The Jethro Ministry: A Biblical Strategy for Strong Teamwork

By J. Dale Roach

Exhaustion and burnout are nothing new. It is not uncommon to hear of someone simply throwing in the towel and walking away from what looked like a good situation. Why does this happen? The answer to this question can be found in the advice that Jethro gave to Moses. Regardless of our role and responsibility as a leader, team member, and church member, the Creator never intended for any person to carry the load of life, work, or responsibilities by him- or herself. Jethro knew this.

One of the most interesting bits of advice that Jethro gave to Moses was when he told Moses, If you continue to do this you will surely wear yourself and these people out (Exodus 18:18). A major call of any good leader is to seek out the talents of those they are leading. This search for talent was the advice of Jethro to Moses.

When we seek out the skills of other people, it will not always be easy. It will call us to take the time to find those who have untapped abilities and put them to work. It will encourage us to pace ourselves as leaders and not become frustrated when it takes a little more time to find help. Here is the key principle of The Jethro Ministry: You cannot do it by yourself!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512708233

J. Dale Roach

Dale Roach is an experienced church growth coach. In thirty-three years of church leadership, his aim has been to encourage congregations to work like a team. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Gardner-Webb University, his master’s degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his doctoral degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-8926-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-0823-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8927-6 (hc)

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/04/2015

Contents

Acknowledgments

Where The Jethro Ministry Idea Began

Why Are We Doing What We Are Doing?

Biblical Foundation for Teamwork

Solo-Ministry and the Stresses of Elijah

The Strategy of Jesus and His Team of Disciples

Paul’s Advice for Team Development

A Clear Definition of a Team

The Importance of a Team Leader

8 Attributes Needed for a High-Performance Team

Healthy Leadership for a New Century

What About the Board of Deacons?

Behaviors That Can Destroy The Jethro Ministry Before It Starts

The Team Ministry of Jethro Exodus 18

A Path to Team Development: 7 Basic Principles

How to Build The Jethro Ministry

Acknowledgments

T his work is dedicated to my father, the late Reverend Mr. Kenneth Roach, my grandfather, the late Reverend Mr. Clifford Roach, and my father-in-law, the late Reverend Mr. Glenn Rushing. These three wise men imparted to me a love for the Lord, His Kingdom, and the reliability of the Bible. It is my hope that all who read this work will find The Jethro Ministry to be true to the text of Exodus 18.

I must also express a great deal of gratitude and appreciation to the congregation of Immanuel Baptist Church, Lancaster, South Carolina. This fellowship was a pleasure to pastor. The ability of Immanuel to grow, change and seek the leadership of God was an experience of spiritual growth. This congregation was willing to say, yes to the idea of a new direction in ministry. They were also the first to embrace the concepts of The Jethro Ministry.

I would also like to express my appreciation to my brother pastors who have encouraged me to develop The Jethro Ministry. When speaking with them concerning this ministry, the response has been nothing but encouragement. I have a true heart for those whom God has called to serve His church. I hope that this writing will aid them as they serve the Master.

I also must thank the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Manning, South Carolina. This fellowship has taken on The Jethro Ministry with a deep commitment. The willingness of the deacons to embrace this strategy of taking care of God’s church and working with the pastoral staff have inspired me as the Lead Pastor of this fellowship. The sincere commitment of over 200 church members in the development of The Jethro Ministry in its first year has proven to me once again that a church built upon the foundation of scripture will succeed.

The creation of The Jethro Ministry would have never taken place without the help of some very important people. There are several gifted women who have helped put this ministry strategy together. I would like to express my thanks to Judy Hammond, Camille Hiott, Lynn Berry, Joyce Pegram and Linda Pierce. Their talents, skills and love for the Lord have been a powerful resource.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my wife Shelley. Her wisdom and ability to follow the Lord as my trusted partner gave me the support to hang in there when challenges came my way. Her constant reminding me that it is God who called me to the task of pastoring and no other has kept me faithful to the work. Saying Thank you! is simply not enough for such a loving and wonderful friend.

WHERE THE JETHRO MINISTRY IDEA BEGAN

Where The Jethro Ministry Idea Began!

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T he Jethro Ministry journey began with a simple question, How do you get church people to work together as a team? This question was the result of several other questions.

• Why are some congregations finding it difficult to grow and prosper?

• Why are many churches not using the human resources that the Lord has created within their fellowships to become powerful for the Kingdom of God?

• Why are so many pastors and church leaders in conflict with one another?

Demonic forces never need to visit many fellowships due to the fact that disharmony and conflict are already present.

Even though some churches would like to think that they are doing well, their character and behavior tells a different story to the world around them. Demonic forces never need to visit many fellowships because disharmony and conflict are already present. This behavior tells the unchurched and those who have dropped out of the church that there is a problem. An atmosphere like this hinders many people from thinking about going back to church.

Several years ago I began to ask questions due to the condition of many Christian fellowships I had encountered. I saw many of my pastor friends resigning from their fellowships and several of them resigning from the ministry. I saw the behavior of congregations evolving into great issues of conflict that seemed to be fueled by disharmony and the appearance that they did not like worshipping together.

Why do many of the churches of God decline and lose hope for a healthy future? For some churches there simply is not a plan or strategy in working together. As I have witnessed this taking place over the past two decades, I came across Exodus 18 and began to read it in a different way. I began to listen to the advice of Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, in a new way. Exodus 18 opened my eyes to a strategy for ministry that I had ignored or overlooked for years. This scripture opened my heart to the plan of a very wise and godly man in creating an environment of teamwork for the people of God. Jethro’s strategy and plan for Moses is simple and easy to follow.

Introducing The Jethro Ministry

That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9, NASB

The wisdom of Jethro is as old as the people of God. Too often older approaches are laid aside as being irrelevant for the age in which we live.

Since the time of Solomon, ideas and insights are probably the most recycled treasures that humans have. To claim that someone has a new idea carries with it a great deal of arrogance. The Jethro Ministry is not a new idea. For some, it may be a fresh approach to ministry but it is not new.

The wisdom of Jethro is as old as the people of God. Too often older approaches are laid aside as being irrelevant for the age in which we live. Some congregations along with their leadership have ignored the knowledge of ancient wisdom for the concepts of a modern-age. Jethro’s wisdom has been overlooked by many congregations and replaced by ideas and procedures that have neither the power nor the design of inspired scripture. Before being able to start a journey in understanding the advice of Jethro, it will first be necessary to read the advice he gave to Moses in Exodus 18.

Exodus 18

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, 3 and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land. 4 And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. 5 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. 6 And he sent word to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her. 7 Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent. 8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 So Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people. 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God. 13 And it came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the