"Sit this one out"

The Time out Bench.

The great thing I love about the game of Basketball- besides the fact that all the players are taller than I am- is that they have a time out bench. During a game, as the coach sees a player lagging, he can take him out of the game for a rest, and put him on the bench, or if the coach wishes to change tactics during any given period, he can swap a player by putting a different player on from the bench. This way the coach gets the best from his players during any given game. The ebb and flow of the game continues and the benched player gets the opportunity to get back into the game at a later stage.  Most sports have a substitution bench, where players not called into the starting line up wait for their opportunity to make a difference to the game.

In an earlier blog I wrote about stress and burn out in church leaders and what symptoms to look for. In this blog I want to discuss the idea of having a “Time out Bench” in our churches for the ministry leaders in our various church departments. Let me say from the start church is not a sports game and I am not saying it should resemble one- though one or two churches I have been in recently did resemble a free for all rugby match- but that is another story. Sadly I know of only one church that successfully uses the Time out Bench concept.

Last year while visiting a church I was speaking at, I found myself having a very heartfelt conversation with the worship leader. She was telling me how tired and stale she felt, but that there was no one- other than herself, to lead the worship, this along with her day job put her under extreme pressure. She felt perhaps she was letting both God and the congregation down, by not being fully in tune with His Spirit. What she needed she said was a good holiday. I felt that the first thing she needed to do was raise up an assistant or second in command, to coin a military phrase, so that when she did go on holiday there would be someone capable of taking over.

 Over lunch with the senior leader and his family, I discussed in general terms about ministry leaders and the various church departments and there leaders,  I also discussed the issue of Youth and Sunday school leaders and also Worship leaders getting tired and feeling stale. I asked him what strategies he had in place to cope with this. He looked at me a little confused and said he hadn’t really thought about it and didn’t have any policy dealing with tiredness and no leader had ever come to him and said they wanted to step down.

I suggested perhaps that he put in place a “Time out Bench” and ask leaders to sit for a while and rest and recuperate. His response to me was typical. He said that he could not possible do that as it would offend his ministry leaders, and after all this was their ministry and position. They would feel as if they were being cast aside. Anyway God had not told him to do anything like that.

I have to say that I find it difficult to argue or discuss anything with a leader when their default setting is always; “God hasn’t shown me” or “God hasn’t told me to do that.” I find this answer frustrating, because God has given them a vision, a direction and an ability to raise up leaders to help build the Kingdom and the Church. They have influence and use it to develop strategies, yet when it comes to looking after the welfare of their ministry leaders, many of whom are volunteers, many senior leaders will often use and use that leader until they burn out or leave the church, and then another leader is chosen to take their place. Often what results is not a better ore capable leader, but a copy of a copy of a copy until there is such a dilution that there is no effective growth, vision or purpose.

A Time out Bench is a very simple way of maintaining your best leaders and keeping them fresh and active in the leadership team and making them feel that they have worth and purpose to you and their fellow leaders.

How does a Time out Bench work?

Firstly, this is not a matter of whether God has told you to do something or not, this is common sense, and good practise. A policy in the leadership structure of a church, such as a Time out Bench, should be part of the culture set out and believed by the leadership from the very beginning. It must be part of the churches non negotiables that are taught. This way every leader, at every level of leadership knows what to expect. A Time out Bench is not a permanent thing and should never be more than three months in the most extreme cases. A senior leader must be aware of what is going on in every department of their church. If they see through the leadership training nights that a ministry leader is tired and stale, they should find out what is happening. I know few people who will come to the senior leader with such issues for fear of being perceived as problems or as being less spiritual than expected. In the case of the Worship leader that I spoke to at the church I visited, my suggestions would be as follows;

1)      Step down for a period of six weeks and sit in the congregation, in order to receive instead of giving out.

2)      Put your second in command in charge with the clear understanding by all parties that this is not a permanent position. The worship team, senior leadership and all others it may concern need to be put into the picture. Communicate well from the start as this will ensure that any issues that may arise can be dealt with.

3)      Do not be tempted to interfere; things will never be done the way you would always want them to be done.

4)      If, for example 'Hillsong' in London are having a Worship conference ideally suited to her, if they can take a week off, then make the suggestion that they go to this and ensure that the church would pay for their costs and accommodation. This it is hoped would help refresh them and do away with the staleness. This also has the advantage of showing the Worship leader that their gifting is important to you and that you want to see it developed.

5)      Continue to attend the leadership training nights, (monthly) but only return to worship practise after the six weeks.

6)      Have the option to take more time off if they feel it is necessary. This should not be longer than the three months maximum.    

It would be hoped that by the end of the bench time the Worship Leader would be ready and able and excited to get back into the driving seat again. It is not a good idea to go on the Time out Bench for longer than three months because the person standing in will begin to establish their identity and ethos on the group and it would be wrong to then expect them to step aside, especially if they are doing a great job. But as long as they realise that it is only a temporary arrangement, they will be happy to step aside when the time comes.

One very important thing that must be remembered, it is not “your ministry or your position.” It is about the Kingdom of God and what is best for the church. If the Worship leader and the second in command understand this there wouldn’t be problems in standing in for each other. Leaders should not build their own kingdoms within the church. Each should be working together to develop each other to help the church grow. When we understand this and live it then God can really bless.