Mapbox / Unsplash

As church leaders, we convene a lot of meetings. Unfortunately, however, most of us are not trained in how to organize and manage meetings so that they keep everyone engaged and purposefully move the church’s mission forward. Seminaries do not typically offer courses in how to plan meetings (not that they should). But as soon as we assume a position of leadership, whether as clergy or lay leaders, one of our first responsibilities will be to lead regular meetings. But, as the saying goes, don’t confuse movement with progress

Let’s be clear: the mission of ministry is so important that the way we meet to discuss the work really matters. Most leaders learn how to lead meetings by trial and error. We carry forward what we see other leaders do. We try not to repeat what was not valuable. But is there a better way? What wise habits can prevent this essential part of our leadership from becoming the most dreaded hour — or hours — of the week?

Keep in mind that not all meetings serve the same purpose. We need to discern what type of meeting we’re planning. Do we need to brainstorm new ideas? Are we doing a project kickoff? Does our team need to review the calendar to align schedules and resources?

Each of these activities is a crucial part of a healthy organization, but each starts with a different set of questions, and the quality of each meeting will be judged differently. A brainstorming meeting might conclude without clear results, but a kickoff meeting without clear objectives may lead the team to lose confidence in the project.

Meetings may not be everyone’s favorite part of the week, but through discernment on the front end, we can design a better agenda.

Resources

---

Before you go

Why should we think about how to lead better meetings? Aren’t congregations facing more important issues? 

To be sure, congregations are dealing with many complex challenges. But the work it takes to address those challenges will almost certainly involve a team of people working together. And if a team of people is working together, there will be meetings. Lots of meetings. 

Therefore, it’s worth taking the time and spending the effort to make meetings matter. Sometimes we need a 15-minute check-in for accountability. At other times, we need a two-hour, in-depth session to discern where the Holy Spirit is leading. 

Give some thoughts to the meetings on your calendar this week. Which ones do you need to redesign to equip your staff or volunteers to serve with excellence? 

You can always share your ideas or feedback with me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!