As a pastor I sought to affirm a commitment annually among our leadership team of pastors and deacons to our mutual ministry. This practice encouraged us to hold each other accountable to an agreed upon standard of conduct and to the overall ministry responsibilities we shared. Below is an example of the seven-fold commitment statement to which we agreed:
We commit . . .
1. …to be godly men of faith—prayerful, dedicated, growing in spiritual things
2. …to our stated purpose as a church and our vision for our potential future impact in this community
3. …to make caring a priority—through structured programs as well as personal example
4. …to strengthen our administrative skills—planning, organizing, delegating, coordinating, etc
5. …to see ourselves as ministers more than managers—being willing to appropriately share authority and responsibility with other leaders
6. …to build “team ministry” through agreed objectives, united prayer, mutual love and support, communication, recognition of gifts and calling, and accountability
7. …to develop a greater commitment to servant hood—giving of ourselves for others and the work of the Lord
Jim Vogel, associate national representative
GARBC Resource Center
Schaumburg, IL