My first experience with the fruits of doing a job alone came in 1983. My children’s church room had been used for a reception the night before. Everything was in its place except a few eight-foot tables. I thought to myself, Why wait on help? I began to move the tables by myself.
When I went to lift the second table, I lost my grip and dropped it on my foot. As I was hopping around in pain, one of my workers walked in. If only I had waited five minutes. That day as I taught class with my foot in a bucket of ice, I kept thinking how dumb I had been. Later I went for X-rays, and for the next several weeks I had a constant reminder of what happens when you try to be the Lone Ranger.
When you delegate it allows you to accomplish more and helps others fulfill the call of God on their lives by using their God-given gifts. One of the reasons our ministries don’t grow the way they should is because we have not made room for others to get involved. Here are ten steps to being a good delegator:
1. Be willing to let someone else help you. The first thing Jesus did when He began His earthly ministry was recruit helpers. If the Son of God needed help, we need a bunch of help!
2. Identify the things you are doing now that others can do. There are people in your congregation that need to be needed more than you need helpers. When you make a list of things you are presently doing that others can do it releases you to do what only you can do. When you are doing in ministry what only you can do is when you will hear, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
1. Be willing to let someone else help you. The first thing Jesus did when He began His earthly ministry was recruit helpers. If the Son of God needed help, we need a bunch of help!
2. Identify the things you are doing now that others can do. There are people in your congregation that need to be needed more than you need helpers. When you make a list of things you are presently doing that others can do it releases you to do what only you can do. When you are doing in ministry what only you can do is when you will hear, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
3. Organize your ministry. Make job descriptions and flow charts for workers before you even have them.
4. Look within the church for faithful people. If you have workers who have proved themselves faithful turn more over to them. Jesus said in Luke 16:10, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,” Remember to coach, train, and model to your workers what you want them to do.
5. Identify the abilities and gifts of each person.
4. Look within the church for faithful people. If you have workers who have proved themselves faithful turn more over to them. Jesus said in Luke 16:10, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,” Remember to coach, train, and model to your workers what you want them to do.
5. Identify the abilities and gifts of each person.
6. If you don’t have a volunteer ready to put to work, do what the military does - draft! Look you those who are not involved in any ministry and ask them to help you. Don’t wait for volunteers to come to you, go out and get them. There was not one volunteer among the twelve disciples. If Jesus drafted, why don’t you?
7. Don’t ever do anything by yourself. Train new workers by taking them with you. When they can do the job without you, let ‘em. (Then they can take a new worker with them, and you can find someone else to train.)
8. After you have turned a task over to someone make sure you inspect and evaluate what they’re doing. Remember to be understanding and motivating. Workers do do what you expect they do what you inspect!
9. Don’t forget to check in with each key person. A simple call or memo lets people know that you care about what they’re doing. Be a coach. Help them grow and make improvements. Be an encourager!
10. Tell people how much you appreciate them. Without them you couldn’t be as effective or accomplish the things you are doing for the Lord. Workers who feel good about themselves do a better job. Saying thank you is always the right thing to say.
After you begin to delegate, you’ll have to change your organizational structure. The one thing that I know will never change is that I need to make changes constantly. I realize now that I used to like to be the one who was working harder than everyone else. But I’ve leaned that it’s better to work smarter than to just work harder.
Well, what are you waiting for? Start today to build your dream team. You don’t have to minister alone in children’s ministry. Go delegate!
7. Don’t ever do anything by yourself. Train new workers by taking them with you. When they can do the job without you, let ‘em. (Then they can take a new worker with them, and you can find someone else to train.)
8. After you have turned a task over to someone make sure you inspect and evaluate what they’re doing. Remember to be understanding and motivating. Workers do do what you expect they do what you inspect!
9. Don’t forget to check in with each key person. A simple call or memo lets people know that you care about what they’re doing. Be a coach. Help them grow and make improvements. Be an encourager!
10. Tell people how much you appreciate them. Without them you couldn’t be as effective or accomplish the things you are doing for the Lord. Workers who feel good about themselves do a better job. Saying thank you is always the right thing to say.
After you begin to delegate, you’ll have to change your organizational structure. The one thing that I know will never change is that I need to make changes constantly. I realize now that I used to like to be the one who was working harder than everyone else. But I’ve leaned that it’s better to work smarter than to just work harder.
Well, what are you waiting for? Start today to build your dream team. You don’t have to minister alone in children’s ministry. Go delegate!
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