Your church staff is vital to the life and overall health of your church. A senior pastor or lead pastor can do many things for the church. Even so, there are several roles your church should prioritize hiring to meet today’s ministry demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The staff needs of churches have changed significantly over the years as the church landscape has evolved in response to societal shifts. While many churches still hire the positions that were common 20 years ago, there are many new roles to prioritize today for the overall health and growth of your church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many churches or traditional settings, youth and kids pastors would be two separate, siloed roles. We suggest, however, that you consider an all-encompassing role. This promotes a few beneficial things. First, the family pastor <\/strong>can support the entire family, including all the children, rather than just the part of the family that falls under their responsibility. Secondly, a family pastor<\/a> can create a more comprehensive pipeline approach for the whole family. When a new baby is born and starts in the nursery of your church, the family pastor is already looking at the big picture and the long-term plan or path for that child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A connections pastor is someone who thinks about all the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While there are many facets to the next steps people can take, you want to have someone who can focus on each of those steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A connections pastor<\/strong> is a staff position that your church should prioritize hiring now, as there are many opportunities for people to get involved beyond Groups. Here are a few suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your church may include other items in this list, but these are just a few suggestions for the connections pastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many churches began posting services online. While in-person attendance is always the goal for connection and community, a large number of people will attend your church online. Therefore, an online or digital pastor<\/strong> is one of the staff positions that your church should prioritize hiring for now. We need the ability to take care of those physically at our location(s), but we also need someone who can think about and care for those who only ever attend online. The online pastor<\/a> can get to know the people who attend virtually, find online ways to connect with them and create community, and shepherd and care for those individuals on a personal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The worship leader plays a vital role in the Sunday service, but they cannot lead worship on stage while also leading in other areas off the platform. A worship experience director<\/strong> is someone who can be responsible for every aspect of your Sunday service. They can pay attention to the worship, essential graphics, creative sermon elements, or other factors that may impact the experience someone has in your service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The worship experience director<\/a> considers essential elements for the service and ensures there is proper time for all the goals you have each weekend. The lead pastor can handle some of these tasks, but there is also a significant benefit to utilizing someone who is not on the platform during the service and can see all aspects of the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In today’s church, the production director<\/strong> is extremely important because the service experience, both in-person and online, matters. While you don’t need production lights or cameras to have a healthy, growing church, many churches do have these things, so they should consider hiring for them. Production is made possible by many volunteers, but it is also an expensive area to maintain. The equipment comes with a fairly hefty price tag, so having a person dedicated to being responsible for that area of the church is worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Communication is essential for churches because we’re all about people! We need to know how to effectively communicate about upcoming events, share important information with people about church activities, and demonstrate ways for individuals to become more connected. The communications director<\/strong> is a staff position that your church should prioritize hiring now, as it carries significant weight in the church today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A communications director<\/a> is someone who can help manage all forms of communication, including weekly emails, social media, announcements, and more. We are living in a digital age and can no longer rely on Sunday morning announcements and signup sheets in the back to get people engaged. To get people involved, engaged, and connected, we must meet them where they are. People spend more time on digital platforms than they do in services on Sunday mornings. That’s where the Communications Director comes in. Since we’re all about people, we can’t afford to miss out on any opportunities to communicate with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This one may be a given, but you want to hire someone you can trust with the finances<\/a>. This is not a role you want to be filled by a volunteer, but rather one where you want to work with someone you can hire so there is a deeper level of accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Church finances are critical. This is one of the areas of the church that can cause significant issues, including church splits or legal implications. Therefore, the person you hire to manage your finances must be someone who can handle that task with integrity. There are far too many stories of church financial abuse. When hiring a bookkeeper<\/strong> or financial pastor<\/strong>, don’t choose someone just because you like them. Hire someone who will operate under a great deal of accountability and will also hold the church to a high standard of integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These staff positions that your church should prioritize hiring now are just a few essential roles to consider. While every staff member and volunteer role holds deep significance for the overall health and growth of your church, the roles listed above have gained particular significance in recent years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every church has a unique style and method, so some of these positions may not be a good fit for your church context. That’s ok! If it doesn’t apply to your approach, you could use some version or ideas found in this list. As you prayerfully consider future staff positions, definitely prioritize these roles for your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some common questions employers might ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prioritize roles that reflect the modern needs of ministry, such as Family Pastor<\/strong>, Connections Pastor<\/strong>, and Worship Experience Director.<\/strong> Other crucial roles include online pastor<\/strong>, production director<\/strong>, communications director<\/strong>, and bookkeeper<\/strong>. These roles enable your church to engage with both in-person and online communities while enhancing discipleship, communication, and administrative integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hiring strategically now allows churches to better serve families, guide newcomers, and manage growth effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all recommended roles will be applicable to every church. That’s why it’s important to assess your church\u2019s hiring priorities by context, size, and ministry needs<\/strong>. You can adapt or combine roles to fit your structure. For example, you might employ a single Family Pastor instead of separate youth and kids pastors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the article\u2019s list as a starting point<\/strong> and customize based on prayerful consideration and strategic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes\u2014post-COVID, many churches have e<\/span>xperienced a significant increase in online attendance<\/strong>. An online pastor ensures they are not overlooked. Online pastors help foster community, discipleship, and care<\/strong> for people who may never step into a physical building. The online pastor can offer virtual small groups, prayer, and follow-up<\/strong>, creating a hybrid ministry that feels personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Was this article helpful? You might also enjoy:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your church staff is vital to the life and overall health of your church. A senior pastor or lead pastor can do many things for the church. Even so, there are several roles your church should prioritize hiring to meet today’s ministry demands. Why Should Your Church Prioritize Hiring Strategically…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hiring"],"yoast_head":"\nConnections Pastor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Online Pastor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Worship Experience Director <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Production Director<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Communications Director<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bookkeeper\/Financial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How These Roles Help Your Church Prioritize Hiring for Growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Customizing Staff Hires for Your Church’s Unique Needs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1. What staff positions should my church prioritize hiring right now?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. How do I decide which ministry roles are right for my church’s unique needs?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Should we hire someone to lead our online church community?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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