BEST PRACTICES PART V

Profiles and Conversations with Ministry Leaders.

A few years ago, Dr. Tom Nees published a book containing interviews of "K-Church" pastors, (Nazarene pastors who pastor churches of 1000 or more) in an attempt to understand the effective practices we've adapted that may have contributed to our church's growth. Today I will continue to share excerpts from his conversation with me. 

In my last post Tom asked me "As you've changed the programs to meet the needs and schedules of those you're adding to the church, what changes have you had to make in the organizational structure of the church? What internal changes have been necessary to drive this growth?" 

After I shared my answer (see link at bottom of this post) he asked me this question: 

Dr. Tom Nees - "What changes have you had to make in your personal leadership style?"

Bud Reedy - "We have 16 on our pastoral staff now, 9 of whom are part-time bi-vocational who have been hired from within. Those 9 people are involved in theological education by extension. These are people who have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit at Stillmeadow and called to the ministry. They see Stillmeadow as a place where it's easy for people to say yes to the call of God upon their lives. Every time we add a staff person, everyone else's job description changes, including mine. 

I remember John Bradshaw- a popular psychologist back in the '80s - who said that a symbol for a family in balance is like a mobile that hands over a crib: it's made up of animals or little planes hanging from strings, and when one of them moves, they all move and all adjust in some way - some higher, some lower, some to the left or to the right. That's my view of what must happen when you add or lose a staff member - everybody needs to adjust. In the 18 years I've been a Stillmeadow my job description has changed 18 times."

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In my next excerpt I will respond to Tom's question, "What is distinctive about your worship experiences?"

To view Part I of this series, please click HERE.

To view Part II of this series, please click HERE.

To view Part III of this series, please click HERE.

To view Part IV of this series, please click HERE.