In June of 1815, Napoleon faced the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon had a plan, an army, and a real opportunity for victory. But the night before the battle, a terrible storm rolled through. The field became soaked with rain, and the ground turned to mud.
That may seem like a small thing compared to the size of an army, but it mattered. Artillery could not be positioned as quickly. Cavalry could not move as freely. The whole advance was slowed because the ground could not be trusted to carry the weight of the battle.
By the time the French attack fully developed, the delay had mattered. Wellington held his position, and later in the day, Prussian reinforcements arrived. Napoleon was not defeated by mud alone, but the condition of the ground became one more reason the battle did not unfold as he had planned.
In a battle, confidence matters.
A leader needs to know what he can trust, who he can lean on, and what will hold when pressure comes.
That is also a powerful picture of staff ministry.
The Book of Proverbs says, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.”
A broken tooth and a foot out of joint have one thing in common: you cannot put weight on them. They fail you at the moment you need them most.
A good staff member should be someone a pastor can lean on, not someone who adds pressure, confusion, or unnecessary concern. Yet it is possible to be sincere, hardworking, and well intentioned, while still failing to truly lighten the load.
Most church staff members genuinely want to be a blessing. They want to support their pastor, help the church move forward, and serve faithfully. And honestly, most of us probably assume we are doing that better than we actually are.
So I wrote five rules for myself. These are principles that have helped me think through what it means to become the kind of staff member who is dependable, helpful, reliable, and able to carry weight.
I hope they help you too.
1. Emotional Consistency
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (Proverbs 25:28)
Pastors should not have to emotionally regulate their staff members.
They already spend their days carrying burdens: counseling people, navigating conflict, making decisions, dealing with emergencies, praying through heavy situations, and leading spiritually while trying to remain steady at home.
When a staff member becomes emotionally unpredictable, the pastor does not just notice. He becomes unsure about your stability, loyalty, and ability to carry responsibility. That slows him down. He starts spending energy on things that should not require that kind of energy.
A pastor needs men and women around him who can regulate themselves with the Lord’s help. He needs people who do not spiral when something goes wrong. People who do not turn every correction into a crisis. People who do not require constant reassurance to stay engaged.
If you cannot rule your own spirit, you open the door for instability, resentment, and unnecessary tension to affect your ministry, your pastor, and the team around you.
This does not mean you never struggle. It means when you do struggle, you handle it with maturity. Take it to the Lord first. Talk to a trusted friend with discretion. Go golfing. Go fishing. Take a walk. Do what you need to do, but learn to regulate your own emotions in a healthy and spiritual way.
2. Encourage Consistently
“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25)
A timely word of encouragement can refresh a weary leader the way cold water refreshes a thirsty soul.
One of the simplest ways to lighten your pastor’s load is to become a steady source of encouragement. It is sobering to realize that almost every week, your pastor is dealing with some kind of discouraging situation. The list never ends: people issues, spiritual burdens, financial pressures, facility problems, criticism, difficult decisions, and the emotional needs of people who should already be stable.
Encouraging your pastor is not just about saying nice words. Often, one of the most encouraging things you can do is regularly communicate that you are doing well, you are happy, and you are with him in the battle.
Promote what he is promoting. Think about what he is thinking about. Do not allow him to be the only voice carrying the burden. Take what is on his heart and run with it.
When your pastor forgets to say good job, it is usually not because he does not value you. It is often because he is carrying weightier things than you can see that day. A staff member who can assume the best and stay supportive is a rare gift.
Encouragement can be simple: a quick text, a handwritten note, a word after service, or a comment that says, Pastor, thank you. That helped me. I’m praying for you.
And do not underestimate the power of your family being a blessing too. When your home speaks well of your pastor and your kids respect him, that strengthens the relationship more than you may realize.
3. Engage Consistently
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:” (Colossians 3:22)
This reminds us that ministry is not about appearances. It is about faithfulness before God, even when no one is watching.
A lot of ministry does not happen on the platform or during the service. It happens in the in between moments: before church, after church, in the lobby, in the parking lot, and in the moments when a visitor is trying to figure out where to go and whether anyone notices them.
If you are serving on staff and you are sliding in late and leaving immediately, you may still be busy, but you are missing one of the most important aspects of ministry.
This is a big one: Are you engaged before and after church, not just during the message, although that matters too?
There is a window about 45 minutes before and after church that is vital to the ministry. That is when guests arrive unsure where to go. That is when members show up carrying burdens. That is when problems surface. That is when visitors decide if they will ever come back.
Engage consistently. Be around. Walk the property. Greet people. Make eye contact. Help volunteers. Notice the obvious things: bathrooms, signage, clutter, and little distractions that can become big impressions. Be a problem solver.
Your pastor should be focused on preaching and shepherding, not fixing small issues because nobody else was paying attention.
4. Evangelize Consistently
“For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.” (Philippians 2:20)
Pastors need staff who genuinely care about people, not just programs. They need people who are personally involved in reaching others.
We live in a day where being on staff can quietly turn into platform and program work: singing, preaching, content, graphics, events, and administration. All of that can be valuable, but the church does not move forward just because the stage looks good.
A staff member should be actively involved in reaching people, following up with people, and helping them take their next spiritual step.
If you want a gut check, ask yourself: Do I have prospects right now? Am I following up? When is the last time I personally brought someone with me? When is the last time I helped someone take a real next step, such as salvation, baptism, discipleship, or faithful church involvement?
When staff members are bringing people, following up, discipling, and seeing fruit, it gives the whole ministry momentum. It also gives your pastor great encouragement.
5. Execute Consistently
“Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6)
Faithfulness is rare, and talk is easy. That is why the staff member who consistently follows through becomes invaluable.
This one is simple, and it may sound harsh: get things done.
In a busy and distracted world, it is vital that we as staff members lock in and do our job.
Inconsistency drains leadership. It creates extra meetings, extra reminders, and extra stress. A staff member can be talented and still be a burden if he does not follow through.
Most of the time, execution issues are not a lack of ability. They are usually the result of distraction, disengagement, or discouragement.
This is why it is so important to guard your spirit against the validation trap: pulling back because you do not feel valued, appreciated, included, or in charge.
Beware of thoughts like, “I am just a cog in the system here. My voice does not matter. I do not have any say.”
More than likely, that is not true.
You can take your ideas to your leader. You can learn to communicate better. You can improve, adjust, and have vision within your lane. Take what you have been given and build it.
Guard against discouragement and disengagement. Take ownership of what has been entrusted to you. Deliver week after week.
A faithful staff member becomes someone a pastor can put weight on.
Closing Thought
Proverbs 25:19 paints the picture plainly: nobody wants to be the broken tooth or the foot out of joint.
No pastor wants to go into the battle unsure of whether the people around him can carry weight. He needs staff members who are steady, supportive, engaged, soul conscious, and faithful to execute.
By God’s grace, we can become staff members our pastor can trust when we:
Show emotional consistency.
Encourage consistently.
Engage consistently.
Evangelize consistently.
Execute consistently.
