Excellence In Ministry

By Dr. O. J. Shabazz

 

In 1979, life took an unexpected turn for me. In the years of my younger life, I was reared under the influence of a good father who was a devout Muslim, as were all of his children in his house. After leaving my father's home, and establishing my own house of authority, intense studies of the Quran and the Bible became o

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. O. J. Shabazz Ministries
• Release date: Jul 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798218254858

Book preview

EXCELLENCE IN MINISTRY

A Guide to Protocols and Etiquette for Church Leaders

BY: Dr. O. J. SHABAZZ

Excellence in Ministry

A Guide to Protocols and Etiquettes for Church Leaders

By: Dr. O. J. Shabazz

EXCELLENCE in Ministry

© 2023 Dr. O. J. Shabazz

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine or journal.

You can contact me for copies and other pertinent concerns at:

[e-mail]

ISBN: 979-8-218-23336-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Dedications

Introduction

Chapter 1 : Definitional Perspectives

The Use Of The Word Minister

The Use Of The Word Etiquette

The Use Of The Word Protocol

The Use Of The Word Excellence

Chapter 2 : Protocols, Etiquette, And Excellence Biblically

Bible Patterns

Bible Principles

Bible Precepts

Chapter 3 : A Minister For Every Ministry

Rural Church Ministry

Urban Church Ministry

Suburban Church Ministry

Chapter 4 : The Minister’s First Church

The Minister’s First Church Search

Beware Of Hiring Hooks

The Interview Process

The Contract Consideration

Do Your Due Diligence

Chapter 5 : First-Year Fundamentals

How To Halt A Honeymoon

Lay Hands On No Man Suddenly

Men's Money And Madness

Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan

Chapter 6 : Changing Of The Guard

Transparency Transition And Transference Etiquettes

The Previous Minister Is Still Here

A Big Head Will Only Burst

Big Shoes, But I Have Little Feet

Traditional Leadership Legacies

The Pressures Of A Passive-Aggressive Leadership

Chapter 7 : The Winds Of Change

Preacher Winds

Leadership Winds

Membership Winds

Women Winds

Chapter 8 : The Dynamics 0f Delegation

Delegation Defined

Delegation As Found In Scriptures

Demands For Delegation

The Dimensions Of Delegation

Discipleship Development Through Delegation

Chapter 9 : Hats Worn By The Church

What You Don’t Know Will Hinder You

The Spiritual Hat Worn By The Church

The Civil Hat Worn By The Church

The Hat Of Balance

Chapter 10 : The Honor Of Hosting

The Budget Etiquettes

Invitation

The Big Secret

Chapter 11 : The Art Of Officiating

Officiating Funerals

Officiating Weddings

Officiating Corporate Assemblies

A Word About The Author

Afterword

Foreword

The term Excellence is often used and means different things to different people. At any rate, in its simplest form, most would agree that excellence is the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. It means being great or the best at something, yet achieving excellence is never easy. Excellence is also a quality that people really appreciate but is often hard to find. However, this is certainly not the case with the author of this volume.

A national and internationally recognized minister of the Gospel for more than four decades, a supportive husband and father, as well as a community activist, Olu Shabazz has allowed God to use him to perfect what I believe is a must-have volume among those who are Christian ministers, preachers, and teachers of the Gospel. This is especially a resource for those preaching and teaching in an organized congregation, be it in person or virtual.

Excellence in Ministry contains important tenets a minister of the Gospel needs to know to be the best that they can be and to do the best they can do to reflect the moral virtue and strive toward what is positive, valuable, and praiseworthy. Shabazz reminds us of what Timothy 3:1-10 points out, that is, God has expectations and requirements for those who pursue positions of leadership within the church. It is not a role that should be taken lightly because it comes with influence and significant responsibility. Church leaders must hold themselves to a higher standard.

Although God expects all Christians to strive toward perfection, whether we like it or not, ministers, preachers and teachers of the Gospel are often held to a higher standard among those they lead or serve. Shabazz says this is because they are first and foremost servants, and as the Word of God says in Matthew 23:11, The greatest among us are servants.

Since Matthew 28:19-20 makes it clear that those who are members of the Body of Jesus Christ are compelled to, Go into the world and preach and teach the Gospel that others might be saved, Shabazz writes from a position of experience that clearly points out that God is the standard against which everything is measured. Though written to ministers of the Gospel, this volume is applicable to every Christian since all of us are called to carry out God’s command to preach, teach and reach the lost.

The wisdom God instilled in Olu Shabazz is eloquently displayed in this volume. The book enlightens, provides sound counsel and proven examples that should strengthen those preaching, and it should nourish and enrich their recipients. The volume is unique, inspiring, infallible and full of relevant examples of what one should do to administer and manage a local congregation. The examples are relevant and will lead to the practical ministerial etiquette that Shabazz purports.

New preachers/ministers, as well as seasoned ones, will find the chapters on fundamentals, following and serving under a retired preacher, delegating duties and responsibilities, as well as administering different ministries to be of immense value and easy to emulate. This is especially important as one leads in a post Covid- 19 environment in which in-person or online church ministries may continue to bring about unique challenges and opportunities.

Robert R. Jennings, Ed. D., MBA 10th President, Alabama A&M University & 13th President, Lincoln University of PA

Acknowledgments

In the work, Excellence in Ministry: Protocols and Etiquettes for Church Leaders, Dr. Olu J. Shabazz has gifted preachers and church Leaders with a once in a generation mandatory read for those graced with the opportunity to be involved in ministry.

The work is enriched by stories reflecting his years of practical experience, his insight into the biblical text, and his engagement with contemporary scholarship. The work meets the standard of excellence it encourages for nearly every aspect of ministry.

Whether persons are new or experienced in ministry, this work will be a welcome guide for knowledge and growth. There is no other work comparable.

Dr. Jefferson R. Caruthers Jr.

Dr. Olu Shabazz has covered the full spectrum of ministerial excellence in the world on ministry laying the essential fingerprints of etiquette within this divine profession. Methodically laying forth a foundational understanding of ethics and practically providing a road map to ministry development, this book is a must-have for those who lead ministry.

Dr. Orpheus Heyward

When Edward Kennedy was challenging Jimmy Carter for the presidency in 1979, Carter, struggling in the polls, was entangled in a series of international problems, repeatedly accusing the president of lurching from crisis to crisis.

That phrase bothered me because, whether the charge pertained to Carter or not, I felt it applied to me. My ministry lunged from one headache to another. I spent too much time putting out fires and too little time fanning the flames of the Spirit. I neither had a long- range plan for my work nor any system for developing one. Preachers as well as presidents can lurch from crisis to crisis and from day to day. Sometimes we lurch from church to church.

Weak leadership merely reacts to its ever-changing circumstances. Wiser leadership charts a course, follows its plan, and responds to the variables accordingly. Feeble leaders are crisis driven, while stronger ones are goal-directed. Prudent preachers do not just minister-they administer. In seminary, I learned more about alliteration than administration. In this important work, Dr. Shabazz has chartered a course and provided an excellent tool to help the busy preacher to administrate effectiveness in the Kingdom of God.

Solomon said, a prudent man gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15 NIV). If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Dr. Shabazz is helping us to succeed by providing practical wisdom for us to follow.

Dr. Richard L. Barclay

Stonecrest Church of Christ

McDonough, Georgia

It is with resounding appreciation for this work which is long overdue and it cannot be but beneficial not only to aspiring evangelist but as well as for those who are on the