KenPetrus.com

Executive Pastor @ North Side Baptist Church

Archive for category Staffing

Meet Ricky Brewer…

Mar 4

Posted by ken in Facilities, General, Leadership, Staffing

Meet Ricky Brewer…he is our Facilities Manager here at North Side…

Ricky was here in the coffee shop at 5:00 am this morning…he is making coffee for our Men’s Fraternity group. Rick has a tremendous servant’s heart. He oversees pretty much all aspects of our facilities from scheduling events, to maintenance, to care, to set up and take down. Take some time in the near future and notice how neat and orderly things are around here at North Side…notice how clean things are as well. Ricky has been on staff here at North Side for nearly 15 years. When you see Ricky thank him for the work that he does for our church.

Ricky’s side job is taking care of our senior adults…you can always find him helping someone out in one way or another.

Ricky is the guy to contact for any events here at North Side.

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Finding Your Place in Ministry…

Feb 24

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal, Staffing

Finding Your Place in Ministry…

Where is your place in ministry? Do you know how God has gifted and equipped you to serve Him? Here is “OG”…he has what I call a “servant’s heart”. He shows up here at North Side a day or two each week to help out where ever he can be of service. Today, he shredded a huge pile of paper for us…then he had to clean up the mess that he had made…you got it…small shreds of paper all over the place. The job wasn’t finished until “OG” pulled out the vacuum and cleaned up the mess. A shredder and a vacuum cleaner may not be your giftedness, but what about helping out with children, preschoolers, students, senior adults, etc?

God has gifted and equipped us with various abilities and passions as well as life experiences to serve Him and grow His Kingdom. At North Side, we use a great tool…PLACE Assessment Tool provided by PLACE Ministries…here’s the link http://www.northsidebc.org/place/. The activation code is GEGEYFYNEA.

It is an assessment tool that can be taken on line and the results can be reviewed immediately. Call or email me after you have taken the assessment and we will get you an appointment with one of our counselors to explain the results with you. Our system is  designed to assess and place people into ministry.  Here is the acronym for PLACE:

P – Personality Blends

L – Spiritual Gifts

A – Abilities

C – Passions

E – Life Experiences

This is a great tool…check it out! Let us help you find your place in ministry.

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Safe Ministry Boundaries…

Oct 14

Posted by ken in Celebrate Recovery, General, Leadership, Personal, Staffing, Transitions

After Jeff’s message this past Sunday, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you the Safe Ministry Boundaries adopted by the Pastoral staff of North Side Baptist Church. I believe that you will find it self explanatory.

Safe Ministry Boundaries

The following boundaries have been established for the Pastoral staff of North Side Baptist Church when ministering to members of the opposite sex. The purpose of these boundaries is to allow the pastoral staff in effective ministry while protecting the integrity and reputation of ourselves, North Side Baptist Church, and the person that we are ministering to.

  • Limit number of counseling sessions to 3 times, after which the person needing additional counseling should be referred to a professional Christian counselor.
  • Avoid going out for a meal with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.
  • Avoid ministering after office hours with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.
  • Avoid ministering off campus, with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.
  • Avoid travel with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.
  • Avoid verbal or nonverbal sexual behavior.
  • Avoid intimate communication, i.e. phone, letters, email, text messages, etc. with an individual of the opposite sex.
  • Avoid developing inappropriate, intimate relationships with an individual of the opposite sex.
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That’s me…

Sep 18

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, Finance, General, Leadership, Personal, Staffing, Transitions, Uncategorized

That’s me…just took a new Personality Pattern test…http://psychcentral.com/personality-patterns/

Here are my results…it nailed me.

Conscientious

You feel it’s important to work according to a plan and finish every task, to do things correctly and thoroughly.You are not the kind of person who abandons a project before finishing it, or slacks off when you’ve lost interest.

Organized

You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it’s the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it’s only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you’re not satisfied until you reach it.You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don’t understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of time.

Calm

You rarely become irritated, generally accept people as they are, take things as they come, and feel relaxed in most situations.You do not let a minor annoyance escalate to a confrontation. You don’t regularly snap at those around you or fly off the handle with little provocation.

Introspective

You like your own company; you’re a very interesting person. Tracking your own mental processes, knowing what you’re thinking and why you do what you do, is important to you. Often, what’s going on in your mind is more compelling than what’s going on outside. For the most part, those with a high score on the “introspective” trait enjoy reading, taking long walks, learning new things, and other solitary activities.You are not someone who is constantly looking to be among a group of friends; you never feel bored when you are by yourself.

Down-to-Earth

You think that many of those who claim to love art are just being pretentious. As long as something does the job, whether it be a couch, a coat, or a kitchen cabinet, it’s “beautiful” as far as you’re concerned. Those who have a high score on the “down-to-earth” trait often hold positions in which they have the opportunity to exercise their organizational expertise.You do not think that having “good taste” is such a big deal, or even that there is such a thing as good taste; nor do you claim that you “can’t live without” art, beauty, or good design.

Rational

You see the world clearly and objectively. You know there’s a logical explanation for everything, and a logical solution to every problem; which is why you’re such a good problem-solver.You do not take your sweet time when presented with a new task to complete or problem to solve. You don’t avoid assignments that require you to learn new skills.

Assertive

You behave in a confident and forceful manner, take charge of the situation, raise your hand in class, stand up for what you think is right, and lead others. Among those who have a high score on the “assertive” trait, many have jobs in which they are valued for their organizational skills as well as their talent for supervising others.You are not interested in fading into the woodwork, leaving everything to fate, taking more time than necessary to accomplish a task, or avoiding confrontation.

Understanding

You are willing to take the time to find out what’s going on with other people, especially if they’re in distress. You’re a good listener, you don’t criticize, and you offer unbiased, respectful, honest advice when it’s requested. With a high score on the “understanding” trait, it is likely that you are enthusiastic about charitable work, helping others, and making the world a better place.You don’t feel the need to impose your standards on others or say things that, even though true, cause pain.

Scrupulous

You are an honest, fair person. You don’t lie or cheat to get ahead. You treat others with respect and hope for the same in return.You do not feel that you are above the rules that everyone else follows; you are definitely not willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead.

Responsible

You fulfill your obligations and responsibilities, are true to your word, and generally obey the rules. While the majority of those who have a high score on the “responsible” trait enjoy traveling, they are usually very happy to return home — and don’t mind staying put for a while.You’re opposed to making hasty decisions, you don’t insist that you’re above the rules, nor do you feel compelled to color outside the lines.

Take the test…http://psychcentral.com/personality-patterns/

Could be a good tool for self assessment, staffing, job searching, career direction…

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“Transitions”…launched

Sep 15

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Staffing, Stewardship, Transitions, Uncategorized

Today, a new ministry of North Side Baptist Church was launched…Transitions.

Transitions is a ministry to equip and encourage pastors. The reality is over 70% of our Southern Baptist churches have either plateaued or are declining. Churches are dying. Pastors are discouraged. The ministry was launched through a day long workshop led by Jeff for pastors of the Laurens Baptist Association. Jeff shared his 25 years of experience of leading Kingdom change in the local church with 15 pastors and the Director of Missions. The information was insightful and well received by the attendees. Jeff, in the way only he can do, encouraged the pastors to continue to do what God had called them to do in ministry.  The result…pastors were encouraged and left with some food for thought for an action plan.

Resources will be provided to pastors through our Transitions blog on the North Side website. Watch for updates.

This ministry has been on the hearts of our leadership team for years. It is now a reality and we can’t wait to see what God will be doing through it. Please pray for this new ministry.

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Endurance…

Sep 12

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Personal, Staffing, Transitions, Uncategorized

Endurance… the Merriam-Webster On-line dictionary defines endurance as “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially : the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity”.

This week, I have been especially burdened by the endurance required of pastors. It has been another tough week as I once again we have heard of several discouraged pastors who have resigned their positions with no place to go. It must be a pretty desperate situation when a pastor says “I can no longer endure the stress, hardship or adversity” of the local church and resigns without another position. The writer of Hebrews (some scholars think that this may have been the Apostle Paul) provides encouragement…

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of  faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3 (NASB)

Endurance comes through fixing our eyes on Jesus. Amen!

However, we too can play a role…by encouraging our pastors and praying for them daily!

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Work Ethic…

Aug 29

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, General, Leadership, Staffing, Uncategorized

Work Ethic…I consider myself very fortunate that my Dad instilled a very strong work ethic in me. As I look back over the years, I can see how my Dad instilled this in me, through actions more so than words. Oh, there had been words of reinforcement…but he spoke volumes through his actions.

He is the father of five children and was the sole provider. Mom stayed home and kept us kids and the house in order. Dad’s vocation was called a “Machine Repairman” for a large forging company. This company actually provided all of the large ring fittings for the Alaskan pipeline. The fittings were 10 to 12 feet in diameter, so you can just imagine the size of the machines it took to manufacturer them He used to tell  us that some of these machines were larger than our two story house. Huge! His responsibility was to figure out what went wrong when a machine did not work and then fix it. He would work tirelessly when one of these machines went down until the problem was found, repairs made and the machine was back up running.

Dad never complained about his job…he just did it. He never had aspirations of greener pastures or climbing the corporate ladder. In fact, several times during his 30+ year with this company, he was encouraged to move into a supervisory or management position. Dad would say: “Nope…that’s not for me…too many headaches…I just want to fix the machines”. He retired after 30 something years as a machine repairman. Dad did not complain…he just did his job…no matter the task or what it took…he did his job…that was what he was paid to do…so he did it.

There were times when I helped Dad with some repair or renovation around the house or some side job that he was hired to do. It was during those times Dad would say, “Kenny, if you are going to do something, you have to do it right. If you are going to work for someone, you have to do the job that you promised them…no shortcuts”.

I thought about these conversations with my Dad this morning as I was putting in some new kitchen light fixtures for Gail. I installed one without any problems…but the second one was a little persnickety. When I finally had it installed, i realized that I left out a very important part…the cover for the electrical box that I installed in the ceiling. For a fleeting moment,I considered just leaving the cover off…after all no one would ever know but me.  Then, I thought about the words of my Dad…”Kenny, if you are going to do something, you have to do it right. If you are going to work for someone, you have to do the job that you promised them…no shortcuts”. I took the fixture apart, installed the box cover and did the job right!

As I was finishing up the job with some touch-up paint, Colossians 3:23-25 came to mind…

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.  For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.


It may be a stretch to make a direct application on my little job to the verse…but I do believe there is an overriding spiritual application to do whatever we do as if we are doing it for the Lord.

My goal in this life is just that…to do whatever I do as if I were doing it for the Lord. Imagine the work ethic!  I am not there yet. But, what if we all approached our jobs, our marriages, our families, our relationships and our service with Colossians 3:23-25 in mind?

Ummm….wouldn’t  that be “giving our life away” as Jesus taught us?

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Job Search Checkup…

Aug 20

Posted by ken in Career Care Ministry, General, Leadership, Staffing, Transitions

Job Search Checkup…Ron Damer has prepared the following check up list for those in the midst of their job search:

YES NEEDS WORK NOT-SO-GOOD
Your Resume
Does it describe your education achieved?
Does it describe any additional seminars/training you have had?
Does it cover ALL the time period since your degree or training?
Does it cite key accomplishments achieved?
Does it provide an overview of your skills and areas of expertise before diving into the details?
Does it include any non-job awards or positions that help establish your personal characteristics (E.G. “man of the year” award, church deacon, service club officer, etc.)
Is it brief and easy to read? (Bullet points rather than sentences, ample white space)
Is your contact information clearly evident and include cell phone and e-mail?
Your Cover Letter
Does it identify the position you are applying for, if you obtained it from an ad or Internet posting? Use the exact ID from the ad.
Does it state why you are seeking employment?
Does it identify your career objectives, if they aren’t in the resume’?
Does it identify those skills you posses that match the skills identified in the ad? This should be tailored to the specific job requirements stated in the ad. (Sometimes a side-by-side comparison table is effective)
Does it describe who you are, rather than what you have done?
Does it state why you are uniquely qualified for the position?
Does it sell?
Does it ask for the intervieew?
Your Searching
Have you set a goal of n resumes sent out per day or week?
Are you achieving your goal of n resumes sent out per day or week?
Do you have a list of at least 10 good job sites on the Internet?
Do you check for new postings at least twice a week at every job site? (Every day is BETTER!)
Do you avail yourself of county or state job assist programs?
Have you contacted several recruiters to help you in your search?
Do you search through on-line newspaper want ads in your targeted area at least twice per week?
Your Follow-Up YES NEEDS WORK NOT-SO-GOOD
Do you keep a copy of every ad/posting you respond to?
Do you record every response you receive to a job ad/posting?
Do you record the results of any calls or other correspondence relative to the position?
If you have not received a response within a week, do you follow up with a phone call or e-mail?
Do you do a periodic review (Every 2-4 weeks) of all your applications & correspendence, to see if there are any that should be re-visited?
Your Networking
Do you attend North Side’s Career Care meetings as often as possible?
Have you contacted former work associates/ bosses to check in?
Do you extend your job searching to casual contacts while shopping or doing other activities? (E.G. Ask “How’s business?”, “Is so and so hiring?”, “Do you know anyone who is hiring?”)
Your Interview Skills
Have you come up with, and mentally practised your “Elevator Speech” (You happen to ride up in the elevator with the V.P. of the hiring area, and you have 3 minutes between the first and the 15th floor to give her a capsule summary of your experience and value to her company)
If there are areas where you feel your resume’ is “thin” or have delicate issues of some type, have you come up with a concrete response to questions about it?
Do you put aside bitterness (about being laid off, for instance) and defensiveness (about a layoff, a spotty resume, a gap in employment) when you have an interview?
Do you focus not on what the company can offer you (Salary, benefits, vacation, stock plans), but what you can do for the company?
If the location implies a long commute or a relocation, do you have firmly in your mind what your position is about that?
Do you know what your response will be to the inevitable “What are your salary requirements?”
Have you done a mock interview with a friend or a Career Care counselor?
Your Dress
Do you dress professionally whenever you are “out and about” and might encounter networking opportunities or potential employers? (You may feel “down and out”, but you shouldn’t dress like it)
Do you dress professionally for an interview? (Suit for all salaried positions, business casual for all others)
Your finances YES NEEDS WORK NOT-SO-GOOD
Have you established a budget of all recurring and potential non-recurring expenses?
Have you forecast your out-of-work income (Unemployment comp., odd jobs, other) over the next 2-6 months?
Have you reviewed potential expense cuts with your spouse and other family members?
Do you compare expenses against your budget at least monthly?
Do you have a financial counselor or wise godly friend with whom you can discuss problems and issues?
Your Relationship with God
Do you go to the Lord on a daily basis?
Do you try to read scripture or have a devotional on a daily basis?
Your Prayers for a Job
Do you ask God specifically for a job you want?
Do you ask God for help in meeting your financial needs?
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Personnel Evaluations…

Aug 15

Posted by ken in General, Leadership, Staffing, Transitions

Personnel Evaluations…for many years, we at north Side have used, pretty much, standard industry specific forms for evaluating employees. This year, we are taking a different approach. At our recent Leadership Retreat, we identified a concept of employee evaluation criteria that is unique to North Side. Our entire staff is a team, even though we have specific departments and individual tasks…we primarily operate as a team. The team’s mission is to make disciples. Our employee evaluation criteria should reflect the team concept. Here is the criteria that will be evaluated…

1. Employee’s initiative.

2. Employee’s attitude at their job.

3. Employee’s overall quality of work.

4. Employee’s character.

5. Employee’s development/personal growth.

6. Employee’s teachability.

7. Employee’s ability to work as a team player.

8. Employee’s unique contribution.

9. Employee’s accomplishments.

This concept of personnel evaluations will help us maintian a high standard of quality for our staff. It focuses on team participation in a postive and encouraging approach.

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Planning Calendar – Key to Our Budgeting Process

Jul 21

Posted by ken in Facilities, Finance, General, Leadership, Staffing

Planning Calendar – Key to  Our Budgeting Process

We begin our budgeting process here at North Side Baptist Church by developing our “Planning Calendar”. Here is a snapshot of our calendar for next year. Yes, it is drawn on a whiteboard.Planning Calendar

We look at the entire year as a whole and plan major activities. The process begins with our Leadership Team and then expands to the Ministry Leaders. This planning calendar process helps us in the following areas:

  • Evaluate current programs
  • Discuss new opportunities for ministry
  • Coordinate Events
  • Schedule facilities usage
  • Strengthen current ministries
  • Identify needs
  • Set priorities
  • Identify financial resource needs
  • Identify personnel needs

The Planning Calendar is a “work in progress” throughout the budgeting process. We transfer this information to an Excel spreadsheet for our entire staff to use in the coming year. It is a snapshot of the year  and keeps us all on the same page.

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