Are you looking to form a team?
Here are my three rules when looking to form a team in ministry. This list is not exhaustive, but since I'm trying to build an audience, less is more.
#1 Make sure you have clear job roles/responsibilities
There is nothing worse than stepping on people's toes and not knowing it. Ministry cannot be "everyone does everything." How does anything get done then? Whether service or a retreat, clear roles and tasks need to be shared in advance if you ask people to be a part of your ministerial activity.
Don't hand someone their job description the day of and say, "this is a trial by fire." Not cool.
#2 If you want them to do the job, train them for the job.
I cannot stress this enough. If you want someone to lead prayer moments, activities, etc. - you know to have some formation to work with them. Please do not do this.
If you ask a new person to take on a new task for your activity, you need to have the patience and gentleness to understand there will be some learning curves. You cannot expect that someone will perfect their first attempt at things. Young people who have the fire and passion to volunteer for you will quickly become disinterested if you are not patient or interested in their development.
Some would argue that "Gui - there is no time." Ok, fine. Remember, there was one point in your career where I'm sure you wished someone slowed down and explained how things work. These moments are an excellent opportunity for an act of mercy.
#3 Avoid inviting your friends.
This may not be a popular point, but it needs to be said and understood. You will have enough challenges in a program. Your team should not be one of them.
I have made this mistake plenty of times. Inviting people you have a friendship with provides a particular safety net or comfortability. If something goes wrong, you know you can rely on them to support you. On the flip side, if they are doing a poor job, it's your responsibility to have a conversation about improving the situation. In my case, I did not have the maturity in these relationships to say, "Hey - this needs to change.
Also, it's just awkward to correct friends in professional settings. It can quickly turn personal, and it's another added issue you have to deal with on a program/event. You can like the people you work with, but I would advise you to avoid bringing your friends to work for you.
There are plenty of best practices, but these three are my go-to's when I'm looking to form a team. It's not easy leading or being in a position of authority. My question is always, "Is this best for the program, or is this best for me?"
Let's Keep it Rated G. Let's continue to pray for one another. PEACE.