Prevent the High School Experience in Church


One of the labels that makes me ill is the division of volunteers into “core team” or “first team” instead of just team. I don’t know how many times I hear ministry leaders talk about how a team member is part of the “core team”. It is as if we are all back in high school, comparing ourselves and those we hang around based on who they hang around. Let’s examine what kind of impact this makes on your church and how you can prevent it.

Outsider Syndrome

Imagine what it must feel like if you are not part of the core team - you are second rate, less important, not a priority. If you are segmenting your team into primary and secondary teams, you are missing out. If someone is told they are not part of a primary team, most likely they will disconnect, care less, and often leave your team completely.

Team Division

If those outside of your core team remain, the team will become divided. Often, those on the outside will start to gravitate toward one another, often gossiping about those in the core team. Meanwhile, those in the core team feel better than those on the outside, so they often become more demanding or condescending of others. Teams become less effective in their outreach and activity.

Church Division

If this division comes from a staff member, or is allowed to escalate by the church staff, church division can emerge. Those within the church will often take sides, pointing fingers at the others or leave entirely. This may sound far fetched to some, but others may have already experienced this - it can happen!

Take a few minutes and think about how you may be segmenting your team into primary and secondary groups. Also consider if you are providing preferential treatment to some within your team. Spend time on your knees, asking for guidance on how you can better create a cohesive team and prevent turning your church into just another high school experience.

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You’re currently reading “ Prevent the High School Experience in Church ,” an entry on Agile Ministry

Published:
8.19.07 / 2pm
Category:
Featured, Volunteer Management
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