Robbie D’Orazio
Summary 1
1-25-19
CHMN 360
The first chapter of The Ministry Staff Member dealt with the beginning days of
becoming part of the staff of a church. These days are incredibly important for a new staff
member as making a good first impression and starting to build some initial trust are all
factors. Building connections and relationships with people needs to be a priority of a new
staff member. Making a concerted effort to get to know the people around you is something
that should not be taken for granted. It’s important to ask the right questions and go the
extra mile the first few days of working. The next chapter focuses on determining the
objectives and goals of your ministry. In order to come up with objectives and goals, you
need to become a good listener. A collective and collaborative idea from a leadership team
in the ministry is often much stronger than one you could come up with by yourself. It is
important to be patient with this process as well. It is also very important to communicate
the objectives and goals to people of the church. More people will come on board with the
ministry if you tell them your mission and vision of the church. All people want is
communication and to know where and what direction the ministry is headed. The final
chapter discusses getting the job done. Getting the job done is all about being an effective
leader and stresses the importance of communicating to others where the ministry is
headed. People don’t want to work blindly but want a vision and a goal they can understand
and work towards to achieve. To do this, the leader must select the right leaders and only
encourage change at appropriate times.
1. “Leave your comparative and competitive spirit behind you.” Pg. 23
2. “Focus on people, not performance.” Pg. 23
3. “Be the leader of listens to people.” Pg. 41
4. “Leadership gets the job done.” Pg. 98
Application:
The first application is about leaving your comparative and competitive spirit
behind you. We live in a world that is all about comparing and winning. I am a victim of
being way too competitive and striving to win at almost everything I do. Instead of
criticizing and competing with my fellow workers or the ministries around me, I need to be
focusing on my ministry alone or working together with other ministries. Being committed
to the job that I was given involves complete focus and comparing can hinder that. Also,
getting into the habit of encouraging and lifting up the people around me is very important.
Next, there is an application for focusing on people, not performance. Being an
effective ministry leader comes down to connecting and building relationships with other
people. That is where trust will form and that is why it is so important to make people a
priority in ministry. I am very hard on myself about performing at a high level and I need to
understand that my performance can be dictated by the people and the relationships I have
formed around me.
Furthermore, it is important to be the leader that listens to people. Part of being a
good leader is getting input and suggestions from the people around you. Being a one-man
show is not is not a cause for an effective ministry. Having more of a team dynamic can
really push the ministry into new heights and that starts with creating an atmosphere that
prioritizes listening.
I, Robbie D’Orazio, have completed the reading of the entirety of Chapters 1, 3, and 11.
Finally, leadership gets the job done. This is a basic, yet essential principle to have as
a ministry staff member. Understanding the characteristics that come with being an
effective leader are very important. Being consistent, collaborative, committed, caring, and
conscientious are all important qualities of being a good leader. Making a concerted effort
to establish these qualities in my own life will only allow me to be a more effective ministry
leader.
