Administration

Kylie Kendall   BUV Administrator

I have a secret. I love one Baptist church more than the rest.

My favourite church has perfectly run meetings; no insurance claims; well documented policies and procedures that are adhered to; staff and volunteers who are happy and appreciated; pastors who are well rested and productive; ministries that flourish, and the ability to avoid financial struggles.

You may have seen this church mentioned in many of our BUV Guidelines for churches and sample documentation. It’s Sample Baptist Church, at 777 Baptist Street in Baptistland, Victoria.

Okay, clearly we’re talking about a church that exists only on paper, but I just love how easily change is implemented at Sample Baps!

If a policy needs updating, it just gets done – no argument. The review of the Church Constitution only took a couple of hours, not a couple of years! Best of all, it’s so easy to roll out a new procedure because no one ever complains about the changes or refuses to comply

For the rest of us, implementing change in our own church isn’t quite so easy. New guidelines or legislation to be adhered to often feel like more hard work for those who are already busy. The very people who’re set to benefit from the changes can be critical, indifferent or just plain ignorant – which can be really disheartening for those responsible for administrating it.

A good example of this was when the laws changed and all our kids’ ministry leaders and volunteers had to get Working with Children Checks (WWCC). Our Church Secretaries and Administrators heard every excuse under the sun for why people were not getting them. It was as though this new legislation was specifically designed to make life difficult, impede ministry and cost money – and we were the bad guys for implementing the law! But now, having a WWCC has become part of our culture. It’s being increasingly accepted as the norm and we’re seeing how it works to protect our kids by weeding out known offenders and making our churches safer.

If you’re responsible for implementing administrative change in your church, I encourage you to keep chipping away at it. After a while these changes stop being ‘new’ and become ‘normal’. You’ll see the results in things like reduced insurance claims, happier leadership teams, and better-organised offices! (If not, you’re welcome to join me at Sample Baptist Church.)