Larry W. Osborne, Sticky Teams: Keeping Your Leadership Team and Staff on the Same Page. Zondervan, 2010.
Referenced in: Ministry Staff and Leadership Teams
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is an expansion on an earlier volume by Osborne, The Unity Factor (2006) that dealt with healthy church board development. Osborne says in this work he has “widened the scope to include all three of the critical relationships that a pastor must develop and maintain (with the board, the staff, and the congregation).” (19) Many regard this to be among the best practical, nuts-and-bolts resources for effective, mission-focused relationships between elders (board), ministry staff, deacons, volunteers, and the congregation as a whole.
As Osborne says, he is especially concerned about the “big three” team-building relationships a pastor must deal with and that are crucial to a healthy church. Each group needs a strategy of its own, plus an intentional way of interfacing with the other groups. Osborne describes the big three:
- The Board – This is typically the elders, those who have the power to make or break a ministry.
- The Staff – This refers primarily to paid ministers, but also other administrative support staff.
- The Congregation – This means all others who participate in the life of the church. Sticky Teams does not refer to all it takes to keep a congregation on the same page, which is the focus of Sticky Church, which is an excellent companion volume. It does, however, explore what can be done to preempt congregational conflict and align the differing agendas that can tear apart an entire congregation. (22)
To help these three groups, Osborne describes the three sections of the book:
- “Landmines and Roadblocks” exposes the organizational structures, policies, and traditions that can unintentionally sabotage even the best of teams. More important, it contains strategies for avoiding these landmines and for getting around the roadblocks.
- “Equipped for Ministry” explores what it takes to get everyone on the same page and headed in the same direction. Specific chapters deal with board, staff, and congregational alignment.
- “Communication” examines what it takes to keep everyone on the same page, with a special emphasis on the dicey areas and issues of ministry – the places where communication most easily breaks down. (21)
I cannot say enough good about this book. It would be difficult to find a more readable first-level exposure to the full range of issues on building relationships and aligning all these areas toward effective mission fulfillment. In some cases, readers will need more detailed guidance in how to execute some of the suggestions, but this book always points in the right direction.
From the Publisher
Serving as a church leader can be a tough assignment. Whatever your role, odds are you’ve known your share of the frustration, conflict, and disillusionment that comes with silly turf battles, conflicting vision, and marathon meetings. No doubt, you’ve asked yourself, ‘How did it get this way?’ With practical and accessible wisdom, Larry Osborne explains how it got this way. He exposes the hidden roadblocks, structures, and goofy thinking that sabotage even the best intentioned teams. Then with time-tested and proven strategies he shows what it takes to get (and keep) a board, staff, and congregation on the same page. Whatever your situation; from start-up phase, to mid-sized, to megachurch, Osborne has been there. As the pastor of North Coast Church he’s walked his board, staff, and congregation through the process. Now with warm encouragement and penetrating insights he shares his secrets to building and maintaining a healthy and unified ministry team that sticks together for the long haul.
About the Author
Larry Osborne is the lead pastor at North Coast Church in northern San Diego County which is widely recognized as one of the most influential and innovative churches in America. He speaks extensively on the subjects of leadership and spiritual formation. His books include Sticky Church, 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe, and Spirituality For The Rest of Us. He and his wife Nancy, live in Oceanside, California. SPANISH BIO: Larry Osborne es autor de libros, pastor y maestro en la Iglesia North Coast, en Vista, California. Es reconocido por ser uno de los pastores mas innovadores de los Estados Unidos. Reside con su esposa Nancy en Oceanside, California.’
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