PGBC MINISTRY TEAMS is a simplified team-based organizational approach for efficiently achieving the mission of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (PGBC):
To make disciples while being discipled in Christ
This approach is based on the Biblical truth that each of us is called by our Lord to be a servant . . . to serve Him by loving and serving others. It is also based on the fact that our Creator has blessed each of us with gifts that can be used to serve as an active member of His church body. Each of us can make mean-ingful contributions to achieving our mission. This resource is meant to help every member understand the oppor-tunities that are available to be obedient to our Lord by actively participating in voluntary activities that support the mission.
Development of this team-based organizational approach involved the following key concepts:
Simplicity: simple to understand each team and how teams collectively help achieve the PGBC mission. There are no ex-officio positions, deacon appointments, or rigid rules governing the management of the teams. These teams also require approximately 30-50 fewer volunteers than the current council, committee, and commission structure.
Team-based: relies on core teams of individuals (typically 3-4 members including a chairperson) focused on efforts in a particular area or areas; facilitates involvement of many more church members because responsibilities are shared across more individuals; facilitates better idea generation (multiple minds are better than one); enables better assessment of team activities each year (team members share perspectives on outcomes).
Efficiency: helps avoid duplication of efforts across teams; enables ministry teams to focus on their responsibilities with less time spent on unnecessary administrative tasks. Each team is responsible for recruiting new members. Each team will decide annually who will be the team leader; this process will be facilitated by Team Management in the event a team is having difficulty identifying its leader.
Flexibility: Annual terms (or longer, if desired) enable members to join a particular team and see if it represents a good fit...without a protracted commitment. Teams are also less structured than in the past in order to allow them to expand and contract their members and responsibilities as needed. It is also important to remember that teams can take the initiative to expand into new programs and responsibilities as appropriate and if needed.
The teams listed address many of the responsibilities associated with committees and commissions and other organizations included in the current church organizational structure handbook. Some responsibilities have been consolidated or reorganized in the interest of achieving greater degrees of simplicity, efficiency, and effectiveness. New spiritually based teams have been added (such as the Discipleship Team and the Prayer Team) to better meet the spiritual needs of the church.
In summary, all of us are called to be humble servants. There is an abundance of opportunities for members to actively participate in team-based activities that support our mission...and serve our Lord. Broad involvement by our church body will help ensure that we achieve our mission (and our Lord’s mission) and are blessed in the process. Teams will actively seek new involvement by church members who may not have been aware of these opportunities.
Audio-Visual Team ~ The Audio-Visual Team will be responsible for enlisting and training audio-visual operators, ensuring audio-visual personnel are present at all services, and ensure the availability of equipment as needed. Baptism/Lord’s Supper Team ~ The Baptism/Lord’s Supper Team will honor God by supporting His ordinances for the church as an outward representation of our communion and commitment to Him. This team will assist baptismal candidates, ensure baptismal facilities are maintained and prepared, prepare and clean up at each observance of the Lord’s Supper, and maintain adequate supplies for the Lord’s Supper. Cemetery Team ~ The Cemetery Team will ensure that the burial wishes of church members are respected and accommodated to the extent possible. This team will maintain cemetery and grave records, maintain a list of requested and assigned grave sites, and oversee cemetery maintenance and the placement of head stones and markers. Children’s Team ~ The purpose of the Children’s Team is to ensure that our children are growing in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and the team’s focus is upon preschool and children through the 5th grade. This team will coordinate preschool and children’s programs and Christian education activities on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. This team will also coordinate and conduct special events, offer training throughout the year for teachers in the Preschool and Children’s programs, and work with the Personnel Team to hire personnel for and maintain a nursery program for birth through age two on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Constitution and Bylaws Team ~ The Constitution and Bylaws Team will help ensure that the Constitution and By-Laws do not deviate from Biblical guidance and remain consistent with the mission of the church. The team will recommend changes to the Constitution and By-Laws as needed and maintain a copy of the current Constitution and Bylaws and other official church information with the North Carolina Secretary of State. Discipleship Team ~ The Discipleship Team develops, oversees, and supports teachers and leaders as they disciple and equip the body of Christ, by providing a structure for adult education comprised of male, female, and joint classes, the adult Sunday School ministry of the church, and other small groups that may arise. The team will also coordinate the CORE Group ministry of the church as well as senior adult programs, men’s ministry programs, and women’s ministry programs. First Impressions Team ~ You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and we want others to feel welcomed at PGBC. Therefore, our First Impressions Team serves to help members and guests feel right at home when they visit our church. This team will greet mem-bers and guests at regular and special worship services (both at the beginning and ending of services), provide information about church services, programs, and rooms/locations, assist persons with disabilities or special needs, offer to escort visitors and guests to where they need to go (not just give directions or point them in the right direction), think through what a guest to our church may need and work to make them feel at home, and decorate the sanctuary and campus as needed for special seasons and services. Missions Team ~ The purpose of the Missions Team is to help PGBC share the gospel to our world in word and deed. The Missions Team will seek to show God’s love to those in our community, state, country, and world by meeting them where they are and providing for their needs both spiritually and physically. This team will coordinate mission opportunities and activities for all ages, make recommendations to the church for special mission offerings and fundraisers, and coordinate with other churches and external organizations regarding missions and outreach. This team will also provide Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) and Brotherhood opportunities. Personnel Team ~ The purpose of the Personnel Team is to magnify God by ministering to and encouraging all church staff thereby ensuring that staff can carry out their ministry effectively. The team will coordinate and lead pastor and staff appreciation efforts and events; develop, adjust, and recommend position descriptions; recommend salaries and compensation packages; and assist staff in posting and filling vacancies and identifying, interviewing, and hiring candidates. Prayer Team ~ The purpose of the Prayer Team is to uphold the congregation, our ministries, and our community in prayer. This team will also seek to educate, empower, and inspire the congregation in their prayer lives. The key responsibilities and duties of the team itself include, but are not limited to, receiving and praying for concerns and requests from individuals in the congregation, being available to pray with someone if the need arises, covering the various ministry teams of PGBC with prayer and receiving any prayer concerns they may have, and working with ministerial staff to provide opportunities for the congregation to enrich their prayer lives. Recreation Ministries Team ~ The purpose of the Recreation Ministries Team is to organize recreational activities as an avenue for fellowship, outreach, and the spreading of God’s Word and love through sports, and focus recreation events on evangelism of the unsaved, outreach to prospects, and in-reach to church members. The team will enhance the personal growth of individuals through strengthened relationships, self-improvement, and leadership roles and ensure that every aspect of church recreation honors God, is in harmony with the church’s mission, and channels people into church programs, organizations, and church membership. Resource Management Team ~ The Resource Management Team will help ensure that God is honored by carefully monitoring, maintaining, and preserving the resources with which He has blessed the church. Team functions include, but are not limited to, securing bids, proposals, and quotes as needed; coordinating the delivery or repair of items; and scheduling congre- gation workdays as appropriate. Safety and Security Team ~ The Safety and Security Team will provide safety and security support without interfering with the core mission and activities of the church. It will maintain a safety and security plan, provide safety and security support at all church activities, provide recommendations for equipment needs as appropriate, and conduct background checks as required. Social Team ~ The purpose of the Social Team is to provide an atmosphere of fellowship, opportunities to help members and visitors feel welcomed and loved, and for individuals and families to get to know one another and enjoy meals together. This team will plan and implement regular and special events such as Wednesday night meals, fellowship meals, Homecoming, and other events as needed. The team will organize events with input from church staff and the Church Council, organize food preparation, set up and clean up after socials, inspect all Fellowship Hall properties periodically, manage supplies as appropriate, and coordinate cleaning kitchen facilities as needed. Softball Team ~ The Softball Team is to focus softball and use of softball facilities in pursuit of sharing the gospel with the lost, outreach to prospects, and in-reach to church members. The Commissions shall ensure that every aspect of the softball ministry honor God, is in harmony with the church’s purpose, channels people into church programs and church membership, and enhances the personal growth of individuals in the church through strengthened relationships, self-improvement, and leadership roles. They shall also maintain all present softball equipment and facilities. Stewardship Team ~ The purpose of the Stewardship Team is to glorify God by ensuring that we honor God through wise use of the resources with which He has blessed us and to instruct the church body accordingly. The key responsibilities and duties of this team include, but are not limited to, promoting and leading in stewardship education, maintaining written financial practices and policies and ensure these are being followed, scheduling audits as appropriate, maintaining a list of budgeted line items and those responsible for them, coordinating annual budget preparation and facilitating church budget approval by the end of each calendar year, monitoring expenditures, discussing budget issues with teams as appropriate, and assisting the Treasurer and Financial Secretary as needed. Upward Team ~ The Upward Team will strive to bring the love of Christ to the surrounding community by adhering to the Upward® mission of “promoting the discovery of Jesus through sports”. Ushers Team ~ The Ushers Team will greet members and guests at services; provide information about church services, programs, and rooms/locations; assist persons with disabilities or special needs; and generally assist attendees as needed. They will also distribute and collect ballots, receive and secure church offerings, and report attendance totals by service and activity. Web Ministry Team ~ The Web Ministry Team will seek to manage and leverage the church website to spread the gospel; advertise church functions and opportunities for service; and publish a cemetery map, plots, and gravesite reservations/availability. This team will also strive to protect against the release of personally identifiable information (PII). Youth Team ~ The Youth Team is to work with the youth pastor to plan the ministries and events for the coming year. This team will be comprised of students from both high school and middle school, male and female, and adult representatives from the body.
