How do you handle growth when it comes your way? What do you need to do with staff, structure and scale as your church grows?
From record industry executive, to executive leadership at Cross Point Church and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Jenni Catron has led a lot of change.
In this episode, Jenni shares what’s she’s learned through over a decade of leading change in growing churches.
Welcome to Episode 25 of the Podcast.
Guest Links
Menlo Park Presbyterian Church
CLOUT: Discover and Unleash Your God-Given Influence
Links Mentioned in this Episode
OrangeConference.com/SeniorLeader
3 Things You Can Do Right Away
Growth can be uncomfortable, and change can be difficult. But in order to get the results you want to see in your ministry, are you willing to accommodate the growing pains that come with change? Jenni Catron tells us how to embrace the tension, make the transition and persevere.
- Face the uncomfortable. Sometimes your circumstances don’t make sense in the present, but when you nurture your situation with faith, the potential in other seasons is limitless. Keep tension in front of you when you’re in those seasons of growth and momentum, and stay in the vision God has put into your heart. Ask yourself, “Am I being faithful to what’s in front of me now?” Look beyond the current obstacle and focus on the outcome. The primary goal should be to reach people with your ministry and lead them to the gifts of the gospel; growth just happens to be the byproduct.
- Introduce new systems, but be prepared for pushback. In ministry we want to operate like a small family, and sometimes others are resistant to processes or systems in fear of a “corporate” feel. But the key here is balance. Identify the tension point and introduce a system as a solution rather than making it seem like an oppressive process. Be mindful that you and your staff may not be in the same season, but if you’re quick to identify the “what” and the “how,” it’s easier for others to embrace “why.” There’s also a fear that if everyone’s not happy, then maybe there shouldn’t be change; however, that’s a recipe for paralysis, and you won’t accomplish anything. Jenni says that sometimes you just have to shock the system and do something radical to start fresh and propel your ministry.
- Identify the “who” and “what” of leadership. Jenni gives a great analogy of leadership in the church being like the relationship between a car engine and oil. The engine is like the “who,” of the ministry, and the oil is like the “what.” The engine can’t run without the oil. The oil has to be healthy and tended to. But the oil is irrelevant if the engine isn’t running, so we have to pay attention to the people on our teams and how we’re managing them. There are also many Biblical references that support this. In the book of Exodus, Jethro tells Moses he was unfit to delegate; the job was too big for him. He reminds Moses that he’s going to wear himself out and wear out the people in the process. Sometimes there is a little bit of pride in you that says, “I’ve got this,” but we have to ensure that we have the right people in the right seats to lead because the engine will stall if the systems aren’t working well.
Quotes from Jenni
In every stage of growth, you have to face the uncomfortable. @JenniCatron Click To Tweet Sometimes you just have to shock the system and do something radical. @JenniCatron Click To Tweet Be comfortable with seasons. …Change comes with new seasons. @JenniCatron Click To Tweet We have to stay faithful to what God has called us to. @JenniCatron Click To TweetA New Episode Every Week…Just Subscribe
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Next Episode: Tim Stevens
How do you create a great leadership culture? Tim Stevens, author of Fairness is Overrated, talks about the essential elements every church leader needs to have in place in terms of personal integrity, finding the right team, building the right culture and learning how to lead in a crisis.
Subscribe for free now, and you won’t miss Episode 26.
