BENEFITS OF A GOOD MINISTRY TRAINING MANUAL

What are some benefits of having a well-written, well-maintained ministry training manual?

Our training manual helps describe the best process, system or way of doing things in our current environment. People are intelligent and desire to succeed. Consequently, if a clear ministry process is not defined for them, they will invent one. Why? Not to rebel, but to find a way to win for the Lord and His Kingdom. Therefore, it is our responsibility to layout the ministry process, so that people do not have to invent one.

Our training manual helps recruit more and better servants. Most Christians want to serve the Lord, but many don’t because they’re not sure to what they’re committing. When potential recruits can see the six or seven simple steps required to serve effectively in your ministry, they are much more likely to commit to serve. They are also more likely to stay, because they’re not frustrated by a lack of understanding or poorly defined expectations. They will also be more likely to serve longer and better, because the training manual will help them serve successfully. And everyone likes success.

Our training manual helps us convert biblical principles into practical steps. Through them God provides us an effective way of communicating a lot of information in a clear, simple format. As a result, the members of our church family will gain confidence in what God wants to do through them while raising the level of ministry skills.

Our training manual helps avoid conflicts of schedules, ideas or resource usage. If the process is not clearly defined, many people will invent systems that conflict with other ministry areas. When all the processes are laid out for everyone to see, we can eliminate or at least minimize conflicts. When we do that, people are more likely to succeed and serve longer and better. When this happens everyone wins, God, those serving and those being served.

Our training manual helps clearly define the “rules of the game”, that is, church policies. When people don’t understand policies, they do one of two things. They either do nothing; thus, nothing gets accomplished for the Kingdom of God. Or they violate the policies, which means that guidelines that are in place to either protect people or assist them are ignored, causing avoidable frustration and problems.

Our training manual also helps us evaluate our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for growth while minimizing or eliminating potential pitfalls. Trained and anointed leaders cannot be everyone where at once, but can review the training manual to find ways to better equip the saints to carry out the ministries to which God has called them. Missed opportunities become evident when everyone can clearly see at a glance what the church is doing or can do in carrying out the mandates of Scripture (that is, the Great Commission and the Great Commandment).

Summary of Benefits of a Good Ministry Training Manual

•  Easier and better recruiting
•  Easier and better training
•  Easier to multiply ministry team leaders and ministry workers/volunteers
•  Better and more thorough communication of expectations for staff and volunteers

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