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God is a God of structure, and yet, He is anything but boring. Whether you’ve taken the time to develop a ministry handbook that’s collecting dust in the corner, or you’ve avoided putting one together in lieu of shiny objects and curly-tailed squirrels, I have news for you. Ministry goals, organization, and policies don’t have to be boring. It’s worth the time to communicate better and breathe some life into crucial things that matter.
Keep reading to learn about a Ministry Handbook that can be a life-changer in your small church, from creating relationships to growing the volunteer team you’ve been praying for. Done right, a Ministry Handbook has the potential to:
- Build trust
- Increase momentum
- Practical ideas that will turn spectators and naysayers into raving fans
- Become the best volunteer recruitment tool on the planet
The Importance Of Ministry Handbooks
I know that Ministry Handbooks are not a super sexy topic, but hang on, because I might change your mind. Honestly, I love a good handbook because I’ve seen handbooks make an impact. You may have had different experiences, but most people have. However, the handbooks that I love might not be the ones you’ve seen.
A typical Ministry Handbook can be pretty boring. It’s full of a lot of details, policies, and mission statements that aren’t super attractive. They’re great to fall asleep to, but they aren’t really a motivator. Another sad thing is that no one usually reads it unless it’s required. Even then, they may thumb through it, but does any of it stick? Not usually.
If this is the image of a handbook in your mind, please toss that away. Picture this, what if the handbook was a storybook, and you were one of the characters? Would you be a little more interested then? I know I would! In this story, I’m not just a spectator, I’m invited on the journey. Can you imagine that?
We as human beings typically care about things that matter to us, and the handbook that’s full of boring details doesn’t matter to us.
I believe what ends up in a good handbook isn’t just important, it’s crucial. Your job, if you’re writing a handbook, isn’t just to list what’s important. Your job is to make those important things matter to the people reading them. It’s not just about making it look attractive, it’s about making the people a part of the story.
Why Do We Need Handbooks?
You only need a handbook if you want people to be excited about what you’re doing, or if you’d enjoy everyone being on the same page for a change. You would also need a handbook if you want to turn the negative, neutral, or naysayers into fans, or if you’d like a few more volunteers. A Ministry Handbook, the way I define it, is full of practical tools that will create excitement, communicate a vision, and build consistency and trust. I’m not saying you need a handbook for every task or role you serve, but a great handbook is perfect for the bigger ministry area as a whole.
Everything A Handbook Is Not
This handbook is not your entire volunteer training manual, although it will include major policies. This is not your entire long-term strategy, although it’ll definitely paint a picture of where you’re going. It also doesn’t act as a constitution, a form of bylaws, or a document used for governance.
This handbook is a tool about vision, about who your ministry is. It’s a tool for how others fit. This is a living, active piece of vision, and it’s on display for visitors and volunteers alike. You’ll refer to it at team meetings, in the annual meeting, and just for fun to get people excited about where you’re going!
5 Steps To Create A Handbook That Makes A Difference
1. Put the Reader In The Story
To do this, you need to know who this handbook is for and how it fits. Ask yourself, why would they want to read it, not just why it’s necessary. The handbook needs to meet their needs in some way. It shouldn’t be about your need to communicate, but, rather, their need for understanding and their desire to be included.
I believe that this handbook is actually written for everyone who walks into your church, from visitors to committed volunteers. The handbook that I’m talking about isn’t just filled with a bunch of details that only committed people are going to read. This handbook is the story of your ministry, and how others fit into it too.
I believe that every single ministry in a small church should be important to every person in a small church. This is one of the gifts of having a small church size. We are all in this together. I don’t mean that you need to serve in every ministry area, absolutely not. However, I think you should be a fan of other ministry areas, and you can’t be a fan if you have no idea what they do.
I encourage you to think about who this handbook is for, and put them into the story. Make it not just palatable, but exciting to read and easy to understand. Let them know where they can get involved or how they can support your ministry too.
2. Define What Sections You’re Going To Include
You may want to include your mission and your goals, as well as core beliefs, policies, and how to get involved. This will look different for different ministry areas. That’s why you have to define what sections you want to include. Some questions you may want to ask include: “What gets you from one side of the lake to the other?”, “What gets you where you want to go without zigzagging all over the lake?”, and “What will help keep you on track to your destination?”
One of the biggest tragedies in small churches is that ministries change visions depending on the leader, and the leadership changes a lot. If the vision changes every time the leadership changes, it can undo so much progress. If God created our church to be a body, then one person shouldn’t be changing the direction.
Decide what elements are important in telling your story, where you are, and where you’re going. Your handbook might have a section about who is involved and how to become involved. It could also include a section with a clear call to action and involvement. This could be how to step up and serve, or how to pray for us. Your handbook should probably include who to contact with questions.
3. Create Each Section With Your Ministry Teams
Do not define policy yourself, and don’t create goals on your own. Even if you’re the pastor, this is the quickest way to not grow a team and not be the body of Christ. People want to be included, and they have so much to offer. You are stronger together. We need to stop doing ministry for people or to people, and start doing more ministry with people. It starts here. Having a group of people to dream together is so beautiful. It is so much better to get input on missions and visions rather than doing it all on your own.
4. Make Your Handbook Pretty And Friendly
What I mean by this is, that you should make your handbook professionally pretty. Make it look like something you would want to read, not like an instruction manual everyone would fall asleep to. Be sure to use nice fonts, leave white space, create infographics, and use pullout quotes. Highlight the most important phrases. It’s important to make it easy to remember.
It is a waste of time to give people information they’ll never remember. If you’re the communicator and you’re the one who wants this information to make a difference for other people, then the burden isn’t on them to remember a 15-page policy section, the responsibility is yours to communicate in new ways that will help them remember.
5. You Need To Use It
If you’ve done this well, you’re going to want to use it in trainings, to recruit volunteers, and to communicate with visitors. Promote it to the whole church. Let them know why they should digest it, because they are a part of the story.
A Parting Principle
This principle is really important. If you skip this, the Ministry Handbook isn’t going to give you the results that you want. Don’t stop ministry while you do this. This needs to be happening concurrently with the life-changing ministry you’re already doing. Don’t press pause on ministry to complete this.
One mistake churches make is putting everything on hold while they define their mission statement. They assume that they can’t launch a ministry until the handbook is done. Churches sometimes make this process so begrudging, that, instead of gaining momentum, they lose the momentum they had! So, do it quicker than you think it needs to happen, but go slow enough to be intentional, and don’t stop doing ministry in the meantime. Publish as you go.
Remember Why It’s Worth It
If you’ve never done this before, it might seem like a lot of work. However, this doesn’t have to be difficult. I want to encourage you to start somewhere. Don’t pray about it for the next 3 months, just take a baby step. This will get your momentum going. Keep an out out for the potential help of team members. If you don’t have the skills to make it pretty on Canva, I promise you that someone you know does.
The Impact A Ministry Handbook Has On Volunteers
Let’s say that a volunteer has the option to work on two different teams, and they have to choose one. Letting people know that there is structure and support shows others that you value the ministry and the call of Christ. It also shows them that you value the needs of whomever you’re serving, and that you value future volunteers. People will want to serve with you if you show them that you value them and are committed to setting them up for success.
A Ministry Handbook is a great part of the picture, and it will make your job easier too. There will be fewer stressful conversations, disagreement, and confusion about things that have already been decided. Decision-making will get easier because so much is already decided and agreed upon. You will also have more people willing and able to step up and cover for you when you have to be gone because it’s clear what you’re doing. Don’t be overwhelmed while thinking of a Ministry Handbook, just get started. You can totally do this!
Read More:
Why You Need A Worship Ministry Handbook
