Rules for quarterbacking ministry

If you see yourself as a quarterback for the ministry team (as opposed to head coach or owner) you might be interested in taking a look at Bill Parcel's Commandments for quarterbacks reframed for leaders in ministry.

1. Folks who are casual participants in the ministry or don't really participate don't really understand the framework the team is working in. Don't ignore them, but realize that they don't know all the ins and outs of what the team is trying to do. Ask them to come to the next ministry team meeting and get a recap of what's going on.

2. Don’t forget to have fun, but don’t be the class clown. Clowns and leaders don’t mix. Clowns can’t run a ministry event.

3. A leader in discipleship leads with her heart more than her mind. Know your passion and don't compromise it. Leaders in it for the obligation will not be able to overcome the dips of ministry.

4. Know your job cold. This is not a process without errors. Keep yours to a minimum. Study- theology, team building, leadership, and management.

5. Know your own team members. Who loves detail work? Who can write? Who needs encouragement? Be precise. Know your opponent (in ministry as well as sports, there is another team on the field).

6. Be the same person everyday. In condition, preparing to lead, studying your plan. A senior minister can’t prepare you for every eventuality. Prepare yourself and remember: impulse decisions usually equal mistakes.

7. Letting a bad idea go is a good play. Confusion, lots of work for little impact, lack of direction and focus are bad plays. Protect against those.

8. You must learn to manage the discipleship opportunities. Gifts assessments, play call, motions, core purpose, proper reads, deciding what to follow up with, when to start small and increase the ask or ask big then go to small. Timing, timing, timing: when to lean in, when to lean out, don’t you ever lose track timing.

9. Numbers are not how you’re gonna be judged (ultimately). Your job is to get your team in the discipleship growth and that’s how you’re gonna be judged.

10. When all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand that steers the ship. If you have a panic button, so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have panic buttons.

11. Don’t be a star of ministry. We don’t need any of those. We need battlefield commanders that are willing to fight it out everyday, every week, and every season, and lead their team to growth opportunity after growth opportunity after growth opportunity.

See the original commandments at billylegget.wordpress.com