It’s 2-0. 2-2. 4-2. 6-2……..18-14.  “Would you shut up! Are you the scoreboard or what?” Ouch. I was about fourteen years of age playing in a pickup basketball game calling out the score every time a basket was made when that stinging rebuke came my way. I didn’t think much about it but I was always into details and statistics from early on as you can tell. I like to know where I stand. I hate playing a game where no one keeps the score. It is a waste of time in my opinion. I would rather get stomped in tennis than play and not keep the score. I think details are important.

As an example, I will drive past three gas stations to get to a Quik Trip. My reason? Always clean restrooms, a variety of selections, and quick friendly service. Occasionally I am on the road and stop by a random station with dirty restrooms. Yes, details do matter! Maybe some store owners or managers think a clean restroom is an unimportant detail. But I know that Quik Trip has made a few bucks off of me because they always attend to this important detail. That is what outstanding organizations do. They pay attention to the details. There are no little things to the outstanding organization. Everything matters and everything makes an impression. Everything you do compels your followers and/or customers to become more or less loyal. Pay attention. Don’t neglect the details. By the way. My team  won that pick-up game 24-20J

Adapted from Chapter Forty-Four of John G. Miller’s Outstanding; 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional

Two weeks ago, I walked you through the first two principles of what needs to happen when a church leader finds it necessary to dismiss a volunteer. While the context was specifically about the need of a addressing a volunteer Bible study leader, the concepts have wider application. Here are more ideas to work through should you find yourself in this difficult situation:

Consider implications without compromising convictions

Suppose you have been serving in your leadership role for only a few months. What if the volunteer that needs to be dealt with has been serving for fifteen years? You would do well to proceed with much caution in this circumstance. The swiftness of action will be dramatically different if you have been on the staff for fifteen years and the volunteer for only a few months. What are the implications for your leadership if you confront a long-tenured Bible study leader if you are new in your position? Do not hesitate to tackle issues related to moral failure, severe scriptural violations, or teaching that contradicts essential doctrines immediately in order not to compromise convictions. However, other issues may need to be overlooked or addressed more casually at this point so long as those convictions are not violated. You may, for example, not appreciate that a Bible study leader is often late but you may or may not want to make an issue of it at this point. Pray for wisdom in knowing which problems to confront and when to confront them.

Another possible implication is the loss of members. You always risk losing the volunteer as a leader even if the issue is minor. They may take offense at the confrontation no matter how mild. In addition, you may lose the person that is confronted as a member of your church. Is it possible that they will influence others in the congregation and that division will arise or families may be lost? I am not suggesting that you do not need to address the leader, and the more severe the issue the more important it is that corrective measures are taken. The key is to consider the implications prior to taking action. The congregation may actually be better served if the person is removed or chooses to leave. Place the protection of your church’s biblical convictions and reputation first but do not neglect to weigh implications when addressing issues which although important are negotiable in the short term.

Take caution against neglecting scriptural precepts

What does the Bible have to say about the issue at hand? What does the scripture teach about the restoration of believers who have failed? The teaching of the scripture absolutely takes precedent in all of the circumstances described in this article. The suggestions that I am sharing are based on experience, wisdom, and practical application for dealing with volunteers. Ignoring problems or failing to confront difficult situations will not make them go away. Balancing compassion and confrontation is a challenge for all leaders. Study the scripture, pray for wisdom, and seek to address problems with integrity that is Christ-honoring.

Talk through the process before there is a problem

What would you do? Confronting problems can be awkward, stressful, and detrimental to relationships and the reputation of a church if not handled correctly. Sometimes it is better to talk about a problem when there is not a problem. Consider taking leaders through potential scenarios in the absence of specific problems and discuss them at a meeting with your leaders. You can conduct the discussion somewhat more objectively in the absence of an actual real time crisis.

Get insight from your current leaders on the manner and procedures for addressing problematic situations henceforth. You might consider taking what is learned in the discussion to develop agreed upon guidelines for future reference. A team can be designated from among your leaders and in turn you can present to your volunteer the process for dealing with difficulties in the future. A process such as this will not eliminate conflict but may reduce some of the stress involved since the manner for addressing problems was developed and agreed upon by volunteers or Bible study leaders from your church.

Establish written standards and guidelines for Bible study Leaders

Written standards can assist you in dealing with problems much more objectively. Although you may be objective it is easy for someone to take your opinions as a personal attack. Applying church guidelines will lessen, though not eliminate, the personal nature of any confrontation. Do you have leaders who arrive late each week? Take a moment to find the document that describes what time their arrival is expected and underline that section. Do you have leaders that do not participate in training? Take another moment and underline the section of the document that describes the number of hours or frequency of involvement in training expected by your church. If you cannot place your hands on these documents you are postured for greater difficulty in addressing leadership concerns. Many problems that churches have with Bible study leaders and volunteers are simple failures of communication.

Call together a group of leaders to serve on a team. Assign at least one leader from all of the life stages: preschool, children, students, and adults. Ask them to develop minimum standards to serve as guidelines and expectations of Bible study leaders as well as procedures for dealing with difficult situations.

You will find that it is awkward, stressful, and unsettling to deal with most problems severe enough to consider releasing volunteer or asking them to step down. Do not neglect to address issues on one hand and do not proceed rashly on the other. Above all, pray for God’s wisdom and always remember that restoration is preferred whenever possible.

This article is taken from my book Sunday School That Really Responds.

What would you do? What would you do if you had a Bible study leader that needed to step down? That may be putting it politely. Perhaps action needs to be taken to remove the leader because of a serious issue. How do you remove a volunteer? Here is the first of two parts to help you navigate this touchy situation.

Diagnose the severity of the issue

The urgency of any action and the consequences of inappropriate behaviors are not the same in every circumstance. The way in which you should address failure of a teacher to show up one Sunday and a severe moral failure on the part of another teacher will not be the same. Begin by diagnosing the severity of the issue. Consider the following questions to assist in your evaluation:

1. Is the issue related to the skills of the teacher? Proceed slowly if this is the case. The objective in this situation is to provide instruction, training, and resources to help the teacher develop the needed skills. Keep the leader in place as long as there is willingness and progress in developing the needed skills. Assign a mentor or coach if needed to aid in assisting them in their growth.
2. Is the issue related to the commitment level of the teacher? Proceed deliberately with deference to your church’s written guidelines and standards in this circumstance. If your church does not have any written guidelines then their actions are not the root of the problem. You have left guidelines to their own interpretation and they may not understand that there is an issue. Meet with the leader to discuss the concerns if the guidelines are being violated and give them opportunity to explain the circumstances, to recommit, or to come to agreement if the issue is negotiable.
3. Is the issue related to a doctrinal error? Proceed deliberately with deference to your church or denominational doctrinal statements in this circumstance. The Bible itself certainly takes precedent when considering doctrinal concerns. The challenge may be one of interpretation or opinion. A summary of doctrinal beliefs can serve to clarify the understanding and conviction of your church. You should respond immediately if the error contradicts a doctrinal essential such as the deity of Christ or the exclusivity of Christ for salvation. You should respond cautiously if the error is not essential to Christian faith such as timing of events like the rapture or the meaning of symbolism found in the apocalyptic scriptures. You may need to agree to disagree while coming to an understanding that the leader will not deliberately or overtly contradict the local church’s conviction on the issue. You should respond with grace if the issue is related to preference. Believers sometimes take their own experiences or traditions and elevate them to a level of conviction that is not supported by scripture. Be cautious not to alienate a great leader over issues such as music style or preferred furniture for the worship center.
4. Is the issue related to a severe violation of scripture or moral failure? Take action immediately when a leader is involved in a moral failure or commits a severe violation of scripture. The aim should always be to bring believers to repentance and restoration. However, leaving someone in a role of leadership when they have deliberately chosen to engage in actions in direct violation of scripture can have an adverse effect on the ability of your congregation to minister in your community. Pray for discernment with the understanding that while the error cannot be overlooked an appropriate degree of privacy and confidentiality should be maintained when and if possible.

Work with key leadership through the process

Addressing the problems of volunteers is somewhat different than those who are compensated for their service. Accountability cannot be totally ignored but the leverage for dealing with difficulties is lesser with volunteers. A person who receives compensation may have a designated supervisor or team with the authority to take swift action when difficulties arise. Taking unilateral action to remove a volunteer is not ordinarily acceptable in most volunteer organizations such as a church.

Bringing key leaders into the process has several benefits. First, accountability for evaluating the circumstances with accuracy is enhanced by bringing others into the process. Perhaps other leaders have awareness of information that an individual does not. Secondly, objectivity is maximized by including other leaders. Addressing problems unilaterally may be interpreted to be personal when the actual issue at hand is sincerely the problem. Thirdly, involving others adds gravity to the concern. The fact that a group of leaders has a concern rather than an individual helps the offender understand the seriousness of the concern. Fourthly, bringing in other leaders provides protection for you as the leader of the Sunday school ministry.  Moving from inquiry to potential action may require the endorsement of the pastor or other key leaders to accomplish the task at hand.

To be continued…

This article is taken from my book Sunday School That Really Responds.

Does the name Babe Ruth ring a bell? The avid sports fan certainly knows who that is. Even the less acquainted are likely aware that he held the Major League Baseball record for home-runs for almost forty years before being surpassed by Hank Aaron. During the three years prior to Ruth’s dramatic hitting career, a young pitcher on the same team recorded a 2.28 earned run average as a starter and had a winning percentage of .671. Do you happen to know who that was? Yes, you sports geeks know exactly who I am talking about. The young pitcher was none other than Babe Ruth. Ruth was on his way to perhaps becoming a Hall of Fame pitcher with stats like those.

However, he did not continue to serve the team as a starting pitcher. The coach determined that he would be more valuable playing every day, going to the plate four to six times per game, to drive in runs and give the offense a punch. He did not know that he would set the record for home runs when the change was made. What if he had balked at the decision? (I could not resist the pun.) You may have never heard of him. Who knows how the rest of his career may have gone as a pitcher. He may have excelled or he may have flopped. We will never know. What if he said, “I don’t want to play every day. I like pitching every fourth game.” What if he liked the spotlight of being before the crowd for every pitch instead of only five or six plate appearances?

What about you and your role? Do you like your position in the organization? You should at least have some affection for it and there is no harm in aspiring to greater things. However, a leader should never have the attitude of “I don’t know what I would do if I could not do this job (hold this position).” A growing leader is capable of holding several different positions with a degree of effectiveness and will excel where he or she is placed in the existing organization or in another organization for that matter. For one to possess the attitude that they cannot thrive in any other positon or any other place than where they are is not flattering. Hyper-specialization should not be confused with limited skill sets and lack of personal development. You serve your organization to help accomplish the mission. The mission must be superior in priority to your position. Otherwise, unhealthy internal competition, diminishing competence, and the undermining of your own credibility will result. You will best help those you serve now and in the future by placing more emphasis on the mission and less emphasis on your position. It is commitment to the mission that will get your organization to where it needs to be no matter what your position may be. The mission must take precedence over your position!

One of my favorite sayings about idea generation is as follows: Every good idea eventually degenerates into work! That is so true. In organizational life, great ideas require the time and energy of team members to prepare, promote, implement, and maintain. You need to ask some questions prior to the investment to maximize the likelihood of success or effectiveness. Begin by recognizing three myths about new ideas:

• If the idea is new, it will work.
• If the idea is creative, it will work.
• If prominent organizations or churches are doing it, it will work.

I have seen so many ideas flounder in my years of leadership simply because the thinking was that newness, creativity, or what turned out to be an anecdotal success story were indicators of a “no miss” idea. When an idea does take root and flourish, it Is not because it is new, creative, or because it worked somewhere else. It is important to ask the right questions before implementing a new idea. The answers can save headaches, false starts, failures, and wasted effort. Here are the first two with others to follow next week:

1. How will the new idea help you to accomplish your purpose? I served as a student pastor for over a decade. I often received requests and suggestions that the group conduct fundraising activities for a variety of needs ranging from cancer research to assistance of wounded veterans. These causes are certainly compelling and worthy of the time of volunteers. However, I never allowed these types of ideas to take root. Why not? It was outside the scope of the ministry that I was called to lead. The purpose of the ministry was to make disciples with an emphasis on evangelism and spiritual development of teenagers. While it may have been a good idea, it was not a good idea for the ministry I was called to lead. Effective leaders only accept and generate ideas that are consistent with the purpose of the group or ministry.
2. What is your process? Some ideas need to be vetted through others. In your organization or church, does the idea need the approval or consent of anyone else? Is there an executive leader who needs to sign off on it? Is there a team that you are accountable to? If so, how do you get their permission or affirmation? How do you present the idea to them? How is your relationship with them? That really matters because the better the personal relationship, the greater the trust, and in turn the faster and more likely the idea can move forward. The process can also add accountability and perhaps enhancement to the idea. Some ideas will work best with an overwhelming “buy in” from the members of the organization. How will you make that happen? What is the process?

The point of this is not to “throw cold water” on your ideas. The point is to get you prepared for success. Anybody can have an idea. It takes an effective leader to make it happen. Check back next week as I share four other important questions to ask before adding something new.

How many alarms did you hear last year? Car alarms, fire alarms, burglar alarms, weather alarms, and on and on it goes. I heard one last weekend as Tropical Storm Hermine bore down on my location in Charleston, S.C.  I heard several last year in various settings and locations. You walk through a parking lot and hear a car alarm and ignore it. Why? Not your problem and likely a false alarm anyway. Somebody turn that thing off! It’s irritating. A fire alarm recently went off at my home church during morning worship. “Is that real? Do I need to get up? Can somebody turn that thing off so we can continue with the service?” Fortunately, it was a false alarm. However, ignoring an alarm can be deadly.

It is easy to ignore alarms. John G. Miller points out that one of the great risks to any organization is “complacency.” When things are going well in an organization or a ministry it is easy to cruise along and enjoy the ride. And you should to some degree. However, the alarms that you hear are too easy to ignore when you are enjoying the ride. There is only one way to coast and that is downhill. What gets an organization to where they are (the pinnacle of success) may not get them to where they desire to be (sustained success). Do you hear the alarms sounding around you? Perhaps you have a great organization, great employees, great leadership, but the landscape is shifting right under your feet. What changes do you need to make? In your own leadership? In your ministry?

Here is Miller’s warning to organizations: “Complacency is a state of satisfaction combined with an unawareness of potential danger……..You must talk about continuous improvement and process enhancement. You must remain vigilant always knowing there is room for improvement. However you say it, the message is the same: Stay alarmed.”

Adapted from Chapter Forty-Three of John G. Miller’s Outstanding: 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Outstanding