Humor columnist Dave Barry once quipped that a major difference between meetings and funerals is the latter have a purpose.

Inside and outside the ministry world, meetings have a bad reputation — and with good reason. During my time as a church consultant, some of the most common complaints I heard from staff members had to do with unproductive yet unrelenting meetings.

Attendees came unprepared or just didn’t show up, thwarting meeting goals and prompting even more meetings. Thoughtfully crafted agendas fell apart when the first distraction arose. An entire staff silently watched a 15-minute conversation between the senior pastor and one other person.

When such meetings proliferate, work suffers. In fact, a team of researchers from three U.S. universities found a correlation between meeting satisfaction and overall job satisfaction.

Eliminating staff meetings altogether is not the answer, however. Collaboration is essential for teams, and that requires bringing people together. Meetings can introduce diverse perspectives, inspire creativity, generate ideas, build a sense of teamwork and rapport, and harness synergy.

The key is creating meetings people actually want to attend. Keeping that goal in mind before, during, and after a meeting can make all the difference.

Before a Meeting

I once worked with a pastor whose staff meeting regimen looked like this:

• Everyone gathered on Tuesday mornings at 10, without exception. Whether there was something significant to discuss was irrelevant.
• The pastor required all staff members to attend, regardless of whether they had anything meaningful to contribute.
• There was no real agenda. The pastor decided what to cover after everyone arrived. The ending time was a moving target. Exactly how long each session would last was anyone’s guess, making it impossible to schedule around.

Does this sound familiar? Many church leaders fall into a trap of holding long, recurring meetings for no reason — and then wonder why their team members struggle with time management.

Before anyone walks into a conference room or logs on to a video call, create a specific plan for the meeting. Even 10 minutes of preparation is better than none at all.

There are six important questions to ask during the planning phase:

1. Is it necessary? Nonessential meetings should become nonexistent. If no one needs the meeting, no one should have to attend it. Social events can be beneficial, but meeting simply for the sake of packing everyone into the conference room erodes morale and wastes time.

There are personnel and opportunity costs to consider. For example, a 45-minute meeting involving five staff members making $40,000 annually costs $105, according to an online calculator from Harvard Business Review. Seriously evaluate whether this is the best use of those resources.

Sometimes a meeting is worth the investment. Other times, a simple email or video announcement can accomplish the goal at a lower cost and with less hassle.

When team members share a vision and
move together toward common goals, an energizing atmosphere of collaboration will carry over from the conference room to
the office spaces
and beyond.

2. What is the purpose? A focused meeting is an efficient meeting. It’s hard to cover everything in one gathering and maintain a group’s attention the entire time.

A short meeting with a single, defined purpose is more likely to yield positive results than a marathon session with a multi-page agenda.

3. What is the plan? Identify the what (the crucial topic and intended outcome) and how (a clear process, including the time allotment for the meeting).

One ministry team leader asked members to nominate items for the next meeting agenda. The leader then culled the suggested topics, determining which ones to cover and in what order.

4. Who needs to attend? There should be a clear reason for each person’s inclusion in a meeting. If the meeting is about children’s ministries, for example, the senior adults leader probably doesn’t need an invitation.

At least a day or two before the meeting, inform participants of the purpose and plan, clarifying each person’s responsibilities for preparation and involvement.

5. What is the best approach? Avoid the pitfall of sticking with a meeting routine simply because that is the way it has always been done. Instead, strategically determine the most appropriate time and venue based on the meeting’s goals and team members’ needs.

One pastor I know hosts staff meetings in his home. Team members say it is an ideal environment for creative thinking.

Another pastor conducts morning meetings with everyone standing rather than seated. This approach helps keep the daily gatherings short and focused.

6. What details need attention? Consider issues such as materials, remote connections and refreshments so these things don’t become distractions later.

Careful planning keeps the small details in the background where they belong. No one wants to sit through 10 minutes of awkward fumbling with a malfunctioning projector or wait while someone runs to find coffee creamer or make additional copies of the agenda.

During a Meeting

Once a meeting starts, the priority is staying focused. When the conversation wanders, return to the agenda. Monitor the time carefully as well.

Recognizing a tendency to become sidetracked during meetings, one church leader compiled a list of important but off-topic items that came up during discussions. The leader then planned separate meetings — with the right people at the right times — for working through those issues.

Collaborate with team members to establish a set of meeting guidelines. Then hold one another accountable for honoring them. Examples might include arriving on time, starting every meeting with prayer, and maintaining a respectful tone.

Rather than having one person record the minutes, ask all attendees to take notes on action items. This helps people pay attention and gives everyone a personal record of the discussion.

Before closing the meeting, take a few minutes to review and summarize the main points. Consider what was accomplished and what still needs attention.

Schedule the next meeting, and ask each person what he or she plans to do by that time.

After a Meeting

Check in periodically to be sure people are following through on their action steps. When team members share a vision and move together toward common goals, an energizing atmosphere of collaboration will carry over from the conference room to the office spaces and beyond.

Finally, take time to assess the effectiveness of meetings. Ask each participant to note one strength and weakness of the interaction, or assign one person to observe and offer feedback. Also consider inviting an outside observer to attend and provide coaching advice.

With planning, intentionality and follow through, you can create staff meetings people actually want to attend — and make the most of every opportunity to advance your church’s mission.

This article appears in the Summer 2023 issue of Influence magazine.