Time of Evaluation: Regular, Often, Scheduled, and Unscheduled

Annual reviews can be very helpful. However, for a good relationship, that is not enough. There can be an understanding that we will always be honest and open with each other. That is ideal. But I believe it is good to schedule periodic times to talk. When I supervised secretaries, between annual written evaluations, we scheduled quarterly evaluations. This was an appointment when we talked about any material or equipment that we needed, what was good, what needed improvement, and the number of sick and vacation days available for the rest of the year. Although we saw each other and talked daily, unless we scheduled time to talk about what needed correcting, improving, or repeating, we didn’t talk about it.

My agreement with a secretary was that there would be no surprises or negative comments during the evaluations. If they needed to do something differently—if I was unhappy with anything about their job performance, I would let them know within forty-eight hours of the event. I would not want a supervisor to save up mistakes that I have made for a year and deliver them to me at an annual review. I was committed to follow that principle.

...to be continued...

Basis of Evaluation: Truth

 

     If I really want evaluation, I need to be ready to hear my weaknesses as well as my strengths. That can be painful, but helpful.  “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:5, 6, NKJV). 

 

      A youth minister was told by an elder that he was doing a good job and was “right on target.” Within two weeks, during an elders’ meeting, he was told that his services were no longer needed. There was no explanation. Ultimate evaluation—firing—with no reason denies the person the opportunity to learn and to understand.

 

     Even during those difficult times, where there is to be stern rebuke or a parting of the ways, it is good to speak truth in love.  When the elders are firing the preacher or the preacher is firing the church, it is good to be truthful and kind.

 

     Ephesians 4:29 is good advice:  "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear" (ESV).

...to be continued...

Expectations of Evaluation

     The time to begin effective evaluation is in the beginning of the relationship. I have found it helpful to have this included in the contract-job description. For the last thirty years of my ministry, I had it in two places in the agreement. A general statement of evaluation: “The elders and preacher agree to be able to disagree as well as agree and to deal with each other honestly, openly, responsibly, and with respect. This will include regular evaluation of our relationship, giving both strong points and weak points that need improvement.” page 4, item # 1 of Preacher-Church Agreement A second statement of the desire for evaluation is found in the financial agreements: “A merit raise will be considered each year and discussed as to why it is being given or not given.” page 3, item # 5 of Preacher-Church Agreement I not only wanted monetary reward for my work but I also wanted to know what I was doing well and what needed to be improved.

     My experience has been that the clause in the contract does not guarantee evaluation. In one congregation, the elders scheduled an annual evaluation on the anniversary of my work with them every year. In another congregation, I waited two weeks after the designated time and reminded them of our agreement and they did it. I am 100% responsible for communication. Part of the evaluation process is to remind the evaluators if they forget about the evaluation. It could also be interesting to evaluate why one or both parties are reluctant to evaluate.

     When part of my job description was to supervise the secretary, the contract read: “The secretary agrees to relate to the staff in a healthy way: to be able to disagree as well as agree and to deal with others honestly, openly, responsibly, and with respect. This will include regular evaluation of our relationship, giving both strong points and weak points that need improvement.”

…to be continued...

Effective Evaluation

     Do you ever want to know, "What do the elders think of my work?"  "I wonder if I am in danger of being fired."  "Is our preacher happy?"  "What do the other elders think of me?"  "Am I overbearing?"  "Do I communicate that I care about my fellow elders and the church?"

     How would it be to have a relationship where all parties are comfortable in the knowledge that others will share what information is helpful, giving compliments when things are going well and sharing concerns when there are irritations or questions?  One way to develop this is to have ongoing, effective evaluation.

     This does not start with an evaluation.  It starts with:

1. Helpful rules for discussion.  Discussion Guidelines with Commentary .
2. Practice.  Have you scheduled classes and/or workshops to grow in honest communication?  Does your leadership group plan for times to improve communication and exercises to strengthen your ability and habits of "speaking the truth in love"?

   Trying to evaluate and communicate on powerful and delicate topics without laying a good foundation is like a high school football team trying to play in the Super Bowl before they have done calisthenics, practiced blocking and tackling, run plays, scheduled scrimmages with themselves and competitors, and seasons of successful football.

...to be continued...

Eldership Funeral 2

     In an Eldership Funeral, I follow this outline: Eldership Funeral . After leading four of these, here are some blessings I have observed:

• It is a good time to reflect on lessons learned.
• It provides an opportunity to finish old business. If there are conflicts in the “old eldership,” they will generally be carried over into the new eldership. Each side will be recruiting the new elders to be on their side.
• It can be a time to talk about new-elder orientation. How do you plan to get the new elders working effectively with the present eldership? When will you explain the rules for this eldership? Have you thought about and discussed the rules for this eldership?
• From my observation, one of the most productive things from the first funeral we had with the elders at Berry’s Chapel came when I asked, “Will you let the new elders make a difference? Will they be able to change anything or will they have to do everything the way you have always done it?" Their answer: “They can change some things but there are some things they will not be able to change.”

     My next question: “Will you tell them before they start or surprise them after they are appointed. The “old elders” came up a list of non-negotiable operating procedures for the eldership. They went over them with prospective elders. They told them if they did not agree with these items, they would not do well as an elder at Berry’s Chapel. Here is that list: Standard Operating Procedures, Non-Negotiable Items .

     We recently had an eldership funeral at LaVergne. It is a good time to finish old business and start anew.

Eldership Funeral

     After our elders had been serving at Berry‘s Chapel a little more than two years, the congregation was in the process of selecting additional shepherds. At our February meeting, I asked, “Are you going to have a funeral for the present eldership?”. I was asked to explain.

     It has been my observation that when a church appoints new elders, there is not just one or more in the group but a new eldership, a new group that is different from the one that preceded it. I thought it might be appropriate to have a “funeral” for the old eldership—to recognize the death of that leadership group and to anticipate the “resurrection” of a new group.

     After a brief discussion, I did not hear any more until our March leadership meeting. Our elders, Dennis Crowder, Ron Gambill, and Dennis Makins, told me, “We have decided we want to have an eldership funeral and we want you to preach it.” After some discussion, the date was set for April 3.

After visiting the funeral home with a former elder whose step-father had died, we, along with the youth minister, Jeremy Houck, proceeded to a log cabin in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. After getting settled in for the night, we spent about three hours going over the outline:  Eldership Funeral . 

     ...to be continued.

Discussion Guidelines # 13

25. Would you be willing to tell what you like about this group process, what is helpful and what is not helpful, and in this way give suggestions for improving future discussions?

This can be one of the most helpful guidelines for the leader as well as for the rest of the group.  If the leader is serious and honest, he or she can model a learning attitude that encourages growth.  I like criticism!  When anyone loves me enough to tell me how I can improve, that person is doing me a favor.  If you find salmonella in my refrigerator and tell me about it, you are not hurting me.  You are helping me.  For a one hour presentation on criticism, you can get my CD, “How to Accept, Invite, and Enjoy Criticism”:  Criticism CD .

When I am leading a meeting, I have the choice of the Amos rule, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3), or the Judges rule, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).  Which rule I choose can make a great difference in the effectiveness of the discussion.

     For the complete list of guidelines:  Discussion Guidelines .