SESSION TWO:

Leading Up: How Church Communicators Can Empower Leaders, Foster Vision, and Navigate Challenges in Ministry

90 DAYS TO EASTER: Leading Up in Ministry
A Guide for Church Communicators

In church communications, the challenge isn’t just crafting creative campaigns or managing logistics. One of the most nuanced and essential skills is leading up—effectively serving and influencing your leaders to align with their vision while ensuring your strategies are clear, actionable, and productive. This process, rooted in humility and servanthood, can elevate your ministry and create a collaborative dynamic with your leadership team.

Dan Barnes and Zac Morgan, experienced church leaders, unpack this critical topic in their discussion on a 90-day strategy to Easter. In this blog, we’ll explore practical steps, tools, and biblical principles to help church communicators lead up well, especially during high-pressure seasons like Easter preparation.

Why Leading Up Matters

Leadership isn’t just about giving orders; it’s about aligning vision, creating clarity, and fostering mutual respect. In John 13, Jesus demonstrates the ultimate model of servant leadership by washing His disciples' feet, showing that leadership starts with humility and service. For church communicators, adopting this posture can transform how you collaborate with leaders and achieve ministry goals.

Understanding Your Leaders

Before diving into tactics, it’s important to understand the types of leaders you may encounter. Zac and Dan identified three general categories:

  1. Healthy Leaders: They are vision-oriented, organized, and open to input.

  2. Unleadable Leaders: These may seem resistant to guidance due to strong opinions, stubbornness, or lack of collaboration.

  3. Unhealthy or Unprepared Leaders: These leaders may struggle with disorganization, last-minute decisions, or a reactive rather than proactive mindset.

Each type requires a unique approach, but the foundation is always humility, prayer, and a willingness to serve.

Practical Steps to Leading Up

1. Align Your Strategy with Their Vision

A successful communication strategy starts with clarity on your leader’s vision. Use these steps to foster alignment:

  • Ask Clarifying Questions: For example, if your leader shares an idea, ask, “What excites you most about this concept?” or “What outcome are you envisioning?”

  • Avoid Premature Execution Questions: Don’t immediately jump to logistical concerns. Instead, focus on understanding the heart behind their ideas.

  • Highlight the Cost and Impact: If a project seems too ambitious, outline its resource requirements. Present alternative options that align with their vision but are more feasible.

Resources:

  • Trello or Asana: Use project management tools to break down large ideas into actionable tasks.

  • Slack: Maintain clear communication with your leader and team to align on priorities.

2. Manage Expectations Proactively

Proactive planning can prevent misunderstandings and last-minute crises. Here’s how:

  • Establish Timelines: Create a 90-day plan with milestones for strategic development, asset creation, and execution.

  • Plan for Flexibility: Anticipate last-minute ideas by leaving margin in your schedule. For example, if your leader frequently adds tasks, finish major projects early so you can accommodate changes without stress.

Example:

  • Develop Easter social media posts weeks in advance but leave room for additional inspiration closer to the event.

Tools:

  • Google Calendar: Share deadlines and event schedules with your team and leader.

  • Buffer or Hootsuite: Schedule social media posts in advance, allowing you to focus on last-minute tweaks.

3. Lead Through Questions, Not Assumptions

When leaders present ideas, your role is to refine and execute them effectively. Use thoughtful questions to help shape their vision:

  • “What’s the primary goal of this initiative?”

  • “Who is the target audience for this message?”

  • “What are the non-negotiables for this project?”

These questions not only bring clarity but also show your leader that you value their input.

Pro Tip:
Take notes during every conversation with your leader. Tools like Notion or Evernote can help organize meeting minutes and action items.

4. Serve with a Heart of Humility

Zac and Dan emphasize the importance of serving your leaders with a Christ-like attitude. This means:

  • Praying for Your Leaders: Ask God to give them wisdom, clarity, and direction.

  • Avoiding Pride: Don’t assume you know better because of your expertise. Instead, use your skills to empower their vision.

  • Seeking Feedback: Regularly check in to ensure your work aligns with their expectations.

Scripture for Reflection:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139:23-24

Navigating Challenges

Unhealthy or Reactive Leaders

If your leader often makes last-minute decisions, try these approaches:

  • Create a Buffer: Finish routine tasks early so you have bandwidth for unexpected requests.

  • Suggest a Prioritization System: Propose ranking projects by urgency and importance to help your leader focus.

  • Communicate Costs Clearly: Gently explain the trade-offs of reactive decisions, such as delays in other projects.

Example Tools:

  • Priority Matrix: Use tools like Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks and focus on what truly matters.

Seemingly Unleadable Leaders

Leaders who resist guidance may respond better to questions and data-driven insights:

  • Frame Suggestions as Questions: Instead of saying, “This won’t work,” ask, “What if we approached this differently to achieve X result?”

  • Show Data: Use metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of past campaigns or suggest new strategies.

Resources:

  • Google Analytics: Provide data on website traffic or event attendance to back up your suggestions.

  • Sprout Social: Track social media engagement and share insights with your leader.

Fostering a Culture of Collaboration

Ultimately, the goal of leading up is to create a culture where collaboration thrives. By aligning with your leader’s vision, managing expectations, and serving with humility, you can foster a dynamic where both you and your leader feel supported and empowered.

Next Steps

In next week’s session, Zac and Dan will dive into another critical aspect of Easter preparation: building and equipping your team. From volunteer recruitment to training and delegation, we’ll explore how to create a team that thrives under pressure and delivers excellence.

As you prepare for Easter, remember: your role as a communicator is vital to the mission of your church. By serving your leader well, you not only support their vision but also honor God and create opportunities for lives to be transformed.

Stay prayerful, stay proactive, and keep leading up with humility. Download our free 90-day Easter planning guide here for additional tools and templates to make this Easter your most impactful yet.

By focusing on servant leadership, thoughtful strategy, and practical tools, you’ll set the stage for a successful and God-honoring Easter season.