I have a rule for volunteers that they cannot speak poorly of the youth group, church, or specific people. The church also has this expectation of staff and leaders in the church. I think this is critical. I know that for the most part we wouldn’t go spouting off about every little thing that gets to us when we are in leadership roles in the church, but I also see how easy it would be for us to get caught up in our frustrations and complain to others about them. But I have a question about my policy and the church’s policy: What’s the line?
I want to be able to discuss areas for improvement in the church with more than just staff and my youth volunteers. I don’t really feel like I can’t do this, but at the same time I am aware that the church has said the staff is to show 100% support. So what is it okay for me to struggle with and criticize and what isn’t it? Is it going too far to say that I don’t feel the church is welcoming to young adults or that I think we could do better engaging with our surrounding community? Are these things okay when in discussion seeking genuine improvement and not just being thrown out there in broad conversation?
I’m not sure what the church’s answer would be. I think that they would support constructive criticism in appropriate situations. But I have decided to look at it from the perspective of me and the volunteers under me. What would I be okay with them doing? What is the line I would draw for them?
It’s fairly simple from my perspective really. But it’s also kind of hard to execute I think. In my opinion honest criticism for positive reasons (seeking improvement/resolution) is good. But let me know about it after words. If you have a discussion and things come up, I want to know what they are and what conclusions you have come to. Don’t pick on the little things- so you don’t like the music being so loud, talk to me about it, not a third person. You wish we would spend more time in prayer, tell me not someone else. If you are wondering why we don’t have more new people coming, go ahead and discuss it with someone else, but let me know what you talked about. I think that’s really what it boils down to.
I want to be in the loop. I want to know what’s going on in the minds of my leaders. I want us to all be on the same page.
That’s my new rule for myself as well. When I have a conversation about church I’m going to share it with my pastor. Maybe not all the details, but the relevant points. Because that’s what I would want.
