The Power of Delegation: How to Run a Church Without Doing It All Yourself

Too often, church leaders find themselves wearing all the hats. 

Teaching pastor. Head administrator. Lead intercessor. Tech support. 

And the list goes on. 

This leaves leaders and staff burned out, overburdened, and often unable to do the very work that led them into ministry in the first place. 

The solution is delegation–critical for the longevity and health of any church community. 

In the following article, we’ll look at the skill we all need: delegating tasks to others. 

What is Delegation?

To delegate is to “entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself.” [Oxford Dictionary]

It sounds simple, but in reality, delegation can be incredibly challenging. It requires trust, training, clear communication, and organization. 

The most significant hurdle to delegation is the feeling that you can do it better. That is most often why leaders don’t delegate tasks to others. They don’t want to loosen their grip on tasks like preaching, leading a meeting, or even ministering to a new church member. But without delegation, leaders will undoubtedly burn out. 

After all, churches are multifaceted entities with a range of responsibilities, activities, and operations to undertake. They aren’t designed to be run by one person, or even a handful of people. They are designed to operate as bodies: one unified whole with many parts to help achieve the same aim. 

In the next section, we’ll look at delegation in the Bible, and why you can rely on Scripture for the very best examples of delegating out tasks. 

Delegation in the Bible

Delegation wasn’t invented by a business guru or an inspirational leader. In fact, we see some of the most ancient examples of delegation in the very best source of truth–the Bible. 

Let’s look at delegation in the Old Testament, Gospels, and Book of Acts. 

Moses Veers Away from Burnout

In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law sees him on the verge of burnout. He’s spending all his time mediating disputes, burning the candle at both ends to resolve conflicts for the grumpy Israelites. 

When Jethro sees him “standing [there] from morning till night” he gives him this sage advice:

‍“The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone…You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” (Exodus 18)

Excellent advice, Jethro. Select “capable men…who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain.”

That’s a key part of delegation: Choosing leaders who are capable, honest, and walk in the fear of the Lord. 

Jesus Sends Out the 72

Jesus was the most able Person who ever lived, but He didn’t limit His ministry to His infinite capabilities. Instead, He sent out His disciples on their own to heal the sick and preach the good news of the Kingdom. 

‍“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10)

Jesus highlighted a critical point here: Delegation should be driven by prayer, and is ultimately about reaping a spiritual harvest. As you delegate, remember to keep the end goal in mind–building a church community that’s better equipped to advance the Kingdom of Jesus. 

Paul Appoints the Deacons

In the Book of Acts, the industrious early Church was devoted to caring for widows, in part by daily distributing food. However, the leaders were quickly becoming spread too thin (sound familiar?) So, they came up with a solution: choose seven men to take on the task so that they could focus on “prayer and ministry of the Word.” 

‍“It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2b-4)

Once again, the advice isn’t to delegate just anyone. The men are to be wise and Spirit-filled. A lesson? Be selective about who you choose to take on responsibility. 

How to Master Delegation at Your Church

Running your church becomes infinitely simpler when you master delegation. However, assigning out tasks and responsibilities is easier said than done. 

Here’s how to start mastering delegation at your church. 

Master the “sales pitch.”

It may feel phoney, but knowing how to present an opportunity to take on a new task or responsibility requires the finesse of a well-heeled salesperson. 

The “sales pitch” should make the opportunity feel exciting and beneficial. Explain how taking on a new responsibility aligns with the person’s goals and objectives. Appealing to the person’s sense of compassion and duty is also helpful!

Be clear. 

Be clear and thorough about the task or responsibility. Provide all the necessary details, timeframe, and full scope of what’s being asked or required. An email or text message is often a helpful accompaniment to an in-person meeting, so that there’s a concrete reference point for the opportunity.

Let go of the reins. 

Why was Moses taking on all the conflict-mediation himself? The OT doesn’t say, but we might guess that up until that point, he had been the leader of the pack and letting go of control might have felt uncomfortable and risky. 

But letting go of control is a critical part of delegation; it’s one reason that it’s so important to choose people with character and wisdom. 

Identify the right tasks to delegate. 

Part of effective delegation is knowing what to delegate. Don’t delegate out tasks that are better suited to leadership roles. Identify needs that might be met by volunteers, church members, or other staff, and assign accordingly. 

That being said, it’s also important to consider about the way the person’s skills and interests align with the task or responsibility. 

Provide support. 

If you’re delegating someone to lead children’s ministry, provide them with the resources (and authority) they need to do a good job. If you’re delegating someone to help facilitate conference planning, give them a software tool they need to succeed.

Tithely is a suite of software tools designed to make running church smooth, easy, and effective. With Tithely, you can delegate without stress or worry, knowing that your church has the foundation it needs to be successful in event planning, kids ministry, hospitality, volunteer management, and more. 

Final Note: Learning to Delegate is a Process

For leaders, delegation is a lifelong process of learning. Be patient with yourself as you learn to give others the authority and control to carry out what’s needed at your church. In the long run, you’ll be a happier, more effective, and less-stressed leader that confidently knows how to run a church with delegation. 

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