ADMINISTRATION
They are known by a variety of names: secretary, administrative assistant, receptionist, office manager. In many ways, they occupy a church’s most strategic position—the first voice to answer the phone, the first smile to welcome a weekday guest. They create the first impression, and they are the glue that keeps a bustling staff connected and on task.
Yet churches and parachurch ministries are full of hard-working assistants who are often taken for granted or not used effectively.
Earlier this year, Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago hosted a special workshop for ministry assistants. Following the event, LEADERSHIP associate editor Edward Gilbreath spoke to the workshop leaders about how pastors and their assistants can maximize their ministry.
Jean Blount has been executive assistant to Willow Creek senior pastor Bill Hybels for nine years.
Cathy Burnett is entering her fourth year as executive assistant to Jim Mellado, president of the Willow Creek Association (which has a membership of 4,300 churches worldwide).
Jodi Walle has been executive assistant to Willow Creek’s teaching pastors John Ortberg and Lee Strobel for five years.
How do you define the role of ministry assistant?
JODI WALLE: There is no easy definition. Sometimes she handles confidential materials, sometimes she makes coffee. She answers the phone and may get one of a hundred different tragic stories on the other end of the line. She may comfort a grieving widow, consult with a possible donor, or welcome a new member. She helps prepare the annual budget, reminds you to keep receipts, and keeps everyone on time for meetings. She reminds you when it’s Sweetest Day and helps wrap your spouse’s birthday present. She is the only contact some people ever have with a church; they decide after one conversation with her whether or not to even bother showing up for a service.
CATHY BURNETT: It is a critical position, because it extends the ministry of the leader. We represent the church as well as the church leader.
JEAN BLOUNT: Assistants manage the millions of details that flow through a church office, and we make a busy pastor seem accessible. My mission statement as Bill’s assistant is “To blend my gifts with those of the pastor to form a partnership that enables both of us to do our most effective ministry.”
So, are you considered “support staff” or “ministry staff”?
WALLE: I think that’s an unfair differentiation. No church assistant is doing her job for the money, the hours, or the glamour. We are as called to this job as any other Christian minister.
Does having your pastor as a boss present any hindrances to your personal growth or spiritual life?
BLOUNT: Some assistants find it very difficult to work and worship at the same place. There is an inevitable lack of separation between the professional and personal sides of a church worker’s life, especially in smaller churches. However, I don’t believe having your boss as a pastor should be a problem, as long as you show mutual respect for each other and for one another’s boundaries. For instance, some assistants may not feel comfortable carrying their jobs beyond the parameters of the office because that area of their lives is personal and off-limits.
She is the only contact some people ever have with a church; they decide after one conversation with her whether or not to even bother showing up for a service.
—Jodi Walle
WALLE: Pastors can help their assistants by protecting their time. If the assistant doesn’t work on Sundays but is constantly bombarded by those who need keys to the church office, copies made, and so on, then the assistant isn’t allowed to come and simply worship.
BURNETT: One way to do this would be to set a rotating schedule, so that the assistant isn’t “on duty” every Sunday.
Is it ever difficult for you to listen to your “pastor” because of a conflict with your “boss”?
WALLE: Only once in five years has it been hard for me to attend a service because of conflict with the pastor. I always try to resolve work-related conflicts as soon as possible. I don’t know why any church worker would stay at a job where there is constant unresolved conflict with their pastor. I frankly wouldn’t be able to sit under the teaching of anyone who would allow unresolved conflict to continue.
BURNETT: No matter how wonderful church leaders are, sometimes they can get under their assistant’s skin. At Willow Creek, we uphold the value of conflict resolution as laid out in Matthew 18:15. It’s also important to have a safe group of people that will hold you accountable to honoring the resolution process. It may be a network of other assistants or close friends who attend another church, people we can trust to keep our discussions confidential. I try not to go to my husband or family to complain, because I want to protect the credibility and the reputation of my boss, and I need for them to respect their church leaders. But it’s important to have a safe place to unload.
What can a leader do to make the assistant most effective?
WALLE: Communication is crucial—clearly communicating expectations, informing the assistant of where they are at all times, and allowing the assistant to do her work without interference. Interference is not to be confused with interruptions, which are just a normal part of the job. Interference refers to those who don’t let the assistants do the job set before them. The pastor may feel the need to control each step the assistant takes, and that won’t be productive for anyone. If you constantly interfere in the assistant’s assignments, you send a signal that you don’t think he or she is capable of handling it.
What’s the weirdest thing that you’ve had to do as an assistant?
BLOUNT: I get lots of interesting requests, because Bill knows I like a challenge. But my most unusual request was when Bill asked me to find a book he had glimpsed at an airport bookstore. All he knew was that it had a green cover with a picture of a sailboat on it. He didn’t know the title, the author, or if it was fiction or nonfiction—but he wanted the book. I browsed through several bookstores, looking in categories where I thought I might find it. Finally, one day I was at the mall with my husband and decided to check that bookstore again. I walked over to the mystery section, and the first book I turned over was green with a sailboat. It was the book!
WALLE: I had to buy a bowling ball at 10 o’clock one night so my boss could use it as a trophy at an event the next morning.
BURNETT: At a previous job, I had to answer each incoming call with “Hello, did you see our God-honoring Easter pageant yesterday?”
How should a leader handle a situation where his assistant really isn’t working out?
BURNETT: If the leader is consistently communicating his expectations and areas of concern, then it won’t be a surprise to the assistant if a change has to be made.
WALLE: There should be clear communication about the reasons it is “not working out.” If the assistant needs to improve in some areas, it would be prudent to explain the needs and outline a set amount of time for the improvement to occur. There should be a review after the set time has elapsed, with the understanding that if things haven’t been resolved, the assistant may be let go at that time.
I think churches often allow people to stay in positions that they aren’t suited for, rather than do the uncomfortable or unpopular thing. In the long run, everyone loses. The church loses by having someone poorly representing it. The assistant loses by staying in what may be the wrong job. And the pastor loses, because he can’t work up to his fullest capacity if he isn’t being properly supported.
What kinds of questions should leaders be asking their assistants on a regular basis?
BURNETT: How are you doing? How am I doing as a boss? Am I doing anything that frustrates you in your job?
BLOUNT: Do you have what you need from me to do your work? Can I do anything to facilitate our work relationship?
WALLE: Are you satisfied in your job? What is one thing you wish you could change about it? How can I pray for you?
Encouragement and open communication seem to be the common theme.
BLOUNT: Absolutely. Leaders should find ways to let their assistants know they are valued and appreciated.
In a good pastor-assistant relationship, both individuals want the best for each other. The assistant does all she can to make the pastor look good and do his best, and the pastor always is willing to give the assistant credit for her part in the ministry and help her to grow—even if it means that she may one day move on to another position.
WALLE: Assistants work for God, but they work for God with their bosses. It’s a team effort.
ARTICLE IN A GLANCE
Five Marks of a healthy Pastor-Assistant Team:
1. They communicate. The leader gives clear instructions and honest feedback; the assistant feels free to offer opinions and suggestions.
2. They challenge each other. The leader gives assignments that he knows will interest and stretch his assistant; the assistant keeps the leader aware of schedules and responsibilities.
3. They cooperate. The leader trusts the assistant with key information; the assistant sometimes goes beyond the call of the job description (e.g., picking up sandwiches before an evening meeting).
4. They confront conflict. Both parties are committed to resolving disagreements or misunderstandings before they fester.
5. They celebrate. The leader regularly affirms the assistant and lets others know her value; the assistant encourages the leader and strives to make the office a pleasant environment.
Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.