new staff positions

Michael at oak leaf church asks some questions about church staff positions:

I wonder if the organized church gets too hung up on titles, and I wonder if the local church boxes herself in by hiring for certain positions. I mean... where in the Bible does is say that there must be a minister of music or a preschool director. Those are certainly normal positions, but are they really the best way to do things?

And what if we hire a bunch of normal positions when some abnormal positions would be a better fit? What if there are crazy sounding positions that might help our church go to the next level? Things like..

Chief Experience Officer - someone to make sure every environment is functioning on all levels. A person with an aesthetic eye…not limited to adults or the lobby, but a person who works across all ministries.

Prayer strategist - someone to pray, get others praying, teach on prayer. Isn’t prayer important in the church? What if we hired someone to lead this rather than tack it on to someone’s job description.

What about a Bible scholar who would bring a whole different dynamic to helping us focus on truth. Someone who would help people read the Bible…kids, students, adults. Someone passionate about getting the Bible to the world, and into the hands of people.

What about a Social Media Director. Not IT or websites…social media…connecting media.

What about a chief encouragement officer? A glass-half-full person who made sure the church was encouraging the community, the staff was being encouraged, volunteers were being encouraged. Not just thanked, but encouraged.

Some of his thinking is moving in the right direction - i.e. get out of the box... but why are so reliant on staff?