Doubling

An expectation for a staff person at CTK is "that you will be growth oriented and plan on serving twice as many people as your presently do. Organize with growth in mind. Plan for the future." This statement is included in the "General Expectations" section of our job descriptions. This expectation implies:

1. That we are pulled by vision, instead of pushed by need. We start behaving like a church of 100 when we are a church of 50, like a church of 1000 when we are 500. This proactivity positions the ministry toward the future and keeps us from accepting the status quo, or getting stuck in a rut. An exercise that every pastor should engage in regularly is to take out a piece of paper and write at the top "My ministry at double the size." Then start to bullet out what that would look like. Would it require an additional service? Additional staff? Reorganization? A different meeting place? Once you know what it would look like you have ideas about what it will take to get there from here.

2. That we plan for growth before it happens. The time to plan for the next wave of people is before they come, not after they've come. If you don't have the classes, teachers, parking or seats to double, you won't probably need to worry about it. The 80% rule has said that a room feels "full" at 80%, but my experience is that the pressure will build in the parking lot or bathrooms long before that. By thinking "double" you can get ahead of the growth curve (and the challenges that always attend growth).

3. The next horizon is always clearly before us: doubling. A key question to always be asking is “How can I serve twice as many people as I presently do in the coming year?” Start by assessing your current ministry. For instance, if you currently have responsibility for a worship center that has an attendance of 75 people, the next horizon would be 150. Would serving 150 people require a second service? Start now to plan for that second service, and take some first steps. If you serve in a clerical role and create 10 documents a week, how could you get to 20? Could you recruit a volunteer? Could you standardize some processes? What are your first steps? Identify the key areas you oversee and come up with a plan and first steps toward doubling.

The story that Jesus told of the talents implied doubling as an expectation: The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.” (Matthew 25:20) Results certainly may vary from the story. We plant and water, and God gives the increase. But in our planning and preparation, we should be getting ready for a 100% return on investment.

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The General Expectations section of the job description was something that I wrote over the years to describe some of the things that I hope to see from everyone in the CTK story, regardless of job title. When expectations are "general" there is a tendency to think they are "unimportant." In actuality, I consider these to be some of the most important things we could expect from each other:

That you will maintain a growing relationship with God. 10+10. Read. Meditate. Pray. Share.

That you will be highly committed to the mission of CTK. Willing to sacrifice for it. Willing to endure hardship for the cause of Christ.

That you will develop open, honest, protective, and supportive relationships with other team members. Talk with colleagues, not about them. Clear the air. Be positive. Work through problems.

That you will be confidential about sensitive matters. Don’t share confidences. No gossip. No talking with people who are not part of the problem or the solution.

That you will take responsibility for your area of ministry. Own it. Have a vision for it. Develop it. Take initiative. Take care of it.

That you will be personally organized to keep track of important dates, phone numbers, assignments and instructions. Have a day timer. Set up a filing system.

That you will strive for excellence in everything you do. Pay attention to details. Ongoing improvement.

That you will be growth oriented and plan on serving twice as many people as your presently do. Organize with growth in mind. Plan for the future.

That you will limit your span of care to not more than five to seven people for yourself and those you supervise. Develop leaders. Redistribute the work. Keep it manageable. Break it down.

That you will promptly follow-up on contacts with 48 hours. Assignments from Sunday morning completed by Tuesday morning.

That you will develop systems that give people clear ownership of the ministry. Schedules. Job descriptions. Procedures. Phone #s. Team leaders. Team rosters. Team meetings. Organizational charts.

That you will recruit people for your area, with strong leaders and administrators being placed in strategic places. Identify, recruit, deploy, train, and support volunteers.

That you will create redundancy in your area of ministry. Supervisors, emerging leaders in place to easily substitute. At least two people who know every job and are empowered to carry it out.

That you will think ahead and anticipate concerns and areas of need before they become a crisis. Know what the problems are. Address them. Be proactive.

That you will help to create and maintain a positive working environment for the people who serve under you. High morale. Lots of encouragement. Thanks for a job well done.

That you will promote your ministry area to the rest of the church. Newsletter articles, classified ads, program announcements, word of mouth.

That you will innovate and take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. Take us to places we’ve never been before.

That you will communicate weekly with your supervisor and report areas of concern, success, progress. Notify about absences, vacation time, etc.