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Culture

Whiteboard Session | Inspire Over Require

Tom Shefchunas
April 3rd, 2020

Culture is Key! 

AND…as a ministry leader one of your main stewardships is the culture of your ministry. (BTW…that’s a tough sentence for me to write as I think about all the times I’ve complained about the culture I led).

There are hundreds of “dials” to adjust as a leader to help your culture but there are four that are the most powerful. 

Personal

You’ve got to take care of you before you can take care of others. Over time, ignoring this will lead to burn out. ESPECIALLY in Ministry!

People

The people you recruit and allow into your ministry is the next most powerful predictor of culture. Eventually your culture will be the most powerful component of recruitment. It can either help you or hurt you!

Words

Your words should be chosen carefully and strategically. What you say, what you repeat, what you value will translate to your culture.

Traditions

These are the things you do. Whether you do them all the time or once a year, you need to choose these carefully.

So…I wanted to take a second to do an exercise that focuses on two of these four “dials.” It effects the words you choose and the people you say them too.The concept is called “Inspire over Require.” To illustrate this we did what I call the “Have To vs. Get To” exercise.

Tom Shefchunas

Tom Shefchunas (Shef) is the Executive Director at Youth Specialties. Shef also works with Orange in the development and strategy for XP3 Middle School and High School curriculum. Before that Shef was North Point Ministries’ Multi-Campus Director of Transit, their middle school ministry, for 12 years. And before that, he spent 10 years as a high school teacher, coach, and principal. His passion is working with, recruiting, and developing volunteers and leaders who will shape the next generation. Through nearly two decades of leadership in ministry Shef has had numerous opportunities to coach and be coached by some amazing individuals.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the YS Blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of YS.

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