Best Practices for Operational Oversight and Staff Salaries?

Representatives from 10 churches in Southern Ontario recently met for a facilitated conversation, guided by Pastor Church Resources, to examine the challenges and opportunities of staff ministry while operating under a council-governed structure. The goal of the day was to benefit from the experiences of other congregations. 

However, the group also identified two questions that they would like to put to the broader community of Network users. Please consider the questions below, and share any advice or input based on your congregation’s experience. Thanks in advance! 

• What does ‘operational oversight’ look like among the ministry staff in your congregation? While the lines of supervision and accountability may be clearly documented on job descriptions or an organizational chart, what are some practical ways to avoid gaps in day-to-day operations?
• What does a compensation policy look like for non-ordained employees in a multi-staff church? How do you decide the salary for any given position? If you look to comparable positions outside the church, what are those positions?