers if the match is appropriate for the requesting church or ministry.

Teacher

There are three main sources for teachers in the church. Pastors, clearly, have the responsibility for teaching the congregation and local community about the Good News of Christ. Second, there are usually many individuals in the church with the experience, professionalism, and ability to teach classes and seminars. And there are a number of individuals outside the church with capabilities and other attributes that allow them to be considered teachers in the church.

The position, in and of itself, may not necessarily be a real position with a formal title. It may simply be a responsibility someone is given in which he or she provides instruction, exhortation, encouragement, and ministry to others in the church environment. Therefore, individuals in ministry as mentors, pastors, facilitators, instructors, and leaders may have a role as a teacher at some point in their time of ministry to others.

Since it is often difficult to determine the position of teacher in many ministry roles, it becomes obvious the teacher is simply an individual providing instruction to other members of the church or local community. The individual providing management and/or leadership principles to a leadership group may also be considered a teacher. And, the individual who ministers to single adults at one church may be asked to share some of his or her expertise with the single adults at another church. This person may also be considered a teacher.

Compensation for the individual in the role of teacher may be valid when using someone from another church or ministry to provide instruction and spiritual principles to groups in your church. It is not the norm to compensate a pastor or minister for teaching at your church. If one of your parishioners has a great teaching ability, and they are willing to utilize this ability in service in ministry, they should not expect remuneration of any type. Their ministry service should be considered part of their responsibility as a member of the church and community.

Certification or Ordination in the Church

Just as most churches and ministries require certain credentials (either academic, experiential, or conferred) to be held by members of their staff, most churches require staff leaders to have some sort of certification or ordination, usually acquired prior to joining the staff. In addition to the ordained (or certified, in some cases) staff members, some churches also ordain their elders and deacons. Many churches are led by a board of elders that oversees all of the ministries of the church. Their responsibilities may include preaching, teaching, administering the Sacraments, and keeping the church in order and structured for mission and ministry. Similarly, the deacons are responsible for maintaining a connection between the worship of the church and the subsequent service of the church to the community and the world.

By the nature of their responsibility and calling, elders and deacons are not normally compensated by the church. It is through their service to the congregation and their leadership abilities that they provide a service to the church. Compensation, therefore, is not appropriate.

Chapter 2:

The Definition and Purposes of Effective Position Descriptions

Over the years, many organizations have kept a set of job descriptions for their workers. These descriptions have been used as a reference when a position opens or it comes time to consider salary increases. Quite often, though, companies and organizations use the term job description interchangeably with position description. The latter is possibly one of the lesser-understood terms in the field of human resource management. They are not the same thing, although they can, arguably, be closely connected to each other, just not in the way some of us may think.

What’s a Job Description?

To keep things somewhat simple, a job refers to a task. It represents certain duties performed by a person with the skills, abilities, talents, and gifts required to do the work. Keeping this simple explanation in mind, a job can have multiple positions associated with it. For instance, an individual may be classified as a clerk, with a number of different responsibilities assigned. The responsibilities may be different for the clerk depending upon the ministry or department in which the individual is assigned. If a clerk is assigned to the business office, they may be given the title of office clerk, whereas a clerk assigned to the library may be given the title of library clerk. In both cases the jobs are basically the same in nature, but may be different and unique to the department in which the assignment is made. Although the title is the same in both examples, the responsibilities of the office clerk may be significantly different than those of the library clerk. Hence, the job of clerk can have more than one position association with it. A job description, therefore, gives an overall functional description of an employee’s job assignment.

Okay, So What’s a Position Description?

Position descriptions take the description for a generic job and add detailed information about the employee’s assignment—his or her area of responsibility—for a specific department or ministry. For example, job descriptions can be given titles such as administrative assistant or associate pastor. The position description for these titles at the functional (e.g., departmental or ministry) position level could be Administrative Assistant, Finance, and Associate Pastor, Administration. The position description, according to the definition used for this study, refers to the specific departmental position that refers to a function being performed on a specific ministry level. More than likely, there are multiple administrative assistants or associate pastors in many churches. But, there will only be one position related to a department head (e.g., Associate Pastor, Administration or Administrative Assistant, Finance) for each ministry.

Preparing Effective Position Descriptions

Ministry needs are changing quickly in the early part of the twenty-first century. With these needs come great opportunities for the church to grow and reach more people than ever before. Technology is quickly changing the face of Christianity, and the church must be prepared to meet these opportunities head-on. With these great opportunities come the practicalities of developing clear ministry goals and purposes and the appropriate staffing needs. During your planning