Read this.  Like it or not, you are not only going to be an enthusiastic and idealistic minister of the gospel, you are also assuming the role of a COO of a non-profit corporation.  Carol calls it “stuff they don’t teach you in seminary” and to that I say “Aye”.

When you sit in your first session meeting listen, but take the reigns and let people know that you are able to organize and steer the ship into safe harbor if it needs to go there.  Don’t be tentative.  The long time parishioners, deacons and elders can smell blood in the water and some of them want to eat you alive.

Be gentle and operate with love.  But be stern and clear enough about how you want to do business with people.  People will have expectations of you that you will never meet.  They need to figure you out as much as you need to figure them out.  Things “Storm” then “Form” then “Norm” then “Perform”.  So learn to live with a little tension as things equilibrate.  And that will likely take you three years so stick with it until then - at least.  Don’t be a first-year pastor statistic who ends up working a Starbucks with no clue what to do with life anymore.

Remember the Three C’s:

• Be Clear - Don’t be ambiguous with what you say to people.  Be pragmatic with your language.  Think about how things will look if people actually do them.  Most of all, have a clear understanding of why you are doing what you are doing and suggesting.
• Be Consistent - Try not to show favoritism or too much attention to any one person or clique of people and use the same language to express your ideas no matter who is in the room.  This prevents gossip.  If you approach everyone in the same way, the gossip stops about you as soon as two people start talking about you behind your back (which they will do - that’s part of being a leader).
• Be Creative - Don’t let the current conditions stop you from thinking outside of the box, and learn to take some risks with people.  Try not to be overly zealous with your creativity to change things right off.  But be creative within the structures you are inheriting to stretch the resources you have in the best way possible.  Sometimes you meet what you think people’s needs are by creating a few needs with your own vision!  Think what do we want to do, how will we do it, and how will we know we have done it.  Sometimes action will tell you what you identity is.  So don’t let an “unclear vision” bog your decision-making down.