Surveys of pastoral staff repeatedly show that senior or supervising pastors consistently rate their working relationships with their associate staff members higher than do the associate staff members. Satisfaction levels follow similar patterns. In many cases, supervisors are not aware of or attentive to the concerns of their staff, and yet, these staff members are critical to the success of the church. Supervising and Supporting Ministry Staff is a research-based guide to the senior/associate staff relationship that is filled with real-life stories and practical advice to help readers negotiate their staff relationships successfully. The book focuses not only on the business mechanics of the supervisor/supervisee relationship, but also the full experiences of the associate staff, including emotional and spiritual needs. This helpful resource addresses congregations of all sizes across denominations and discusses a range or supervisor/supervisee relationship types.

Chapter 1: Introduction: Foundations for Supervising and Supporting Associate StaffChapter 2: Forming and Leading the Ministry TeamChapter 3: Time Together, Part I: Constructive Regular Team MeetingsChapter 4: Time Together, Part II: Profitable Occasional Team Gatherings and One-On-OnesChapter 5: Facilitating and Supporting the Ministry of Your Associate StaffChapter 6: Supporting Staff PersonallyChapter 7: Staff Review and DevelopmentChapter 8: Letting Go - Staff TransitionsChapter 9: Self-care as a Ministry SupervisorAppendix A: Resources for Supervising PastorsAppendix B: Overview of the Research Process