No matter the size, location or age of a church, there is bound to be conflict at some point. We’re all human, and it’s only human to have trouble getting along sometimes. But being intentional about building staff camaraderie will help you during difficult times. Here are four easy ways to do that.

1. Share Wins Together

When you have all-staff meetings, spend an adequate amount of time just highlighting all the positives from each department. In fact, sometimes it may be best to spend the entire meeting on just that. Give each area of ministry an opportunity to share its top three wins. Get excited about each one, and get everyone else excited.

By sharing wins, each department gets a chance to show off what its up to. It is a way to keep everyone else informed about the big events, major steps and great results they may not see from the outside. It’s also a way for the rest of the team members to encourage one another.

2. Solve Problems Together

On the flip side, you may want to spend some time working through various problems from each department. By getting more heads together, you may be able to come up with better solutions.

When staff team members see one another as an important part of the whole, you’re primed for growth.

The point of the exercise is not to put a spotlight on the failings of one area of ministry or highlight anyone’s inability to solve their own problems. Instead, put emphasis on pulling together to help one another. This is about dissolving differences between ministry areas and seeing the solution as a way to help everyone on the team.

3. Show Your Fun Side Together

The team that plays together stays together, right? In this case, the team that has fun will find more meaning during difficult times, will be quick to mend interpersonal relationships, and will remember good experiences more often.

Showing your fun side means spending down time together. It can be a barbecue or a formal dinner. It may be a field trip or a team-building exercise. It may just be playing games together. In the last case, instead of pitting departments against one another, mix up the teams with a healthy balance from each ministry area. That way, you have more opportunity to build cross-department camaraderie.

4. Spend Time in Prayer Together

Last, but certainly not least, pray as a team. It should go without saying that prayer, and even a devotional, should be a part of every staff meeting. But a team that puts a priority on prayer will build spiritual connections.

There’s something about praying for the personal needs of another individual that creates a bond. As you create an environment of prayer, you will find that staff members will be more likely to pray for one another outside of meetings, follow up on details about needs, and even pray spontaneously for one another in hallways — all without prompting.

There is nothing like spiritual experiences to build camaraderie on your staff.

The point of any of these exercises is not just to smooth out interpersonal relationships, but also to tear down any barriers and move people out of their silos. When staff team members see one another as an important part of the whole, you’re primed for growth.