Wendy Lewis only
Sarah Parlin
DB 1
Encounter Revival Ministries (ERM) is a small nonprofit organization made up of staff and volunteers who are passionate about sharing the gospel and serving. Encounter works in the United States and abroad. The ERM team ministers in churches and schools across the country. During the summer, Encounter operates a Christian camp. Camp scholarships are extended to children who would otherwise not be able to attend. In addition, ERM raises and sends funds for orphan care, poverty relief, church planting, youth ministry, and discipleship training in several different countries. I believe it would be beneficial for this organization to consider three topics from my reading this week: the distinction between leadership and management, the importance of planning for staff transitions, and the value of transformational leadership.
Worth (2017) asserts that “leadership and management are not the same thing” (p. 109). There is a distinction between the two. Management tends to be concerned with day-to-day operations. It focuses on maintaining. Leadership is more concerned with vision. It is future-focused. It defines long-term goals. Good management and leadership are both vital to the health of an organization. By understanding this concept, Encounter’s executives can determine whether a certain position requires someone with leadership capabilities, management skills, or a mixture of both. This will make the best use of each staff member’s unique talents and help the organization move forward cohesively.
Another concept outlined in the textbook is the need for transition planning (Worth, 2017, p. 123). During the life of a nonprofit, people come and go. Whether it is a volunteer or the CEO, there will eventually be turnover. It is important that the organization plans for such changes to assure it will still be able to function well. Encounter has full-time staff members and a team of volunteers. Because the organization is small, every full-time staff member oversees a significant portion of the ministry’s operations. If a staff member decided to leave, the organization would be left with a gaping hole to fill. Worth advises that “communication, documentation, and cross-training of staff in the responsibilities of each other’s jobs can minimize disruption during the period of transition” (p. 123). Cross-training the other staff members and even volunteers would prepare Encounter Revival Ministries for a possible staff transition.
Finally, transformational leadership is a key concept to understand. It does not focus on rewards and punishments to move people forward. Instead, it appeals to shared goals. Transformational leaders develop relationships and match an individual’s values with the values of the organization (Worth, 2017, p. 112). Leaders at Encounter do not only have to direct subordinates. They often provide direction to peers, volunteers, and donors. A leadership style based on rewards and punishments would not be effective in this situation. To motivate these groups of people, it is necessary to take a transformational approach. Additionally, this leadership style does not need to be left only to executives. Volunteers and staff members could be taught to lead in a transformational way as well. Thus, Encounter would be teeming with members who possess the capability to appeal to the values of others. They could be ambassadors to the external environment, share the vision of the ministry with others, and recruit more people to help pursue it.
In Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about a master who entrusts his servants with a certain amount money. The master goes on a journey and returns after a long time. The servants had to give an account for how they had used their master’s money. The servants who had invested the money wisely were praised by their master: “Well done, good and faithful servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, New American Standard Bible). This parable illustrates the concept of stewardship. Like the servants in the parable, Encounter Revival Ministries has been entrusted with certain resources. It has the responsibility to manage the time, work, and money it has been given in a way that honors God and fulfills its mission. By applying these three concepts, this nonprofit organization can better steward those resources.
References
Worth, M. J. (2017). Nonprofit management: Principles and practice (4th ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
