Addressing the Sacred Cow Positions in Your Church Staff

A successful ministry requires effective church staff roles. However, within any church community, there are often 'sacred cow positions' that continue to exist purely out of habit, rather than contributing to the current mission. Understanding and addressing these roles are essential steps towards fostering meaningful ministry growth.

Identifying Sacred Cow Positions

Firstly, what are 'sacred cow positions'? These roles are often considered untouchable, established during a different ministry era or held by longstanding, well-loved members. Despite the positions no longer contributing meaningfully to the church's mission, they remain funded. The existence of these posts can send a questionably mixed message to younger, more aligned staff and may also affect leadership credibility.

For instance, if your church still employs a full-time media director hired in the pre-social media age to manage DVDs and website updates, despite now adeptly using YouTube, Canva, and external freelancers for the same tasks, you’re funding a sacred cow position.

Ways of Addressing Sacred Cow Positions

Re-evaluation lies at the heart of tackling sacred cow positions. A straightforward way to start this journey is through a zero-based budgeting exercise. Assume no roles, not even your own, are untouchable, then reconstruct your staff structure afresh, based on your current ministry needs. This approach will help highlight roles that serve the past more than the present or future.

Just to be clear, revising your staff structure isn't about cost-cutting; it's about paving the way for future growth. It's possible to recognize and even celebrate the past without protecting positions that no longer serve your present mission or future vision.

The Final Step: Restructuring or Redeploying

Extending beyond identification, tackling the sacred cow roles might mean retiring these positions or redeploying the staff to areas where they could add more value. Staff considered sacred cows may still offer significant value to the mission, but in new, differently aligned roles.

A good rule of thumb when considering any changes: staff roles should always serve the mission, not the other way around. Or as we express it at the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, "Sacred cows make great sacrifices."

Reconstruct and refocus your church staff with today's mission in mind, honoring the past while fervently fostering the future. After all, a healthy church staff contributes to a healthy church, leading to transformational changes in lives and more people encountering Jesus. Tune into the podcast for further insights into reshaping your staff roles and accelerating your mission.