I had a request for Rev. Lillian Spearman to teach on “Keys to Successful Secondary Leadership.” She wrote, “I believe this would bless pastors and their secondary leadership teams.”

As you know from one of my previous teachings, a good team helps the leader and the ministry grows. So having a team around the leader is important. A strong secondary leadership is important to having an effective ministry.

Below are some of my thoughts for secondary leaders:

The first responsibility of the person in secondary leadership is to pray for the leader, the leader’s family, and the ministry every day. Not just weekly or monthly, but daily!

The second most important responsibility is to understand what the vision of the leader is. Make sure that you understand it and can support it. If you cannot support the vision, resign and move on. By staying, you will only cause confusion and perhaps conflict in the ministry. If you cannot support the vision, you are out of place in your calling and need to move so God can put you where you will be most effective for the kingdom.

The third thing is to make sure you know what your area of responsibility is. Know your boundaries and make sure you do not overstep your boundaries. This is very important if you have multiple staff people. You must know where your boundaries are so that you do not stray into someone else’s area of ministry. If you start operating in someone else’s area of responsibility, it will cause conflict. If you need something from another ministry area, ask the leader of that area for what you need. Do not ask someone who works for them. Clear communication between the staff is essential to keep conflict from happening and to keep the staff moving toward the same goal for fulfilling the vision the leader has laid out.

As a secondary leader, it is your responsibility to help the leaders to fulfill Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, NKJV

In order for your ministry or church to grow, you must equip the members and release them to minister outside the church walls. We must remember that old saying, “Shepherd don’t beget sheep, sheep beget sheep.” If you want your ministry to grow, you must make disciples of Christ and release them to community.

One of my pet peeves is I see the American church as a whole spend a lot of money to attract people to their church and then entertain those people instead of making disciples. May I suggest that God’s method is to equip them and send them out into the community? I believe that if we spend money on equipping people and sending them out rather than on advertisements, we would win the community for Christ. Sheep beget sheep, so when the people you trained and sent out bring someone to church they will bring other sheep that will hear your voice. When you advertise, you get a lot of goats who are unteachable and cause strife. Just a thought.

On a personal level the secondary leadership should be in the Word on a daily basis;

Eph 4:13-15 says: till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, NKJV

We must become mature Christians and we do that by being in the Word daily, so that we are not fooled by every wind of doctrine. (Christian fads) We are to test the spirits. We are called to protect our people from false teachers so it is important that we know the Word of God.

As a secondary leader you must speak the truth in love.

Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — NKJV

Good leaders do not want their secondary leaders to be “yes people”. If you do not agree with what is being proposed by the leader, speak the truth in love, be candid with the leader and explain why you do not agree. Share alternative solutions. You should do this in private or in a staff meeting. Once the decision is made, however, whether you agree with it or not, it is your responsibility to do your best to make it work. Never, and I say never, disagree in public with the decision or even say you do not agree with the decision. If the decision does not go well, it is not time to criticize the leadership. It is time to come back together and figure what you can do to solve the problem.

It is interesting that leadership grows closer and stronger through adversary when together they get the victory over tough situations. The good times are good, but it is in adversity that the team grows. (2 Thess 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,) NKJV

As secondary leaders, you must grow in your gifting. Never think you have arrived. Look for new ways to fine tune your giftings and to find new ways to minister. You need to continually learn new ways to improve your service. Remember God is not stagnant. He is always on the move and we must move with Him. We must build on our past, but must not stay in the past.

Another thing a secondary leader must have is a positive attitude. People do not respond well to people with negative attitudes. I am not talking about being Pollyannaish about life. We must be realistic, but we must continually look for ways to make the vision succeed. When presented with opportunities, we must think positively and ask ourselves how can we make that happen?

Lastly, we must realize it is in the everyday activities that the vision and ministry succeed. The decisions we make today will make us tomorrow. We must be committed to the process and diligently perform our duties. Anything we do we must do with excellence. Always remember, that we are working for Christ and the advancement of His kingdom. So let us do all things with excellence.

My next tips and tools will be on characteristic of a good leader. (This was mistakenly sent out of order in May. Refer back to: https://www.tmcimissions.org/?p=366)

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

The book I would recommend: the 17 essentials Qualities of a Team Player by John Maxwell

Today I would like to talk about money for ministry.

1 Tim 6:10 says: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. NKJV

Please note it says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, not money. Money is a good thing, especially when it is used to further the kingdom of God. In order for your ministry to succeed, you need money.

Now I understand that a majority of all TMCI ministers support their own ministries and that is fine if you feel God called you to do that. But I encourage you to let others sow into your ministry so that they can be blessed.

Remember in Luke 8:3, it tells us that Jesus had people who supported him.

Let me say first, if you are a church, you need to teach on tithing. God’s method of supporting the local church is through the tithe. We must teach the people that when they tithe, God will bless them (Mal. 3:8-10). We do our people a disservice if we do not teach on tithing. One of the most effective ways I have seen tithing taught is by allowing people in the congregation to testify of how God blessed them because of their tithing.

Fund raising is a concern for most ministries. The need for finance is one the most common prayer request on the TMCI monthly reports. All TMCI ministries are ‘faith based’ ministries which means, first and foremost, we rely on God to provide resources which He usually does through His people.

The most effective way to have people give to your ministry is to look for friends, not just donors. Making friends means that you take the time to learn what is going on in their lives. Show them that you care about them as individuals. People know when you just look at them as an opportunity to get their money. The best way to make friends is to be one.

We should build a life style of caring for and communicating with those who support us. We should share about what God doing in our lives, but it is equally important to learn from our donors what’s going on in their lives so you can pray more effectively for them. It is important that we pray for our supporters us and their families. Send a card or words of encouragement to them. Send greetings on their birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions in their lives or the lives of their families.

Please remember those who give to you view themselves as part of your ministry, so make sure you acknowledge and thank them for their gift and update them on your activities as well.

Remember most people are not good communicators so if they do not correspond with you do not get discouraged because you have not heard from them. Above all, do not remove them from your list because you never know how many are praying for you.

Communication is the critical part of maintaining friends. If they are not in your immediate area, when you visit or pass through their area stop in to visit them. Call them from time to time. Skype is a tool that God gives us to talk face to face with our donors. Consider using this tool as a way to maintain your friendships.

If your donors live close to your ministry, get them involved physically (if possible) in your ministry. Keep them involved with frequent updates.

Some important methods of communication are:

Website   We strongly suggest that you have a website for your ministry. The website should state your vision and give frequent updates on your ministry. The website also provides opportunity to reach out worldwide. One ministry reported that they are receiving monthly donations from Australia. If you do not have a website, and would like help in creating one, we suggest Cheryl Eaton, our TMCI webmaster, who has helped many TMCI ministries get started. Her email is [email protected] .

We also strongly suggest a quarterly newsletter. The newsletter should state your vision and ministry activities for the preceding quarter. Send your newsletter to relatives (even those second and third cousins), your insurance agent, doctor, dentist, hairdresser, etc. In other words, send it to everyone you know! If you minister in a church, send it to the pastor and missions committee.

Suggestions for the newsletter:

1. Show what you’ve been doing by brief positive articles of interest to your readers

2. Include your schedule of ministry dates or your goals in the coming months

3. Have a prayer list of needs for your ministry

4. Have fun and make your newsletter fun and interesting.

5. Keep it to one or two pages.

Don’t expect much response at first; many people will wait to give until they know that this is not a whim but a genuine ministry.  Continue to send quarterly newsletters, using e-mail and regular mail.  Keep in mind, however, that some older people may not have email so you will need two lists – one for email and one for snail mail.

We encourage you to look for Christian businesspeople or organizations that will help your ministry. If you get an appointment with a businessperson, make sure you have a brochure and information you can leave: something that clearly states your vision and ministry. Have lists of people who will give you a good recommendation. You probably will be given half an hour to give your presentation, but be prepared to present your ministry in five minutes. If you do not get a commitment at the first meeting, find out when you can contact them for a decision and make sure you call at that time, not before or after.

Grants are another way to fund your ministry; however we discourage new ministries from seeking grants since the process can be time consuming and many organizations that give grants do not accept unsolicited applications.  After your ministry is established (has a track record) people may consider giving you a grant.

If you decide to apply for a grant we suggest that hire an experienced grant writer; perhaps someone will volunteer or hire a grants writer who will work on a contingency basis (fee or percentage when the grant is received). You will have a better chance of obtaining a grant if your ministry meets a social as well as spiritual need.  If you decide to apply for grants, TMCI will provide all information needed to prove your tax exemption

Other method of passive fund raising is having an offering box at your ministry location. Have your vison statement on a sign by the box so people will know what you are doing.

Several ministries have incorporated a business into their ministries to help fund the ministry. For example, some ministries have thrift stores that help support their ministry. However, keep in mind there is a cost to start a business and it might fail. It also may take away ministry time if you do not have help.

Recently, I have seen some of our people sign up with organization such as Go Fund Me. I have heard that many have succeeded in reaching their goals. These organizations usually charge somewhere between 5 to 8%. But they seem to be effective.

The most effective fund raising method is to make friends of the ministry and maintain that friendship. Next time I going to teach on: keys to Successful Secondary Leadership which was requested by Rev. Lillian Spearman

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

The book I would recommend is:

Friend raising: building a Missionary Support Team That Lasts by Betty J. Barnett

Col. 1:15-18 tells us that Christ is the Head of the Church. Christ is the head and we, as leaders, must get the mind of Christ.

What counts is not what we want, not what our friends want, not even what the church members or those we minister to want. It is what Christ wants for our church and ministry that counts. That may sound foolish to some in light of the fact that many churches vote on what the church is going to do. Our job as Christian leaders is to lead our people into the vison God has for the church. We have to remember the Church is not a democracy but a theocracy. Christ is the Head.

Because the Israelites voted for what they wanted instead of following God’s direction, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Some churches and ministries have been wandering for years because they are doing their thing instead of following God’s calling.

As Christian leaders, we must gain influence over those we lead. We do that by becoming servant leaders. The first thing people want to know about leaders is do they care for me? The old saying, “people do not care what you know until they know that you care” is still true today. People do not care what the name on your church is or the name of your ministry, they want to know if you care about their well-being.

Other things people expect from their leaders:

1. Honesty: Followers expect transparency in communications and honesty in actions. A leader’s behavior should be the same in the home, the work place, and in the world as it is in the church. People want an honest life style: consistency between what we say and what we do.

There is an old saying: What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you are saying.

2. Forward Looking: Followers expect their leaders to be competent and forward looking. Leaders must lead and they must know where they are leading the people. They must have a God-given vision for the people and lead them in fulfilling it. Vision gives people a sense of direction and security for the future.

3. Inspirational: Followers expect their leaders to be inspirational. Leaders must communicate the vision with enthusiasm, energy, and a positive attitude about the future. Remember, if you do not believe in the vision, no one else will!

What does God expect from His leaders? To be the best servants possible and to serve the people by preparing them for ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12)

As a Christian leader, I would encourage all of you to read and mediate on 1 Peter 5:1-11 which give you scriptural guidelines for Christian leadership.

Christian leaders should be willing leaders. They do not take the position for dishonest gain nor for power over the people. We are to be a godly example to those God has entrusted to us. We are to humble ourselves before God and seek his guidance as we lead the people. We are to cast our cares upon him and He will show us the way we should go. Above all, we must be sober and vigilant to protect our people and ourselves from the Devil who is always looking for opportunities to attack our people.

We must stay alert! Satan will always try to attack at our weakness point. Remember, as leaders, we must respond to problems promptly. Small problems become big problems when not addressed. Avoid putting the problem off until another day. The biggest “religious” way of avoiding a problem in church meetings is prayer! That’s right, I said prayer. This is what I hear when a problem folks don’t want to deal with comes up, “Let pray about it”! What they are really saying is let’s hope it goes away before the next meeting. Yes, we must pray about but we must also deal with it. It will not go away; it will only get bigger and usually bring more people into the situation.

Some other things I would suggest you do as leaders are:

1. Have a policy book; especially if you have other people leading in addition to you. A policy book will bring consistency to your ministry. For example, one church did not have a policy book, so someone asked one leader if they could use church chairs at one of their family reunions. The leader said yes, another time another person asked a different leader the same thing and the answer was no. This caused hurt and confusion. Having a policy book will help avoid these kinds of problems. Always remember you can change policy in the future.

2. Do not put negative people on your board. What I mean by that are those people who never see anything positive about life. What I do not mean, is those people who challenge your thinking. Challengers are invaluable to you. But those who never see anything good in life will drag you and the ministry down.

3. Lastly, I encourage you to follow the Biblical priority for the use of your time.

1. First, quiet time with God. Your most important relationship here on earth is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Spend time daily with him.

2. Second, take care of your family’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs. Men taking care of your family needs is more than “putting bread on the table” We must take care on their Spiritual and Emotional needs. We must become the husband and father God call us to be. We must be Godly leaders in our household.

3. Third, fulfill your ministry calling.

If you get these priorities out of order, you will have problems.

Let us get the mind of Christ in all things we do. I have found anything I do in my flesh does no good for me or anyone else.

Next time I will do a teaching on Enjoying the Journey.

Be Blessed,

Bishop Bob Coulter

Book I would recommend: Feeding and leading by Kenneth O. Gangel