Stretch Out Church

“Good afternoon, New Hope.  How can I serve you?”

“Hi Marcy, this is Sheila.  Is Pastor John ready for me?”

“Let me check.”  There was a short pause.  “Connecting you now.”

“Hi, Sheila!  How is the new job?”

“Good.  I had my first day today, which was mostly paperwork and some training.  We will get into it more Thursday.”

“That’s good.  Are the girls down for the count?”

Laughing, Sheila responded. “Yes, they are.  I am glad you could talk with me a bit.”

“I got your email.  I assume you are on limited time because of the napping schedule?”

“Yes,” Sheila answered.

“I thought so.  I will get to it then.  You sent me the list and the 3 questions.  First, let me tell you that I think the list is great.  I didn’t expect all of this, but it will help both of us so much!”

Sheila was very happy to hear this. “Sarah did a lot of it too!  Don’t forget you set me up with her.”

Pastor John laughed.  “I remember.  I want to share a little about your questions.  When I asked you to take the lead on the developmental group for the new church plant, I didn’t have a specific requirement of people.  As we have talked and discussed, it would seem best if you at least had a broad group.  Here’s why.  If you only have motivators on the team it would be like a group of 8-year-old boys.  They can come up with ideas and talk a lot of people into stuff, but they need oversight.  They need someone to guide them, someone to challenge them, and someone to build the ramp they want to jump!  Or, like having 11 quarterbacks on the field at once.  Everyone wants to lead but someone has to block, or catch, or run.  If you had 6 setters on the court how would that have worked?  Someone needs to spike and block and setters don’t do that very well.

If you only have providers, then they have no planner and leader.  This would be like putting workhorses in a thoroughbred race.  They can do a lot of work, but are not built for other things.  You have certain horses for certain types of races.  Providers will gather and accomplish a lot of work, but do it best if someone else has made the list and, maybe, even bought the supplies!

If you only have motivators and energizers then the meetings will be great but nothing gets done.  Pep rallies are fun but that doesn’t win a game.  A team still has to go out on the field and play.  Without a balance of people then it can spin wheels but make no forward movement.  I don’t think you have to have all of these, but I would seek God’s lead in that to make sure.  Which, oddly, would be a solver thing to do.  They could help discern what is needed and what is not.  Do you think Sarah is on board?  She did put her name down.”

“She did tell me she would be interested if I needed her.” Sheila thought of her conversation and noted that a coffee run was going to be in order soon.

“I would see what she thinks.  I do know these on the list and they are good people.  You might not have known it, but Sarah has been here a while.  She flies under the radar a lot, but she started coming here as a youth and stuck around.  She knows a lot of people and I think you can trust her instincts.”

“I really appreciate you helping me with this today.”

“Sheila, the pleasure is all mine.  I mentioned earlier that this was going to help me too.  As you have developed this list with your three questions it made me stop and think that we need to make sure we have the right people in the right places also.  I loved how you put in committees and ministry areas under these people.  Obviously, God can work through any person He chooses.  So, I don’t want to tell people they can only do this or that because of their style.  However, they will receive more joy and satisfaction from service within their style area.  There will be overlaps and dual-style people.  But all of us have a style that God has wired us with and should work first in that style.  As we begin to serve and receive the joy, God will deepen the relationship and broaden our skills as He sees fit for His church.  The work you are doing for the new church plant will also help us at New Hope in a great way. So…thank you!”

Sheila was taking it all in when she realized he had stopped speaking. “You’re welcome.”

Sheila hung up the phone and quickly sent an email to Sarah.

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