multi-staff church

i have been thinking a lot about how lucky i am to be on a multiple staff. we have three full time pastors and a full time office manager to help run the show. we are all able to balance each other pretty well. bud (the senior pastor) is the ultimate people person. he would rather be hanging out with others then planning the sermon although he preaches really well too. but relationally he is top notch. he can relate with everyone at every different level. everyone loves him. greg(assistant) was officially hired to do everything that bud didnt have time to do. greg oversees and organizes all the ministries of the church lifestudies (sunday school), minichurch (sermon based small groups in multiple homes), music (he leads the worship team) he is basically the organized pastor. i am then left to manage youth ministries which is nice because i have a focus.

we all do visitation, premarital counseling, host dinners, host our own minichurch.

where one of us might be week the other is there to fill in the gaps. when one of us doesnt have time to do something we help each other to achieve the job possible. then wanda is their to keep us all in order so we are able to get it done efficiciently. it is great. but the four of us do not finish the multiple staff.

i have also been wondering how it would work in a church where there is only a solo pastor. he cant be a jack-of- all trades but in a sense he has to. but then i considered that we do not do everything ourselves. for that i am thankful. i would be a lot more tired. i would be burnt out. when i considered that every church if done right is a multi-staff church.

here are the staff positions that i came up with for our church. imagine if we had to do it all.

we have 9 board members
we have multiple life studies (nursery--adults) teachers
we have "women in ministry" who leads dinners for shut ins, prayer chain, puts together dinners and more
we have multiple mini church leaders
we have people who lead discipleship groups
we have others that are involved in the evangelism ministry
+ music team
+ sound techs
+ visual team
+ moms group
+ garden club
+ tellers
+ treasurer
+ trustees
+ kids club workers
+ youth sponsors
+ trash collection
+ custodians
+ counselors

i think i could go on and add a few more. but it is obvious that we are not a 4 person staff. we have at least a hundred people that are involved in some form of ministry. they are unpaid but as much needed as the paid staff that we do have. so i am thankful for all of those involved. and remember those who are "solo pastors" you always have someone else helping you.