Robin Steele

This is specifically written for pastors.  However, everyone can use these principles for leading any organization.

1. Write 5-10 hand written notes of encouragement every week.  Pick a random group of people that either stand out with serving, are in need of prayer, new to the church, or been faithful since beginning.  Pick kids, teens, and adults.  When you send a note to a kid, you send a powerful message to their parents as well.  Write 4-5 sentences that personally connect you to them.
2. Invite someone to lunch or coffee every week. Find someone in the church that you know has potential.  Reach out and get to know them over a quick lunch or coffee time.
3. Preach better. Spend time in prayer and study.  Do not only study the Bible, but also study other speakers.  Watch videos of yourself.  Ask for people’s feedback on your speaking.  Be strategic about what you want people to know, feel, and do after your message.
4. Make sure the morale is strong with volunteers. Spend time before service going around different areas of ministry and personally connect with people.  This doesn’t mean that you talk for a long time.  This means that you talk to them about their role and ask something personal.  Remember details about them and ask about them the next time you see them.  Find out if there is anything that can be done to make their job easier.
5. Work hand in hand with the Worship and Tech teams. Make sure those teams know every transition detail.  Over communicate cues and changes that need to be made.
6. Analyze each service on Monday. What went wrong? How can we remedy it?  What went right? How can we repeat it? Ask team members for their feedback on how their area went.  Listen to what people are saying and respond.
7. Promote clearly. Make sure the congregation knows when you are doing things.  Don’t overwhelm them with too many announcements, but give them clear and accurate details for all events coming up.
8. Study Rick Warren’s 5 Church purposes. Pastor Rick teaches a powerful lesson on worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, discipleship.  Are you balanced with events, sermons, wording, website, small groups, etc that are reaching the community, crowd, congregation, committed, and core?
9. Invest in things that build momentum. When we build the kingdom of God, we will spend money. The options on what to spend money on are limitless. Have a good budgeting system of people/committees.  Find things that produce for your local culture.  Social events? Guest Speakers? Gifts? Outreach projects? Staff?  Don’t be afraid to spend money on the right things.
10. Invest quality time into 10-12 people that are your core leaders. Go above and beyond for your “disciples”.  It would be ideal for everyone in your church to also have 10-12 disciples in their life.  Model this like Jesus did for us.  Spend quality time with them. Invite them into your life.  Challenge them when necessary.