10 Steps to Communicate a Pastoral Transition
The decision to let a pastor go is never an easy one. But once the decision has been made, it’s important to handle the situation with grace, dignity, and respect. After all, this is a […]
Not the Fun Guy on Staff
Hey Fletch … I’m not the fun guy on staff. Do you have any ideas or resources for doing some fun or creative or helpful activities together that might help us? I’m thinking eating and […]
Fletch Answers Your Salary Questions
Bring your salary questions. This special episode is devoted to the issues that you raise. Bring your biggest headache, the hardest question or a common issue. See if Fletch can answer it. Our money is […]
Avoiding Succession Sins (or Potholes)
What has changed since Covid on Pastor Succession? What are the biggest mistakes and traps that do-it-yourselfers in this process tend to make?
The webinar will address these topics and:
- How a church can multiply its […]
Compensation: A How-to from the Salary Guru
Fletch knows church salaries! He will walk you and Mike through how to set compensation for your church staff. This will feature the just released Salary Forecaster 2025. The Forecaster is free and has […]
Is There Life After Ministry?
Helping Staff Transition To What’s Next
A question that lingers in the hallways of church offices and in the hearts of some pastors is, “Is there life after vocational ministry?” We know ministry work is more […]
When and How to Change Ministries
Questions to Consider Before and After You Decide to Leave
Feuding Cripples Church— That headline was plastered on page 1 of the city newspaper. By a 17-6 margin, the deacons and trustees had voted the pastor out. […]
Five Reasons You Might Not Be Hired
You can learn from other’s mistakes. If you avoid these areas, the chances of a long-term successful career at your next church will be greatly improved.
I recently had the opportunity to correspond with a group […]
When the Ground Shifts: Understanding the Magnitude of Ministry Transitions
Growing up in Southern California had its constants—the eternally pleasant 75-degree weather, the ever-congested freeways, and the notoriously high cost of living that always seemed to outpace a pastoral salary. It also had its unpredictability—the […]
5 Ways to Protect Against Being a Bad Boss
There was a recent study that showed that two Walgreens stores had completely different success metrics and employee retention even though they were close to each other, had the same clientele, had the same layout, […]
Unleashing the Potential of Performance Evaluations
Performance reviews: Everyone knows they’re necessary. Almost all organizations have the expectation that employees will participate in at least an annual review—a few attaboys or some harsh scolding—that will motivate that employee through their next […]
Is There Life After Vocational Ministry?
When I was a pastor, I would have days where I thought I was the luckiest person on earth. Standing in front of a couple renewing their wedding vows, preaching a message I was passionate […]
Sabbaticals—Sayonara or Siesta?
Leading a church can be a 24/7 role. Even when taking a regular day off, stress can accumulate over the months. Many churches have instituted sabbatical policies to help their key leaders get needed rest […]
The Two Biggest “Misses” in DIY Senior Pastor Succession Plans
Pathbreaker Pastors and their churches deserve to see ministry momentum multiplied through a planned pastor succession process. Sadly, that rarely happens with churches and pastors that do it themselves. Why is that?
Dave Travis has answers […]
An Important Ingredient in the Hiring Process
Long before I entertained the idea of being on staff at a large church, I was asked by our Executive Pastor to go to dinner with a candidate for our open Children’s Pastor position. I […]
The Power of a Restorative Sabbatical
Pastor, could God use a sabbatical to re-energize your passion, realign you with His direction for you and your church, and restore your soul towards sustainability in the next season of serving? Let me take […]
This is the Perfect Season to Add a Residency
When resources are tight, and getting tighter, it could be the perfect time to add a residency to your staff team. Residency is a two year ramp towards full time employment that gives you an […]
Managing Creatives
Creative types are leaving the church. Many feel overworked, burned out or had unrealistic demands. The creative person is essential for your church and has a huge role to play in Christ’s kingdom. Some of […]
Letting Your Pastor Go: Without Destroying the Pastor or Your Church
Church transitions are difficult, but they don’t have to be destructive. No one gets into church leadership to scatter the sheep. They often want the best for the church and its members, but the transition […]
Marketplace Team or Ministry Family?
If you knew there was someone out there who could tell you your future, wouldn’t you want them to tell you? In my book Transitioning Well, I give a glimpse into a possible future and […]
Residency Programs in Churches
As a church leader, you might have a clear vision of your church’s next steps. Do you have the team that will help you get through those steps and each level beyond? Maybe you had […]
Seamless Succession Planning
Pastoral Succession has been a taboo topic for far too long, but the truth is that every pastor is an interim pastor. Whether you are ready or not, succession is going to happen. Will you […]
Senior Pastor Smart Succession
Lots of Senior and Lead Pastors are thinking about succession. In the next five years, pivotal leadership in your church could change. How you approach a succession can be the difference between sailing on a […]
3 Job Description Misses that Might Cost You
How accurate are your employees’ job descriptions?
Most places I’ve worked might present a job description during the application process, but by the time the employee is one year in, their responsibilities have morphed so many […]
The ROI Of Employee Engagement
A New Way To Measure Your People Development Efforts
According to Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report, 85% of employees are disengaged in their work. But how do we measure improving that alarming stat? A huge […]
Working Remotely Challenges
Apple’s director of machine learning (Artificial Intelligence), Ian Goodfellow, resigned from his role just four years after joining Apple and returned to Google. Why? In his email to his team he said the change […]
Insights on Compensation & Inflation
Compensation has a huge question mark this year. With inflation and a changing economy, churches are wondering how to pay their staff. Tune in to learn about new high-level data that ChurchSalary has to offer […]
Are Furry Coworkers in Your Future?
Normal working conditions changed considerably in the past few years. I’m not sure we would have envisioned executives in pajamas from the waist down with a cat in their lap and kids running through the background […]
Taxable Sabbatical Expenses
Hey Fletch … Our elders developed a sabbatical policy that provides our pastors with benefits that includes normal salary and benefits. There is additional pay for activities like meeting with mentors, studying, developing relationships with […]
Compensation in 2022: Raises, Bonuses, Perks and Inflation
This year is a crazy year for compensation. Inflation is high and house prices are even higher! How can you give adequate raises to your staff? What bonuses and perks should you offer? Fletch and […]
How to Create a Staff Structure that Supports Your Strategy
Building a team that is aligned and achieving mission together is one of the greatest joys of leadership. But most ministry leaders right now are feeling the pain of staff turnover and leaner teams, while […]
Hiring For Things You Can’t Find On A Resume
It can be easy for a candidate to look good on paper, however most times, a resume just scratches the surface. A resume can reflect more of a candidate’s ability to reflect themselves in a […]
5 Things Great Teams Do Consistently
What separates the good teams from the great teams? Everyone has different opinions, but Holly and her team at Leadr have done the research and have found the 5 things that every great team does consistently. […]
Hiring In 2022 & Beyond
Attracting Top Talent With Flexible Staffing Solutions
Hiring takes an average 36 to 42 days from an application submission to the first day on the job. The gig economy, and other unconventional hiring methods, could fill […]
Marijuana, Edibles and CBD Policy
Hey Fletch … Should our church have a policy on the use of cannabidiol or CBD oil? Our Lead Pastor is concerned about this. This stuff is legal in our state. We have a youth […]
Org Charts that Work
Designing an Organization Chart that Aligns, Empowers, and Unlocks Your Team
Building a team that is aligned and achieving mission together is one of the greatest joys of leadership. How do you effectively design the team […]
10 Things Your Hybrid Church Staff Wish You Knew
It’s estimated that by the end of this year, 53% of the U.S. workforce will be remote. For comparison and perspective, just five years ago in 2017, roughly 5.2% of the workforce was remote. We moved […]
How Not to Take on Undelegated Responsibility
Some personality types, like mine, simply love taking on a challenge and taking on responsibility. It comes naturally, especially for leaders. Taking responsibility is a good virtue and it is celebrated in every sphere of […]
Burnout in Your Church: Recognize the Signs
As someone who has been burned out, I know it’s not a question of if your staff is experiencing burnout, but how many of them are already burnt out.
Most people have no clue. I know […]
A Rule of Life for Executive Pastors in 2022
As I write this, it’s less than three weeks until 2022. Budgets are, by and large, complete. The staff Christmas party is right around the corner. Staff members are wrapping up the last of their […]
I’m a Controlling Pastor
The following is an anonymous article from a pastor. It could be from a senior or executive pastor, or a pastor who leads a department. No solutions are given to working with a controlling pastor, […]
When We Let Staff Members Go
What Is Ours to Do When We Let Staff Members Go?
A blanket of sadness covered the office that Thursday as we waited anxiously to know whose names would be called. It was eerily quiet for […]
Finance Director Role Description
Enjoy this sample role description for a Finance Director. Note that it has percentages of time for each area. Always include percentages so that everyone is aware of time expectations. When doing an annual review, […]
The Great Resignation … and What To Do About It
Back in May, we started a discussion with William Vanderbloemen. At that time, he said: We’re calling 2021 ‘The Great Covid Churn.’ Now, that churn has expanded into what is being called The Great Resignation. This […]
Board Fires Pastor
The line from the Apollo 13 movie comes to mind: Houston, we have a problem. Many high-profile minister failings can be traced back to the board not holding the senior pastor accountable. This isn’t just an […]
Balance Before Burnout
Dealing with Significant Church Issues
Covid is the current stress factor for pastors. At day 584 and counting, it has brought many pastors to burnout, more than any other event in our lives. This discussion will […]
Creating a Legacy Life Plan: What most older pastors said they should have done sooner
Join Fletch and Dave Travis, Director of Strategic Counsel to Pastors & Church Boards at Generis, for this fascinating topic. Dave has a vast perspective on how to build a productive legacy season in seven […]
4 Ways To Avoid Burnout
Are you ready to trust—and relax?
Because to avoid burnout, you need to encourage your church employees to pour back into themselves a little each day – while you reinvest in yourself, too – so you […]
A Theological Case for Sabbatical Policies
Every faith-based organization—especially churches—should set itself apart from its business and government counterparts by putting a sabbatical policy in place not as a perk or a benefit but rather at the heart of its organization’s […]
Hiring in the Post-Pandemic World
There is and will be a great deal of turnover in staff positions in the post-pandemic world. What do staff searches look like in this new landscape? Some think that it will be “same old, […]
Assessing Ministry Competencies
The free e-book, Competencies of a Ministry Leader, is for any ministry leader, from the best peak performers to those burned out and needing rest. Wherever you are on that continuum, this assessment will help […]
Helping New Hires Succeed from the Start
Launch: The First 90 Days
When a new hire begins working at your ministry or organization, the first 90 days are a critical time for them to get onboarded and start well. Studies show that how […]
Employee Handbook of Christ Community Church
Sue McKinney is the Executive Director of Christ Community Church of Milpitas California. She is also a student in the XPastor courses. While taking 101—Staffing, she worked on the church’s Employee Handbook. In […]
Mosaic Church Selected Job Descriptions
Kirk Morgan is the XP of Mosaic: A Jesus Centered Community of Littleton, Colorado. He created some high level job profiles for the staff in his first year as XP. These are perhaps the easiest to […]
Succession Planning & Post-Covid Hiring
We’re calling 2021 “The Great COVID Churn.” Because of the exhaustion, burnout, and uncertainty people have experienced over the last 12 months, Churches are seeing an enormous increase in turnover and hundreds of pastors are […]
Senior Pastor Succession: What the Executive Pastor Can Do to Help It Along
The pandemic season has done two things for a Senior Pastor succession thinking. For many, some long-term senior pastors under 60 years old and now planning to hand over leadership over the next few years.
On […]
Hiring for the Future of the Church
If going through this recent pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that it’s critical for churches to have an online presence and engage with our online community. Not to mention, engaging digitally can fuel incredible […]
Ministry vs. Business Resumes
Hey Fletch … I have an excellent black and white style business resume but I’m not getting much response. After looking at the Great Resumes on XPastor, I may know why. Are churches really […]
Code of Conduct
Hey Fletch … We are hiring a part-timer in the tech area. The candidate is a great person, well qualified and a new believer. The issue is that I think he is living with his […]
Bad News Can Be “Bad News”
We’ve all been there. We’ve heard bosses, supervisors and even friends fumble, stumble and ramble when attempting to bring bad or difficult news to someone. Whether it’s a team or an entire company, a whole […]
Determining Staff Salaries & Benefits for 2021
Fletch, William and Sutton walk through the vital area of church compensation and benefits. In a difficult year, many churches have faced reorgs and/or budget cuts, which means compensation and benefits must be assessed as […]
Internship Applications and Checklist
David Middlebrook talked with Fletch in the webinar, “Federal Courts Adopt Pro-Intern Approach.” A question came about applications and checklists for interns. Dave was so kind as to offer to make these documents available. Thanks to […]
Communications Director, Westover Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, 2,200 in worship
Director, Communications
Scope
The Communications Director is responsible for leading churchwide communications efforts to both promote and strategically communicate Westover Church vision and ministries AND to creatively draw people to Christ through various media. The Communications Director […]
The Next Big Trend for Churches Post COVID
Fletch talks with William Vanderbloemen about the next steps for the church. We are in challenging times and COVID-19 is here for a while longer. Perhaps the end date will be the arrival […]
Communications Director, Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown, West Virginia, 2,500 in worship
Communications Director
Time Commitment: Full-time
Reports To: Programming Director
Summary
Responsible for alignment and standardization in communicating the Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategy of the church in various social media, electronic media, print, and weekend services.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Include […]
Modeling Leadership Transition
Leadership transitions are crucial. A successful handoff propels an organization forward in its vision and strategies. Rocky transitions cause multitudes of ongoing issues, from which some organizations never recover. This is true for churches, for-profit […]
New Law Requires Employers to Pay Certain Benefits to Employees
Michael E. Batts, CPA, is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants. Along with partner Michele Wales, CPA, and CPA Kaylyn Varnum, they unpack a complicated new regulation from the federal government. […]
Church Hiring Toolkit
Tiffany Henning has created a helpful guide in “The Church Hiring Toolkit.” She goes from A to Z, with:
Carve out position
A. Analyze current staffing structure for options and fit
B. Describe the job duties needed
C. Decide […]
Background Check Blueprint
When making personnel decisions including hiring, retention, promotion, and reassignment, employers and organizations sometimes want to consider the backgrounds of volunteers and employees. For example, some organizations might try to find out about the person’s criminal […]
An HR Professional’s Perspective on Reference Checks
Tiffany Henning is an expert in human resource issues. Henning earned certifications of Professional Human Resource (PHR) and Chartered Retirement Professional Counselor (CRPC). She created a non-profit human resource network called HR Ministry Solutions to […]
Fletch Talks with Vanderbloemen about Staffing
Fletch continues his discussion with William Vanderbloemen about staffing in the church. Hear this noted leader talk about staffing and how it impacts your church.
William Vanderbloemen is the CEO & Founder @Vanderbloemen. William is an entrepreneur, […]
Knowing the Health of Your Staff
Few staff members feel they can be completely forthright with their superiors concerning “tough situations.” This puts church leadership in a jam. How can leaders know how staff are feeling about their pay, work pressures […]
How to Hire the Right People for Your Church Staff
The most expensive hire you will ever make is the wrong person. So how can you discern who’s the right person? Staffing is one of the greatest challenges church leaders face. Learn how to know […]
How to Have Conversations about Church Salaries
Conversations about salaries are difficult, but they seem to be even more difficult in the church. Veteran executive pastor David Fletcher has over 35 years of experience with these types of conversations.
In this one-hour webinar, […]
The Comprehensive List of Interview Questions for Church Staff
Great interviews hinge on one key component: great questions. And most great and wise people are always on the lookout for good questions. Have you ever noticed how often the Bible says, “Jesus answered them […]
Questions for Reference Checks
Hey Fletch … Are there any limits to the questions we can ask in a reference call? I ask because I used to work for […]
Hiring Questions
Hey Fletch … I have a question about hiring a new staff member. I am the lead pastor at my church and have never been […]
Sabbaticals
Hey Fletch … After 60 years of our church’s history, 28 years on the pastoral staff, our leadership has granted a 12-week sabbatical for our […]
Questions for a Senior Pastor Candidate
Hey Fletch … We have a senior pastor candidate who will be visiting our church this weekend, Thursday-Monday. I am attaching a list of questions […]
Questions for an XP Interview
Hey Fletch … I am interviewing for an XP role in a church in another city in Europe. I am part of the shortlist of […]
Bullying and Harassment
Hey Fletch … An article on XPastor mentions a doctoral dissertation by Dr. Art Hunt, I Never […]
Top 10 Questions Employers Wish They Had Asked
Everyone has regrets, but after a bad hire, those “should have asked” questions pile up quickly! While typically an employer thinks ahead of time what questions they want to ask someone in the interview process […]
Free Church Hiring Toolkit
Tiffany Henning, the Chief People Person of HR Ministry Solutions, is making available to the XPastor community her Church Hiring Toolkit. This is an excellent 24 page resource. She says “Afraid of strings attached? There […]
Free E-Book on Smart Succession
Dave Travis has a great e-book on Smart Succession. This is available for a free download from this page. Dave successfully steered Leadership Network for many years and now is the Director of Strategic Counsel […]
Is Pastoral Compensation over $500,000 Excessive?
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Hey Fletch … no names or cities on this one … Few in our church know this and it might be disturbing to many if it leaked out. I just learned that […]
Bonuses for Staff
Monday, February 11, 2019
Hey Fletch … Can you give some thoughts about bonuses for staff? We are toying with the idea and don’t know what to make of it.
DRF—There isn’t must hard research data on […]
Want To Become an XP
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Hey Fletch … I am looking to make a career change and looking for Executive Pastor positions. I was referred to you and thought I’d reach out to see if we could […]
XP Residency Program
Monday, January 28, 2019
Hey Fletch … I’m looking for a church that could train me as an XP. I’d like to get hands on training about how to be an XP. While I have a […]
Issues with Assistant for a Blind Pastor
Hey Fletch … Our church is processing what I learned at the workshop on Smart Money […]
XP Job Description
Hey Fletch … I’ve been asked to take on the role of XP at our church. Would you be willing to review this job description […]
Should Our Church Pay for Passports?
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Hey Fletch … I’m wondering if you have any guidance around paying for employee’s passport? It’s not expressly written that employees have to go on mission trips through the church but it […]
Benevolence Gifts for Staff Pastor
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Hey Fletch … How do churches handle Benevolence Fund needs when a staff member is the candidate? The Board is trying to find out how other churches handle benevolence for a staff […]
PEO to handle Church HR
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Hey Fletch … I recently hired a PEO to handle most of our HR services. On the first two payrolls they issued, they collected federal and state unemployment tax. Historically, we had […]
Resume for a New Job
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Hey Fletch … I am currently the executive pastor and will be transitioning away from this church at the end of this month. I wanted to share my resume with you in […]
Maximum Contributions in Affordable Care Act?
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Hey Fletch … Our church requires any employee who uses our health insurance to pay part of the premium. I heard somewhere that there is a maximum that we can charge. Is […]
Not a Pastor, Can I Lead a Wedding?
Hey Fletch … What does the Bible say about who can perform a wedding? Are they any state or federal laws on it? I’m asking […]
Two Jobs Pending
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Hey Fletch … Believe it or not, there are two churches that have offered me jobs. One is still getting the offer letter together and I have the offer from the other […]