I’ve always been extremely thankful that the guys on our staff at Midtown operate more like a family than a business-like team who exists only to accomplish tasks. What do I mean by that? We are actually friends. We actually like each other, and we hang out a lot. This breeds a genuine sharing of life, where we repent and confess sin to each other and we have each other’s backs. So staff retreats and meetings are hard work, but also a lot of fun. Though Midtown is the only church I’ve ever really worked at, I’ve always had a hunch that we are the exception and not the norm. I don’t want that to be true, but it just seems like it is. I came across this quote today regarding this issue and thought it worth sharing:
“Your staff culture has to represent the culture you’re trying to create in the wider church. That’s one of the biggest misses in contemporary church work. You have a business-run, top-down, bottom-line culture yet you’re trying to bring around a loving, transformative culture in your community. It just doesn’t work.”
–John Peacock leads the Axis ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois.
I hope all of our churches and staffs can hear this with humility and represent the transformed family that we are called to be.