• You do not enjoy being around one another.
• You hardly ever have any fun together.
• You think everyone in the room (except for you) is a complete moron.
• You don’t trust each other.
• You constantly interrupt each other without letting the other person actually complete their thoughts.
• You rehearse the fights you perceive to be coming in your mind before the meeting.
• You have no one on the team that will actually speak the truth.
• You always look for the easy solution rather than the right one.
• You are not fully engaged in the meetings that you are involved in.  (If you are checking email, facebook and tweeting during a meeting then you are NOT fully engaged and are under-serving as a leader!)
• You are obsessed with being recognized rather than seeing how you can serve.
• You constantly come up with solutions that make your job easier and puts more strain on the people whom you have given the responsibility to lead.
• You always try to make sure everyone around the table is always happy with every decision that is made.
• You have people at the table that are personally irresponsible with their finances.  If they are responsible with their own…then why would it be any different when it comes to the churches?
• You have a resume.  (I recently told our entire staff, “if you have a resume then I either want you to destroy it or send it out!”  If you have a resume that simply means there is always a thought in your mind of going somewhere else!!!  ”But what if they fire me,” you ask?  I say if you are an awesome worker then you won’t need a resume, people will find you!  See Proverbs 22:29)

So, how’s your team?

Today I wanted to give a list of six things that we should always consider when hiring new staff…and…these are things in regards to how we should never hire the person…

#1 – Who you have to talk yourself into. (If you cannot convince yourself that this is the right person for the job then you will not be fully supportive of them in their new role, which is completely unfair for them!)

#2 – Who you could not trust with your social security number! (Character flaws are a HUGE warning sign and can never been compromised–period!)

#3 – Who you would not want to spend time with outside of work. (I once had a leader tell me to never hire friends, which was a bit odd to me because as I read the NT I’m pretty sure that the guys who worked together liked one another and actually spent time with each other outside of work.  Call me crazy…but I hire people that I like, or at least believe I will enjoy spending time with.  Why in the world would a leader hire people that they do not like and then complain about the people that they have to spend 40-50 hours a week with?)

#4 – Who can do the job “for now.” (TRUST ME…it is better to have NO ONE fill the position than the wrong person fill the position!)

#5 – Who is a “victim!” (What I mean is that it has never worked out for them anywhere else they have worked…but, it’s not their fault!  ”Those other people” just didn’t see how awesome, gifted, talented and godly that they were!  If they spend time bashing their last employeer…it is just a matter of time until they are saying the same things about you!)

#6 – Who Has ZERO Passion! (The church cannot afford passionless people in prominent positions…life is too short and hell is too hot to have people on staff that do not care about Jesus, people far from God, the church and it’s vision!  A person with no passion will always seek to do the least amount possible…and people like that never make a difference!)

This is the person that if you tell them you want to land a 747 on the stage of your church they immediately begin to brainstorm as to how it can be done.  They have a fire and passion and really do believe that NOTHING is impossible with God.

However, they ARE realistic!  I have several members on the team I serve with that will say, “I love that idea Perry, now, let me tell you what it will take in order for that to happen,” and then they proceed to tell me the things that I may not be aware of in regards to the implementation of the vision.  They aren’t saying we can’t do it…they just want me to know all that it is going to take.

I LOVE THIS…I love it when staff are realistic…every leader should.

#2 – “Can’t Do”

Many times these people like to refer to themselves as “the devils advocate,” they are always finding reasons things can’t get done and seem to bring a negative tone to every meeting they are in.  I have said it before, I will say it again…the devil does not need a freakin advocate, he is doing fine all by himself.  The person that is always saying that something can’t be done is USUALLY saying so because if the vision that is being cast is put into play then it will cause either a greater amount of work for them…OR require them to leave their comfort zone.

These people drain the crap out of you and are not an asset to your team!

#3 – “Won’t Do”

These are the people on staff that are more obsessed with their gifting than their calling…and so if they are asked to do something that isn’t in line with their perceived gift then they refuse to do it.  (Which in case their “gift” has now became their idol!)

If a staff member (including the senior pastor) isn’t willing to do whatever it takes to make the vision happen then that team will NEVER accomplish all that it could accomplish.  If someone on staff makes it a common practice to declare what they will not do in regards to executing the vision of the church then they are not pursuing Jesus (who washed feet in John 13) and need to be confronted in love and challenged that our gifting does make us unique…but we all have the same calling, to do whatever it takes to reach as many people as possible who are far from God.

#4 – “Didn’t Know I Could Do”

The disciples had no idea they could do what they wound up doing until a leader came along (Jesus) who was constantly challenging them to go beyond themselves and attempt the “impossible.”

John Mark had no idea of what he was capable of until Barnabas believed in him.

Timothy was just a guy in the church until the Apostle Paul spotted greatness in him and asked him to assist him in his ministry.

And there are people in our churches and on our staff that are able to do way more than they are currently doing…they just are unaware of it because a leader has never dared to believe in them nor challenged them to leave their comfort zone.

It is a powerful thing when the people believe in their leader…it is even a more powerful thing when a leader believes in the people he has been given stewardship over.

If something goes wrong, if a mistake has been made or if we have dropped the ball then the last thing I want to do is find out about what has happened “through the grapevine.”  And…I don’t want half of the story either.  (Many times just half of the story is told in order to “protect” the leader…when actually quite the opposite is true.  “Protection” is knowing all of the facts…ALL of them.)

Tell me the truth…always.

(AND…leaders, it is up to you to create this type of environment.  If you have a nasty habit of “shooting the messenger” then it is quite likely that you do not know the whole story in regards to what is happening in your organization.)

#2 – Don’t let me be the emperor that has no clothes!

I don’t know if you have read “The Emperor’s New Clothes” lately…it is a really funny children’s story that, unfortunately, isn’t so funny when it is played out in church world.

Once again…I need the truth from the people around me.  I do not view those who God has placed around me as a liability but rather an asset…and I can honestly say that I have had numerous bad ideas as a leader over the past several years that have not made their way towards implementation because there are men and women around me who are willing to say, “Dude, we love you…but…that’s a bad idea.”

Leaders…it takes a secure person to be able to create this type of environment.  You can either do this and reap the benefits…or you can surround yourself with “yes men” who refuse to tell you the truth because they fear you more than they fear the Lord.

#3 – Keep short accounts with me

We are a team…God has called us to serve Jesus together and the enemy would actually love to divide our leadership team way more than he wants to divide our church.  (Because…he knows if he can divide us…the church will follow!)

As a team we will have spirited debate.  We will disagree on decisions that have been made and/or how things should be done in the future.  When this happens let’s be respectful, honest and refuse to allow a root of bitterness to develop among us.   Life is too short and hell is too hot for us to allow anger and frustration with one another to continue to fester.

#4 – Be willing to put your personal preferences aside for the greater good of God’s church.

When people’s main filter of making decision is ran through their personal preferences the entire organization will always gravitate towards comfort and conformity because doing so is always easy…and as human beings we have to be aware of this natural tendency to drift in this direction.

Jesus didn’t call us to take up our mattress…He commanded us to take up our cross.  This is hard…and many times it will mean putting our personal preferences aside in order to see God’s precepts carried out.  We always have to be serious about putting pride aside and embracing whatever it is the Lord wants for us.

There has never been a church on the planet that has made a significant difference because the leaders were obsessed with always having their own way (this includes the senior pastor!)  Let’s continue to beg God to conform and transform us so that we can do all HE has in mind for us to do…even when it places us in a perpetual state of discomfort.

#2 – Do I find myself attacking other people whom I perceive may be more skilled than me?  (If so then you have insecurity issues!)

#3 – Is there anything happening privately in my life that, if it became public, would disqualify me from ministry?  (”Your life” is NOT “your life!”)

#4 – Do I value my calling to serve Jesus and His church over my perceived gifting?  (If the answer is yes then you will do anything at any time to move His church forward.  If the answer is “no” then you will develop a deep sense of entitlement that will cause you to believe that the church should completely be sensitive to your wants and needs above the call to preach the Gospel and reach the world for Christ!)

#5 – Would I attend this church if I were not on staff?  (If the answer is no then you need to do yourself, the church and God a favor and resign right now!  You cannot serve a church that you do not love–period!)

#6 – Do I always have to be the expert OR am I willing to have others step into my particular area of ministry and point out my blindspots and shortcomings?

#7 – Am I always telling others how tired I am?  (If so…SHUT UP!  You are IN THE MINISTRY!  It’s HARD!  Make sure you are taking a day off to rest and relax and then GET ON WITH IT!)

#8 – Do I get angry when I do not receive the recognition and praise that I deserve?  (If so…repeat this phrase, “It’s not about me!”)

#9 – Am I honestly giving my best effort?  (See II Timothy 2:15!)

#10 – Would the people who are closest to me at work say that I am a walking example of Philippians 1:27?

#2 – Fear of Man – God has called His people to set the world on fire; unfortunately, too many church leaders today waste their time trying to put fires out and make people happy!  Scripture pretty much sums it up in Proverbs 29:25!  If your first question is always, “what does our biggest giver want” and “not what does God want” you church is stepping into the casket!

#3 – Pride – When a church and/or it’s leaders are not willing to admit a mistake OR that a method that used to work just doesn’t work anymore…it’s over.

#4 – Staff Abuse – This is something I’ve written about a lot lately…but I will say it over and over again, when a leader cares more about what his staff does than who they are becoming then he will begin to push them to put in 70-80 hour weeks on a consistant basis…and when they begin to show signs of being pushed too hard he will accueses them of being “disloyal” or “not bought in enough to make things happen.”  When a leader begins to do this (and other “leaders” sit by passively and watch it happen) then the quality of staff members the church is about to attract and keep will decrease significantly.

(One note on this…many times a pastor/leader who leads like this is lazy!  They often wait until the last minute to do things and then expect the entire staff to change and rearrange everything they are doing to accomodate his lack of planning.  Changes DO happen in ministry, heck, we had to switch up our entire Easter services at the last minute.  BUT…this should be the exception and NOT the norm.  AND…when it really is the exception the staff will always respond with passion and excitement because there is a consistant track record of loyalty TOWARDS them!)

#5 – Loss of Focus – When a pastor/leader (or group of leaders) become more obsessed with their “ministry platform” and begin to dive into other “ministry opportunities” and do so with such frequency that they cease to love the people that Jesus has called them to minister to…disaster is right around the corner because the church will become nothing more than a resource for the pastor to promote himself rather than a group of people whom God has brought together and given him responsibility over to love and lead.

You are a curious, quick, meticulous front-end web developer who can take Photoshop or Illustrator files, wireframes, or Sharpie sketches and craft them into web pages. You are passionate about Jesus and His Church. You care about the web and its users. You’ve been hand-coding HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP for about 3 years and are well-versed in cross-browser compatibility techniques. You believe code is a craft and can be beautiful. You enjoy working in an open, collaborative environment, can make accurate deadline estimates, and have architectural familiarity with ExpressionEngine and CodeIgniter.

Bonus points are awarded if you’re familiar with version control (we use Git), social web APIs (like Facebook and Twitter), and user experience and mobile web design. Small, nondescript trophies await you if you’ve dabbled in typography, color theory, and layout.

This position is full-time and onsite at our campus in Anderson, SC. Send links to your portfolio, your resume, and a cover letter. If you don’t have an online portfolio, this job will not be a good fit for you. No phone calls or faxes please.

Please contact the Central Operations Team with any questions.

#1 – Would I attend this church if I were not on staff?  If the answer is “no” then you should resign…immediately.  God hasn’t called people in the ministry to work with a half hearted effort…and if you don’t believe in the vision/mission of your church enough to say that you would be there if they were not paying you then I am afraid your hearts isn’t there anyway.

#2 – Would I volunteer in the area I am working in if I were not on staff?  This question speaks to motive…if you would not volunteer to do the job you are being paid to do then, once again, you’ve got to ask if your heart is really there.  (If you do not LOVE what you do then you are not going to be able to do what Scripture commands in Philippians 2:14 and Colossians 3:23-24).

#3 – Do I feel entitled?  There is nothing worse than a staff member (including a senior pastor) who has an entitlement mentality.  These people believe the church has latched on to them and would sink if they were to leave (which is never the case.)  Reality is the church doesn’t owe anyone…she’s God’s Bride and we (volunteers and staff) are the ones who latched on to her in regards to our gifts being pulled out of us and developed for HIS Kingdom.

#4 – Am I a tither?  If you are not tithing and giving generously to your church…your heart isn’t there.  Don’t argue with me…JESUS said it!  (Matthew 6:21)  Also…how in the world can someone who claims to have integrity work on a church and spent the tithe money of other people when they are not actually giving any themselves?

#5 – How clean is my office/work area?  The answer to this question determines how well a person is willing to steward the resources that God allows them to use…AND how they feel about the church as a whole.  (And…a staff member CAN and should be held accountable for this.)

#6 – How much do I complain about my job?  A staff member who is always complaining most likely is not operating in their area of gifting.  I’ve told my staff, “I KNOW your job is hard…it’s ministry, we’re on the front lines.  A marine on the front lines in a way is never surprised when someone shoots at him…he doesn’t begin to whine and tell people how hard his job is.  Ministry is, hands down, the hardest job you will EVER have!

#7 – Am I concerned about my particular area/team…OR about the church as a whole?  Staff members need to be willing to have uncomfortable conversations with people if they ever perceive something to be “off mission”…even if it is not in their direct area of responsibility.  A staff is a team…and everything impacts everything else.  Staff members who fail to realize this will eventually create silos that actually begin to compete with other departments on staff rather than partnering with other staff members to kick satan in his cookies and advance God’s Kingdom!

When a person isn’t performing their job in an adequate fashion…TALK TO THEM, don’t just cut them loose!  They are real people, with real lives…and sometimes they actually have REAL problems.  A leader who only loves his staff when they are performing at maximum potential but will “cut them” at the first sign of struggle is pathetic.

Don’t buy into the “fire a certain percentage of your staff every year” philosophy.  I have heard that line taught at leadership conferences and I just don’t buy it.  Why?  Because let’s say you are on staff…and you hear your leader say, “I fire BLANK percent of my staff every year.”  Uh…does that motivate you to be loyal…or does it scare the heck out of you?  Staff members should be motivated, not intimated by their leader.  AND saying that people are going to be fired “just because” will NEVER bring about an environment of loyalty.

Hang out with your staff.  It’s sad…but many leaders have bought into the “you can’t be friends with the people you lead” lie.  Personally, I think you can’t be friends with the people you lead if you are an insecure leader.  I love the fact that the people I lead with I also do life with.  They see me in an environment outside of the church…which allows them to trust me more (and I trust them more as well.)  The leader who wants to be a celebrity to his staff may be effective in getting them to kiss his butt…but they will never be truly loyal to him.

Have integrity!  The people on staff (and in your church) always need to see that you are smokin’ what your sellin’!  In other words…we can’t preach a value if we are not actually living it out.

I’ve alluded to this before…but believe the BEST about them.  Don’t listen to every negative word and story you hear about the people you work with an immediately receive it as true…but actually sit down and have a conversation with the person that works with you.  A staff member that NEVER gets the benefit of the doubt from his leader will eventually never offer them that same benefit.

Don’t think that just because someone questions a decision that you made that they are automatically against you and are in the process of leading a rebellion against your leadership.  God has used some GREAT staff members who had sincere questions to direct me away from making some REALLY bad decisions…and if I had dismissed them as “disloyal” then I would have been both wrong AND stupid because I would have followed through on a wrong decision.

#3 – LISTEN TO THEM!

One of the greatest mistakes I’ve ever made as a leader is to make a decision that impacts a group of staff members without allowing anyone from the group that was being impacted any sort of input on the decision.  We do this as leaders because it is easier and faster…but what is easy is hardly ever what is right!  (AND…if you are always obsessed with the quickest and easiest way to get something done…the “end” is a lot closer than you think!)

Today there is hardly EVER an instance where a decision is made around here that someone from that area isn’t allowed the opportunity to dialogue with our leadership team through the decision.

• Why would I make any sort of decision about youth or children’s ministry without actually talking to our youth or children’s ministry team?
• Why would I make any sort of decision about programming without actually talking to the people who serve on our programming staff?
• Why would I make any sort of decision about our volunteering process without talking to people who serve with volunteers?

I could go on…but you get the point.  When a staff member feels like they had an opportunity to be involved in the conversation and ask the questions that were on their mind they are WAY more likely to buy into the decision that was made, even if they don’t agree with it.

(By the way…some people call people who want to be listened to “disloyal!”  I call those who want to be listened to “leaders!”  You can have leaders or followers around you…and only a secure leader is willing to answer questions from his staff that will clarify the vision!)

#4 – Say “THANK YOU!”

One of the things I have realized is that MOST staff members aren’t looking for a ton of recognition and/or huge monatary rewards…they just want to be told, “thanks!”

Reality is this…if we are not careful as leaders we can CRUSH the enthusiasm of a staff member…because…we all have people on our staff that ONLY get recognized if they screw something up.  (Sort of like an offensive lineman in football!)  BUT…if they show up, get their job done and do it well, then for some reason a leader thinks he can just allow that to go unnoticed…and this is an incredible de-motivator to a staff team.

Leaders…trust me, we CANNOT underestimate the power of saying “thank you.”  I’ve heard leaders say, “well, I’m not going to thank them for something they are supposed to be doing.”  That statement is both foolish and irresponsible.  A leader who is QUICK to recognized “the bad” in a staff member but never stops to recognize “the good” is irresponsible.  (Or maybe he/she is unaware!  Trust me…”thank you” is HUGE!!!)

#5 – Lead With Integrity

If you want your staff to buy into your leadership then integrity HAS to be valued, pursued and encouraged.  Because once a person sells out their character it undermines the platform that God gave them to stand on.

AND…leaders…if we do not make integrity an issue…then one day it WILL BE AN ISSUE!

Staff member cannot buy into a liar.  At the end of the day they’ve GOT to know that you say what you mean and you mean what you say.

• This means when we screw up…we admit it.
• This means that when we don’t do our part…we admit it.
• This means that when we are struggling with something…we admit it.
• This means that when we declare direction…we are the first to step in that direction.

Leaders…at the end of the day all we really have is our integrity.  Either people believe what we say or they think we are full of crap…the latter will always result in shattered dreams while the former will always result in a team of people who are on FIRE and CONSUMED about the reality of what could be and should be, and will never stop short of the vision that has been declared.