The Five D’s of Leading a Staff Meeting

Devotion — Spend time in the Word and prayer. Teams must take time to pray together and read Scripture together. This doesn’t need to be a time to rehearse your sermon but rather a moment to be still, silent, and intercede for the church and for one another.

Details — This is what most staff meetings cover. It can be boring, but it’s necessary. Who will give announcements during worship? How do we ensure the kids’ ministry is adequately secure? You must wisely determine how detailed you get. Every staff meeting I lead includes four categories: Calendar, Information, Discussion, and Decision. I arrange agenda items in each category according to their order of importance.

Development — This involves helping the staff grow. It might include reading a book together, learning a new skill, or attending a conference or training as a team. It’s an investment in the people you work with.

Direction — This is the exciting part of the staff meeting. It’s the strategizing by each ministry as you work toward fulfilling the church’s values, vision, and mission. It’s where you plan how to get where you want to go. I often remind the team of one church value at the start of each meeting.

Delight — Staff that plays together stays together. Have fun. This could mean sharing lunch once a week, going bowling, or doing other enjoyable activities. Whenever possible, encourage the church to sponsor these activities! Make part of your meeting time fun time.