Many churches already have a written or mental list of “things that need to get done,” but few have those tasks organized in a way that helps church leaders work through their never-ending to-do lists. Even fewer have their church leadership structure organized into clear job descriptions for the volunteers and staff yoked with the responsibility to shape the life of the church. What makes The New Job Descriptions different is not simply the number of roles it names, but how leaders are invited to use them.
This resource is not meant to sit on a shelf, emailed out as PDFs during leadership recruitment, or to be photocopied once a year. It is designed to shape conversations, culture, and calling over time. (And yes, if you are concerned, once you buy the resource, the job descriptions CAN be shared, copied, or printed within your local church for discernment, recruitment, and clarification of roles!)
Purchase the New Job Descriptions Book
1. Use job descriptions as conversation starters, not assignments.
Instead of leading with, “We need someone to do this job,” try sharing a job description as an invitation to discernment for a potential leader in your congregation. Ask questions like:
What part of this role feels life-giving to you?
Where do you see your gifts reflected here?
What would need to be adapted for this to fit our church?
When leaders treat job descriptions as spiritual prompts rather than contracts, they create space for calling to emerge.
2. Focus on the “why” before the “what.”
Each job description clearly names why the role exists and how it connects to discipleship. This is one of the most powerful features of the resource. Leaders can use that section to help committees reframe their work:
Finance teams can reflect on generosity as spiritual formation.
Trustees can connect property decisions to hospitality and mission.
Communications leaders can see storytelling as discipleship—as opposed to simply marketing.
This shift helps committees understand that their work matters in ways beyond efficiency and checklists.
3. Contextualize success.
The resource leaves space for individual churches to define effectiveness and fruitfulness, both in how that may look for the individuals serving specific leadership roles and how that feeds a church’s overall identity. Leaders should resist the temptation to skip this step. Taking time to name one to three indicators of fruit—spiritual, relational, or missional—helps leaders stay focused and reduces burnout.
Importantly, these indicators do not need to be numeric. Stories, testimonies, and signs of growth are just as valuable as metrics.
4. Build leadership development into the calendar.
The Job Description Cycle outlined in the resource encourages churches to move through planning, identifying, developing, sending, and assessing leaders on a regular rhythm. Even adopting one stage of that cycle can improve leadership health.
For example:
- Use one meeting a year to review and update job descriptions.
- Schedule check-ins with leaders at the six-month mark.
- Celebrate leadership transitions publicly in worship or newsletters.
Small, consistent practices reinforce a culture of discipleship. Regular attention to leadership opportunities and development helps avoid crises.
5. Pair incoming leaders with mentoring and support.
No leader should be sent out alone. Churches can use The New Job Descriptions to clarify who provides support, where accountability lives, and how stories of impact are shared. This creates healthier expectations and encourages leaders to build networks of support early, rather than burning out once their job is done.
Ultimately, The New Job Descriptions invites leaders to see organization as ministry. The resource does not promise an easy button, but it does offer a faithful framework for linking leadership and discipleship in ways that are intentional, contextual, and hopeful.
When churches use these tools well, leadership stops being a burden to survive and becomes a pathway through which disciples are formed—for the transformation of the world.
Contributors to Job Descriptions: (Alphabetical by first name, by organization)
Discipleship Ministries World Service:
- Ashlee Crawford
- Bryan Tener
- David Teel
- Diana Sanchez Bushong
- Ken Sloane
- Kevin Johnson
- Lisa Hancock
- Motoe Yamada Foor
The Upper Room
- Migdiel Perez
- Rachel Hagewood
UMCRM
- Jennifer Gamache
GBHEM
- Eduardo Buosson
GBCS
- Aimee Hong
GCORR
- Jeehye Pak
GCAH
- Ashley Boggan
UMCOM
- Paul Gomez
UMM
- Steven Scheid
UWF
- Tara Barnes
GCSRW
- Denise Sears
- Stephanie York Arnold
WesPath
- Ryan Sweeney
GBGM
- Hannah Hanson
Where can I learn more?
The New Job Descriptions: History and Hopes
Leadership Resource Reintroduced to Foster Discipleship Culture (Part 1)
Leadership Resource Reintroduced to Foster Discipleship Culture (Part 2)
Purchase: The New Job Descriptions Book
This content was originally published by Discipleship Ministries; republished with permission by ResourceUMC on September 22, 2026. To learn more about Discipleship Ministries visit Discipleship Ministries | ResourceUMC.