Church staff members work hard. There’s no doubt about that. Sometimes, we may feel underappreciated or that our members do not understand the amount of responsibility we bear. We may also feel obligated at times to cater to everyone’s preferences, but that is obviously impossible. Discussions about these frustrations sometimes break out in the Facebook group, providing a safe space for church communicators to relate to one another.
Discussion:
Here is one example. Adam Stetson posted, “What’s the most common misperception of your church… by people who are part of your church?”
Here’s some comments!
“That most of the staff are full-time employees.” – Sean Johnson
“That because of our size, money can be spent without limits.” – Dajanny Berges
“That because we are just sitting at our desks when they come into the office for something means we aren’t that busy.” – Starr Stackhouse
“That everyone there feels the same way they do about something. We’ve had quite a few discussions where someone will say ‘we’ or ‘everyone’ when voicing an opinion that maybe 3 other people share, and then they’ll get angry at leadership for not listening to them.” – Toby Cato
“That because the church is growing, they don’t need to serve or we have ‘enough’ serve team (members).” – AshLee Frymier
“That we’re trying to create a Sunday environment that *they* enjoy, not one that’s meant for unchurched young families.” – JD Webb
“That the staff (members) are the only ones who are responsible for discipling others.” – Rachael Parks
“That the staff has any extra time and is just sitting around doing nothing waiting for the next project. 40+/part-time. And not done with the to-do list.” – Marcy Carrico
“That somehow our staff promoting events and services helps growth (more) than personal invites from members.” – Daniel Pratt
“That church leadership should be perfect!” – Jonathan Rowe
“That everything is ‘good enough’ so we don’t need to change or make improvements.” – Rachel Shanower
“That I’m the IT guy. (No, I’m not the Computer Guy. Calling me the Computer Guy would be like calling a carpenter the Hammer Guy. The computer is simply a tool to me.).” – Greg Shore
“That supporting the church financially is needed only when they attend worship.” – Nancy Diaz
“That introverts are ‘unfriendly’ and therefore can’t serve on pastoral staff/youth ministry because they are not ‘exciting’ or ‘energetic’ enough.” – Alayna Marley Kemery
Conclusion
These frustrations are mostly caused by misunderstandings regarding the responsibilities of church staff. Working at a church is not as easy as it may look. In fact, it’s quite demanding. As church communicators, we should be transparent with our congregations. We should let them know what projects we’re working on, who’s working on them, and we should even delegate some level of responsibility to volunteers. When it becomes frustrating, we will remain patient and maintain a servant’s heart. Stay strong, comrades!
