# 11 – Performance Evaluations Annual performance evaluation structure and template for staff and key volunteers, aligned with role descriptions. # Overview: Performance Evaluations ## Status **Implementation status:** In Process ## Principle (from Streamline) Lukaszewski's principle (placeholder): Annual performance evaluations protect both the employee and the church — they create a forum for feedback, a record of growth, and a basis for fair compensation and role decisions. ## Mayflower's Current Practice Week 11 of the implementation. Planned work: draft evaluation structure, align evaluation questions with roles, define the evaluation schedule, draft the template, add an evaluation placeholder to the annual calendar. Due June 30, 2026. ## Governance & Document References - Position Descriptions (source of role-specific evaluation questions) - Employee Handbook (once drafted) ## Open Questions - Annual timing of evaluations? - Self-assessment component included? - Who conducts each evaluation (elder, board chair, supervisor)? --- *Page template: Principle + Mayflower Practice. Part of The Streamline Admin System, adapted from Michael Lukaszewski's Streamline: How To Create Healthy Church Systems.* # Performance Evaluation Framework — Draft April 2026 **MAYFLOWER CHURCH** **Performance Evaluation Framework** *Streamline System 11 — Draft for Elder Board Review* April 2026 # Purpose This framework establishes how Mayflower Church evaluates the people who serve under its name — paid staff, office bearers, and volunteers — in a way that reflects the church's mission, honors the people involved, and meets the practical needs of a healthy congregational polity. It is Week 11 of the Streamline Admin System build (due 2026-05-20) and is intended to be linked from the Chapter 11 Overview page in the Mayflower Church Operations book on BookStack once adopted. # Governing Principle **Shepherd, don't score.** Evaluations at Mayflower are not grading exercises. They are pastoral conversations anchored in the gospel, the mission of the church, and the particular role God has called a person to. They are developmental, not punitive. They assume the best of the person sitting across the table. They are written down because writing sharpens thinking — not because the church is building a file on anyone. This framework draws on three streams: - Dennis Bakke's Joy at Work — the conviction that reviews should be developmental, multi-source, decoupled from compensation, and centered on whether a person is using their gifts, growing, being fair, and having joy in their work. - Lukaszewski's Streamline Healthy Church Systems — the conviction that church operations should be simple, repeatable, and mission-anchored, with a one-page ethos wherever possible. - Ministry Brands' Guide to Healthy Church Operations — the conviction that paid church staff are employees of a nonprofit with real legal exposure, so staff reviews must be documented, signed, and retained even while the tone remains pastoral. Where those three streams disagree, this framework favors Bakke's posture (pastoral and developmental) while honoring the documentation and legal hygiene that Ministry Brands and Mayflower's own handbook require. # Four Questions at the Heart of Every Review Every Mayflower evaluation — regardless of role — turns on the same four questions, adapted from Bakke and re-anchored for a local church: 1. Are you using the gifts God has given you? (Competence, calling, fit.) 2. Are you growing in Christ through this work? (Sanctification, character, walk with God.) 3. Are you bearing fruit where you have been planted? (Faithfulness, effectiveness, impact on others.) 4. Are you sustainable — body, heart, home, and soul? (Margin, Sabbath, family, mental/emotional health.) A fifth, tier-specific question is added according to the role (see below). # Four Tiers, One Philosophy The four questions are the same across every tier. The form, depth, cadence, and who leads the conversation all flex to fit the nature of the role.
**Tier****Role(s)****Who Leads****Cadence**
Senior PastorTeaching Elder / Senior PastorElder Board (with designated chair)Annual (fall) + monthly elder check-in
StaffDirector of Biblical Counseling, Church Secretary, future hiresDirect supervisor (Senior Pastor for both current staff)Annual formal + quarterly 1:1
Office BearersElders, Deacons, TrusteesBoard chair or moderator; peer conversation within the boardAnnual self-examination; reaffirmation before term milestones
VolunteersAll ministry team members and team leadersTeam leader / ministry coordinatorAnnual informal check-in; ad hoc as seasons change
# The Four Evaluations at a Glance ## 1. Senior Pastor Pastoral Review **Nature: Multi-source pastoral review led by the Elder Board.** The senior pastor is both a staff member and an office bearer — employed by the church and ordained to the teaching office. His review is therefore neither a typical staff performance review nor a typical office-bearer reaffirmation. It is an elder-led pastoral review of a teaching elder. Sources: self-assessment, elder observations, brief input from staff, an optional sample from the congregation, and — critically — a section written by the pastor to the elders about whether the elders are shepherding him well. Bakke's principle of multi-source input serves the church here: the elders do not see everything on their own. Lens: preaching and teaching, pastoral care, leadership and character, doctrinal fidelity, vision alignment with the bylaws and mission, and sustainability (family, Sabbath, health). Outcome: a written summary of gratitude, growth areas, and a development plan agreed to jointly. Held confidentially in the pastor's personnel file. Compensation decisions are handled separately by the Board of Finance at budget time (Bakke principle of decoupling). ## 2. Staff Joy-at-Work Review **Nature: Developmental conversation with the direct supervisor, documented for the personnel file.** Used for the Director of Biblical Counseling and the Church Secretary, and any future non-pastoral staff. One form, contextualized to each role by appendix. Sources: self-assessment (completed first) plus supervisor observations. Peer input is optional and invited by the staff member. The staff member owns their own development plan; the supervisor's job is to listen, affirm, and sharpen. Lens: the four core questions plus fairness and development — am I being treated fairly here, am I learning, is this work helping me become who God is calling me to be? Outcome: signed written summary with a development plan for the coming year, retained per the Employee Handbook's HR-file retention policy. Separated from compensation decisions in both timing and ownership. ## 3. Office Bearer Reaffirmation **Nature: Qualitative self-examination and peer conversation, led within the board, anchored in biblical qualifications and fiduciary duties.** Used for Elders, Deacons, and Trustees. Not a performance rating — ordination to an office is not a job to be scored. It is the annual practice of each officer asking, before God and their peers, whether they still walk worthy of the office they hold. Sources: self-examination against 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 (elders and deacons) or fiduciary standards and the bylaws (trustees), followed by a peer conversation within the board. The board's moderator or chair frames the conversation and keeps it pastoral. Lens: qualifications, faithfulness to the office description, contribution to the board's shared work, and life circumstances (health, family, season). Outcome: informal minute-record that the reaffirmation happened; any pastoral concerns are handled as shepherding, not paperwork. Used as one input to nomination and term-renewal decisions, not as the sole basis. ## 4. Volunteer Ministry Check-In **Nature: Relational, appreciation-first conversation with the team leader. Informal, not paperwork.** Used for all volunteer ministry team members and leaders — Bible Fellowship Group leaders, Worship Team, A/V, Missions, Prayer, Hospitality, First Impressions, Discipletown, Nursery, Scripture Readers, EQUIP, Evangelism, Baptism, Shoebox, Senior Luncheon, and Women's Ministry. Sources: a one-on-one conversation, usually over coffee, once a year — plus whatever informal touches a healthy team culture already includes. Lens: joy, sustainability, growth in Christ, and a clean off-ramp if this is not the season for this role. Outcome: no file, no form. The team leader tracks their roster and flags anyone moving, resting, or stepping down. The only exception is when the conversation surfaces a shepherding concern that should be shared with an elder. # Common DNA Across the Four - Mission as north star. Every review anchors to Mayflower's mission and the specific position description for the role. - Developmental, not punitive. The goal is the flourishing of the person and the faithfulness of the ministry, not a rating. - Multi-source where appropriate. Self-assessment always comes first. Others' voices are added to sharpen, not to surveil. - Decoupled from compensation. Pay decisions are the Board of Finance's job at budget time and do not ride on the content of a review conversation. - Written where necessary, relational where possible. Staff and Senior Pastor reviews are documented because employment law and pastoral care of a lead minister both require it. Office bearer reaffirmations generate a minute-level record only. Volunteer check-ins generate nothing except a better relationship. - Clean off-ramps. Every tier includes a shame-free path to step down, rotate, or rest. Burning people out is not a Mayflower value. - Pastoral care of the reviewer. At every tier, the person leading the review is also accountable: the elders to the congregation (for how they care for the pastor), the supervisor to the elders (for how they care for staff), the board chair to peers, the team leader to the coach. # What This Framework Does Not Do - It does not score people. There are no 1–5 ratings, no stack-rankings, no performance improvement plans as default tools. If a performance issue rises to the level of discipline, it leaves the review process and enters the discipline process defined in the Employee Handbook or the bylaws. - It does not decide compensation. That is the Board of Finance's domain in the July/August budget cycle, informed by market, tenure, and the approved budget envelope — not by the content of a review. - It does not replace discipleship. The four questions are pastoral prompts, not a substitute for ongoing shepherding. The review is the annual punctuation mark on a year of relationship. # Integration with the Employee Handbook The Mayflower Employee Handbook (Draft April 2026) does not currently contain a performance evaluation section. This framework is designed to sit alongside the handbook, not inside it, and to slot naturally between Section 6 (Standards of Christian Conduct) and Section 8 (Separation of Employment). A short new handbook section titled “Performance Evaluation” would simply reference this framework and its forms, rather than duplicating them. Three handbook provisions are directly relevant and should be honored by the framework rather than restated: - Appendix A (Biblical Standards for Staff) sets the character standard — anchored in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 — that every Mayflower staff member is growing into. The staff review's character lens references Appendix A rather than creating a second list. - Appendix A.12 (Annual Affirmation) already requires staff to sign an affirmation of biblical standards on their work anniversary. The Joy-at-Work Review is distinct from this affirmation and should be held separately: the affirmation is about continued commitment to the standards; the review is about development, joy, and fruitfulness. - Section 8.3 (Termination) governs discipline. Reviews are not discipline. If a review surfaces conduct warranting discipline, the matter leaves the review process and enters the handbook's discipline path. Language note: the church's current mission statement (“building a discipleship community rooted in the knowledge of Christ, driven by faith, empowered to share the Gospel, and committed to welcoming and equipping others in Love and Truth”) should be printed on the cover of each review form once the framework is adopted, to visibly anchor every review in the mission it serves. # Adoption Path 5. Elder Board review and input (May 2026) — especially on the Senior Pastor review, since the elders administer it. 6. Deacon and Trustee board review (May 2026) — on the Office Bearer Reaffirmation section relevant to each board. 7. Handbook reconciliation — ensure language and cadence align with the Mayflower Church Employee Handbook (Draft April 2026). 8. BookStack publication — Chapter 11 Overview page updated with the adopted framework and links to each form. 9. First-cycle dry run — fall 2026 reviews using the adopted forms, with a lessons-learned debrief at the 2026 Leadership Summit. 10. Annual reaffirmation of the framework itself — the Elder Board reviews the framework each April to adjust before the fall review season. # Open Questions for the Elder Board - Should the Senior Pastor review be led by the full Elder Board or by a designated subcommittee (e.g., chair + one other elder) reporting back to the full board? - For the Senior Pastor review, how is congregational input solicited — by open invitation, by a rotating sample, or not at all? (Each has trade-offs.) - Should the Director of Biblical Counseling's review include any input from counselees, given the confidentiality of counseling? (Recommended: no formal input; the supervisor relies on outcomes, case notes, and the counselor's self-report, not client feedback.) - What is the retention period for written staff reviews under Massachusetts employment law and the church's handbook? (Verify with the handbook and, if needed, counsel.) - Should office-bearer reaffirmations be timed to the term calendar (just before term renewal) or to the budget/summit calendar (annually every spring)? # Source Notes and Limitations This framework draws on well-established patterns from Lukaszewski's *Streamline*, *The Guide to Healthy Church Operations*, and Bakke's *Joy at Work*. Before adoption, the Senior Pastor should cross-check the specifics against: - Streamline Chapter 11 (Performance Evaluations) — to confirm the four-tier structure proposed here is consistent with Lukaszewski's specific recommendations on cadence, ownership, and form. - The Guide to Healthy Church Operations (HR section) — to confirm documentation, retention, and legal-hygiene requirements are adequately reflected. Where this framework and the adopted handbook disagree, the handbook governs and this framework should be revised to match. The framework and the handbook have been drafted as complements to one another; no known conflicts exist as of this draft, but a careful cross-read before adoption is wise. # Office Bearer Annual Reaffirmation — Draft April 2026 **MAYFLOWER CHURCH** **Office Bearer Annual Reaffirmation** *For Elders, Deacons, and Trustees* # Introduction ## A theology of office At Mayflower, those set apart as Elders, Deacons, and Trustees are not holding jobs. They are occupying offices — given by Christ to His church for the good of His people. Elders shepherd and teach; deacons serve; trustees steward the material means through which the ministry takes place. Each office has its own biblical shape and its own boundary conditions. Because office is not employment, office is not scored. No stars, no ratings, no stack-ranking. What we do — annually, in the love of Christ and the company of our peers — is ask whether we still walk worthy of the office we hold (Ephesians 4:1), whether we are still bearing fruit where the Lord has planted us, and whether the season is still right for this service. ## What this form is (and is not) - It is an instrument of self-examination before God. - It is a conversation starter within each board — elders with elders, deacons with deacons, trustees with trustees. - It is one input to nominating decisions and term renewals, not the sole basis. - It is a pastoral tool for spotting a brother or sister who is struggling, tired, or drifting, so the board can care for them. - It is NOT an employment evaluation. It generates no personnel file, no written rating, no corrective action. Discipline of an officer, if ever needed, runs through the bylaws, not through this form. - It is NOT a popularity contest. The congregation elects officers at their stated meetings. This form is for the board to exercise its own internal pastoral responsibility between those elections. ## How it works 1. Each officer completes the self-examination relevant to their office once a year. For most boards, April is a natural rhythm — before the nominating cycle begins in earnest for the next year. 2. The moderator or board chair hosts a reaffirmation conversation at a regular meeting or a dedicated retreat. Each officer, in turn, shares what they are comfortable sharing from their self-examination. Others respond with gratitude, encouragement, and, when needed, gentle sharpening. 3. The board records in its minutes that the reaffirmation took place and notes any pastoral care items the board has agreed to follow up on. No individual self-examination responses are entered into minutes. 4. If the conversation surfaces a serious concern about qualification, the board follows the pastoral process defined in the bylaws, not this form. ## A word on confidentiality Self-examination responses belong to the officer. They share what they choose. The board keeps what is shared under the ordinary confidentiality of pastoral conversation. # Section 1 — Elder Reaffirmation *For those serving as Elders — ordained to shepherd, teach, and oversee the flock of God among us.* ## Scriptural Qualifications 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 name the qualifications of the office. These are not a checklist to grade yourself against but a portrait to hold yourself up to in the light of Christ. Below each grouping, write a few honest sentences. Not perfection — honesty. ### Above reproach, one-woman man, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable *How does your life — publicly and in the hidden places — align with these qualifications this year? Where is Christ at work in you? Where do you need His continued grace?*
### Able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money *How are you growing in your ability to teach — formally or in conversation? Any patterns of anger, consumption, or money-love that you need to name and fight?*
### Manages his own household well, keeping his children submissive *How is your home? Marriage, parenting, household discipleship. Answer as you would before the Lord who sees.*
### Not a recent convert, well thought of by outsiders, holds firm to the trustworthy word *Where is your maturity being tested this year? What is your witness outside the church? How are you keeping a firm grip on sound doctrine in a culture that pulls in many directions?*
## Faithfulness to the Office *Consider the specific work of elders at Mayflower — shepherding, overseeing, teaching, praying for the sick, guarding doctrine, leading alongside the Senior Pastor. Where have you been most faithful this year? Where have you drifted, skimped, or been absent?*
## Shepherding Teams and Pastoral Care *How are you caring for the specific flock entrusted to you (your Shepherding Team, BFG, or assigned families)? Are the people in your care known by you? Would they say you know them?*
## Board Contribution *How are you contributing to the elders' shared work — discernment, prayer, decisions, pastoral weight? Are you a present, engaged elder, or have you been carried by your peers this year?*
## Season and Sustainability *What is the season of your life right now — family, work, health, personal walk with Christ? Is eldering sustainable for you in this season, or does the board need to know something about your capacity? Be honest about both over-extension and under-engagement.*
## A Word to the Board *What do you want to say to your fellow elders as you head into another year of service together? Gratitude, asks, concerns?*
# Section 2 — Deacon Reaffirmation *For those serving as Deacons — set apart to serve the body, tend to practical needs, and free the elders to give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:1-6).* ## Scriptural Qualifications 1 Timothy 3:8-13 names the qualifications of the diaconate. As with elders, treat these as a portrait, not a checklist. ### Dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain *How is your character in speech, habits, and handling of money? Where is Christ at work in you? Where is a fight still on?*
### Holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience *How is your walk with Christ? Are you living from a clear conscience, or is there something you are carrying that needs to be brought into the light?*
### Tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless *How has your service been tested this year — in difficult people, in unseen work, in thankless tasks? What has that testing shown?*
### Deacons' wives (and deacons' conduct at home) — dignified, not slanderers, faithful *How is your home, your marriage (if married), the way people experience you when the church is not watching?*
## Faithfulness to the Office *Consider the specific work of deacons at Mayflower — ministry to the needy among us, hospitality, stewardship of the ordinances, practical care. Where have you been most faithful this year? Where have you been absent or half-hearted?*
## Mercy and Care *How have you tended to members in need this year — sickness, grief, financial hardship, food and shelter, benevolence? Is the deacon fund being stewarded as a real expression of the church's mercy?*
## Partnership with the Elders *Is the ministry of mercy freeing the elders for prayer and the word? Or is there confusion of lanes? What is working in the elder-deacon partnership, and what needs conversation?*
## Season and Sustainability *What is your season? Is diaconal service sustainable for you right now? Is there a practical ministry that has fallen to you by default that should be shared or reassigned?*
## A Word to the Board *What do you want to say to your fellow deacons as you head into another year together?*
# Section 3 — Trustee Reaffirmation *For those serving as Trustees — set apart to steward the material, legal, and physical resources through which the ministry of Mayflower takes place.* ## The nature of the trustee's work Trustees are not primarily pastoral officers. They are fiduciaries. They act in the best interests of the church as a legal and material entity, making decisions about property, contracts, insurance, and legal compliance, in submission to the bylaws and in service of the mission. The character required is still Christlike, but the lens of self-examination is less 1 Timothy 3 and more the fruit of a steward (Luke 12:42-48; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). ## Character and Integrity *As a steward of Mayflower's material resources, are you acting in integrity — conflicts of interest disclosed, confidentiality honored, decisions made without favoritism or self-interest? Where has this been tested this year?*
## Faithfulness to the Office *Consider the specific work of trustees at Mayflower — property care, facilities, vendor management, insurance, compliance, legal matters. Where have you been most faithful this year? Where have you been absent or thin?*
## Stewardship and Due Diligence *Are decisions made with proper research, legal compliance, and care for the dollars the congregation has given? Are projects, bids, and contracts being handled transparently and prudently?*
## Partnership with the Boards *How is the trustees' partnership with the Elders, Deacons, and Board of Finance? Are lanes clear? Are you serving the mission or defending a turf?*
## Board Contribution *Are you an engaged trustee — present, prepared, asking the hard questions, or are you skating? Where is your contribution most valuable, and where could another trustee cover what you do?*
## Season and Sustainability *What is your season of life? Is trusteeship sustainable for you? Is there a role or responsibility that needs to be shared, delegated, or released?*
## A Word to the Board *What do you want to say to your fellow trustees as you head into another year of stewardship together?*
# Section 4 — Board Conversation Guide *A guide for the moderator or chair to lead the reaffirmation conversation well. Not a script — a frame.* ## Before the meeting - Each officer completes their own self-examination in advance. They are not required to share every answer. - The chair sets expectations: this is a pastoral conversation among peers. Confidentiality is assumed. No minutes will record individual responses. - Schedule unhurried time. An hour per board is a minimum; a half-day retreat works better the first year. ## During the meeting 5. Open with Scripture and prayer. Acts 20:28 (elders), Acts 6:1-6 (deacons), or Luke 12:42-48 (trustees) are natural starting points. 6. The chair goes first, sharing honestly from their own self-examination. This sets the tone. 7. Each officer, in turn, shares what they choose from their self-examination. Others listen without interruption. 8. After each officer shares, the board responds briefly with three things: one specific gratitude, one encouragement, and, if warranted, one loving observation. 9. Close with prayer for each officer by name, specifically. ## Three rules for the conversation - No silent disapproval. If you have a concern about a brother or sister on this board, this is the place to name it — in love, in their presence, and with gentleness. Unnamed concerns fester. - No performance reviews. The person speaking about their own life is not auditioning for reappointment. They are opening their life to the care of the board. - No side conversations. What is shared in this room stays in this room. Pastoral follow-up happens in the room, not by text the next day. ## After the meeting - The clerk records only that the reaffirmation took place and any actions the board collectively decided on (e.g., “the board agreed to pray for Officer X's ailing parent” — only with Officer X's consent). - If a concern about ongoing qualification arose, the chair initiates the pastoral process defined in the bylaws (not in this form). - If an officer signals they are near the end of their season, the chair makes sure the nominating team is informed in time for the next cycle. # Section 5 — Minute Entry Template *For the clerk to use after the reaffirmation conversation. Keep it brief and non-specific about individuals.* **Suggested minute language:** *“The \[Elder / Deacon / Trustee\] Board held its annual reaffirmation conversation on \[date\], with \[N\] officers participating. Each officer engaged in self-examination against the qualifications and responsibilities of the office and shared within the board. The board affirmed each officer's continued calling to the office and committed to ongoing prayer and pastoral care for one another. Any pastoral follow-up agreed by the board is being carried forward under the ordinary care of the chair.”* **Board Chair / Moderator:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Clerk:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Appendix — When a Pastoral Concern Surfaces If the reaffirmation conversation surfaces a serious concern about an officer's ongoing qualification for the office — whether in character, conviction, capacity, or circumstance — the board does not resolve it through this form. The form has done its job by surfacing it. **Appropriate next steps:** - The chair (or two officers, per Matthew 18) meet privately with the concerned officer in love. - If restoration is possible through conversation and prayer, that is the first path. - If not, the matter moves into the process defined in the bylaws — which may include stepping down voluntarily, a leave of absence, or, in the rare case, removal through the bylaws' procedure. - The Senior Pastor and Elder Board are informed as appropriate to the concern. Nothing in this form short-cuts the bylaws. Everything in this form is meant to keep such situations rare — by naming drift early, caring for one another well, and keeping our offices held by people who are still walking worthy of them. # Senior Pastor Pastoral Review — Draft April 2026 **MAYFLOWER CHURCH** **Senior Pastor Pastoral Review** *Annual Review — Elder-Led, Multi-Source*
**Review Year**
**Review Period**
**Senior Pastor**
**Elder Board Chair (this cycle)**
**Review Meeting Date**
# Part A — Introduction ## Purpose This review exists to shepherd the shepherd. It is the Elder Board's primary annual instrument for caring for the Senior Pastor, giving thanks to God for a year of ministry, sharpening his calling, and making sure the pastor is walking with his own Savior while he tends to the congregation. It is grounded in the conviction that the elders are called to oversee the flock of God which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28), and that the Senior Pastor, as a teaching elder, is himself a sheep under the Chief Shepherd before he is a shepherd of others (1 Peter 5:1-4). ## Philosophy The review is developmental, not punitive. It is a conversation, not a verdict. It honors the pastor's calling, affirms fruit, names growth areas with love, and offers concrete support. No numerical scores are used. No stack-ranking. No comparison to other pastors. The question is always: Is this man walking in step with the gospel he preaches, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, faithful to his calling, and being cared for well? Compensation is decided separately by the Board of Finance in the July/August budget cycle and is not discussed in this review. ## Confidentiality Completed review materials are held in the Senior Pastor's personnel file under the custody of the Elder Board Chair. They are not shared with boards, staff, or the congregation without the pastor's knowledge and consent. Pastoral-care concerns arising from this review are held under the ordinary confidentiality of the elders' shepherding work. ## Process Flow 1. The Senior Pastor completes Part B (Self-Assessment) and returns it to the Elder Board Chair two weeks before the review meeting. 2. The Elder Board completes Part C (Elder Observations) together in a working session, after having read Part B. 3. Parts D (Staff Input) and E (Congregational Input) are collected in the month preceding the review, summarized for the board by the Chair. 4. The Senior Pastor and Elder Board Chair — and, at the pastor's choice, the full board — meet to discuss all sections and complete Parts F (Pastoral Care of the Pastor) and G (Summary and Development Plan) jointly. 5. The signed summary is filed. A follow-up check-in is scheduled for six months later. # Part B — Senior Pastor Self-Assessment *To be completed by the Senior Pastor before the review meeting. Return to the Elder Board Chair at least two weeks in advance. Be as honest as you would be with your own soul, because you are.* ## 1. Are you using the gifts God has given you? *Where did you see your gifting bear most fruit this year? Where did you feel stretched beyond your gifting in ways that may call for support, delegation, or reshaping of the role?*
## 2. Are you growing in Christ through this work? *How has pastoring Mayflower shaped your walk with Jesus this year? Where has ministry exposed sin or weakness God is working on in you? Where has it drawn you deeper in?*
## 3. Are you bearing fruit where you have been planted? *What fruit have you seen in the congregation this year that you would attribute, under God, to your ministry? What fruit had you hoped to see that you have not? What do you make of that gap?*
## 4. Are you sustainable — body, heart, home, and soul? *How is your body (sleep, movement, rest)? Your heart (emotional health, friendships outside the church, laughter)? Your home (marriage, parenting, the quality of your presence with your family)? Your soul (personal devotion, prayer, communion with God apart from sermon prep)? Answer plainly.*
## 5. Are the elders caring for you well? *This is the question nobody will ask if you do not answer it. Name specifically where the elders have shepherded you well this year. Name specifically where you have needed their care and not received it. Name what you would ask of them for the year ahead.*
## Ministry Reflection — By Area ### Preaching and Teaching *How is your preaching? Are you preaching Christ from all Scripture? Is your study sustainable? Where do you feel you are growing, and where stuck? Consider the pulpit, EQUIP, and any teaching you lead.*
### Pastoral Care and Shepherding *How are you caring for the sheep? Are you accessible without being consumed? Are the Shepherding Teams functioning under your oversight? Is there anyone you know you have neglected that you need to name here?*
### Leadership of Staff, Boards, and Teams *How is your leadership of the Director of Biblical Counseling, the Church Secretary, the four boards, the Servants Council, and volunteer teams? Where are you leading well? Where are you avoiding, micromanaging, or carrying what should be delegated?*
### Doctrinal Stewardship *Has your preaching and teaching been consistent with the church's Statement of Faith and bylaws? Have any doctrinal convictions shifted for you this year in ways the elders should know about? Are you equipping the church to know and defend the faith?*
### Vision and Mission Alignment *How has your leadership served Mayflower's mission? Where are you aligned with the direction the elders and the congregation have set? Where do you sense God calling us to something new, and how have you been surfacing that?*
### Self-Leadership and Margin *Did you take your weekly Sabbath? Did you take your allotted vacation? Did you take your study week(s)? Are the office-closure weeks after Christmas and Easter actually resulting in rest for you, or just a lighter load? What needs to change?*
## Gratitude *Name the moments, people, and works of God this year for which you are most thankful.*
## Growth Edges for the Coming Year *Where do you want to grow? What kind of support would actually help? What should the elders invest in on your behalf (coaching, continuing education, retreat, sabbatical planning)?*
**Senior Pastor Signature:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Part C — Elder Board Observations *To be completed by the Elder Board in a working session after reading the Senior Pastor's Self-Assessment. This is not a tribunal. This is a group of fellow elders giving an honest, appreciative, and loving account of a brother's ministry.* ## Preaching and Teaching *Is his preaching faithful to the text, Christ-centered, and fitted to the congregation? Is it helping the church grow in knowledge, love, and obedience? What has stood out this year? Where do we hope to see him grow?*
## Pastoral Care and Shepherding *Is he a shepherd of the flock, or only a preacher to it? How is he caring for members in crisis, for new members, for the homebound, for the struggling? How is he using and relying on the Shepherding Teams appropriately?*
## Leadership and Character *Does he lead the boards, staff, and volunteers in a way marked by the fruit of the Spirit? Is he teachable? Does he invite disagreement? Does he keep confidences? Have we seen any patterns of character concern — and have we loved him enough to name them?*
## Doctrinal Fidelity *Is his preaching and teaching consistent with the church's Statement of Faith and bylaws? Any drift, any new emphases, any pressures from the culture we are seeing him handle well or struggle with?*
## Family, Sabbath, and Health *What do we see of his marriage, his presence with his family, his Sabbath, his use of vacation? Is he modeling the kind of life we want our people to live? Is he taking the rest we have already granted him?*
## Vision and Mission Alignment *Is his leadership moving Mayflower toward our stated mission? Where is he pushing us faithfully? Where is he adrift or distracted? What do we need to say yes or no to together?*
## Governance and Polity *Does he serve as a genuine first-among-equals with the Elder Board? Does he respect the roles of Deacons, Trustees, Board of Finance, and the congregation? Does he use his ex officio access to committees well?*
## Staff Leadership *How is he supervising the Director of Biblical Counseling and the Church Secretary? Are they flourishing under his leadership? Is he delegating well, caring well, and holding standards clearly?*
## Elders' Summary *In one paragraph, what would the elders say to the congregation about the pastor's year, if asked?*
**Elder Board Chair Signature:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Part D — Staff Input *Brief, appreciative input from staff who work under the Senior Pastor's supervision. Collected by the Elder Board Chair; summarized, not attributed, for the review conversation. Not every staff member needs to respond every year.* Prompts (respond to any or all): - What has the Senior Pastor done this year that helped you flourish in your role? - Where have you felt especially well-supervised by him? - Is there one thing that, if it were different in his leadership of you, would make your work noticeably better? - Are there any concerns about his leadership of staff you believe the elders should be aware of? Staff responses (summarized by Elder Board Chair):
# Part E — Congregational Input (Optional) *At the elder board's discretion, a small rotating sample of members may be invited to offer appreciation and observations. This is not a congregational evaluation — pastoral authority is not a popularity vote — but members often see things elders and staff cannot, and a sample keeps the elders' picture honest.* ## Suggested approach - Invite 5–8 members per year, rotating so no member is asked two years in a row. - Draw from a cross-section: a new member, a long-tenured member, a BFG leader, a teenager's parent, a senior saint, a member who recently went through crisis, and so on. - Ask a short, open-ended prompt and summarize the responses. Do not share individual responses with the pastor without the member's consent. ## Suggested prompt *“We are praying for our pastor this year and want to support him well. What has God done through his ministry in your life or family this year that you are thankful for? Is there anything you think would bless him or our church if the elders took it up with him?”* Summary of congregational input (prepared by Elder Board Chair):
# Part F — Pastoral Care of the Pastor *The most important and most often neglected section. To be completed jointly by the Senior Pastor and the Elder Board Chair (and the full board if desired) in the review conversation. This is where the elders remember that they are called to love their pastor, not just evaluate him.* ## Sabbath, Vacation, and Study Leave *Did the pastor take his weekly Sabbath this year? His full vacation? His study week(s)? If not, why not, and what needs to change — systemically, not just willfully — to make rest possible next year?*
## Family and Home *How is his family doing under the weight of his ministry? Is his wife known and loved by the elders and their wives? Are his children protected from being treated as ministry assets or ministry burdens? Is there anything the elders should do to bless his family this year?*
## Friendship and Peers *Does he have real friends, inside and outside Mayflower? Is he in a peer learning or prayer group with other pastors? If not, how could the elders support that?*
## Mental, Emotional, and Physical Health *Any signs of burnout, discouragement, or depression? Any physical concerns the elders should be praying about or resourcing? Is he connected to a good primary care physician and, if helpful, a counselor?*
## Professional Development and Continuing Education *What has he done this year to sharpen his craft (preaching coaching, conferences, reading, continuing education, denominational relationships)? What would bless him in the coming year? What should the budget cover?*
## Sabbatical Planning *When is his next sabbatical? Is it on the calendar? Is the church prepared to honor it? (Even if it is years away, naming it now makes it real.)*
## Prayer Support *How are the elders praying for the pastor? Is there a regular rhythm for this? Does he have specific requests he wants to put before the elders for the coming year?*
# Part G — Summary and Development Plan *Completed jointly by the Senior Pastor and the Elder Board Chair at the close of the review conversation.* ## Gratitude — What God did this year *One to three paragraphs naming the clearest evidences of God's grace in and through the pastor's ministry this year.*
## Affirmations *Specific things the elders want the pastor to keep doing, keep leaning into, or keep being. Name them clearly so he remembers them the next time he doubts his calling.*
## Growth Areas *Two to four concrete areas for growth, named with love. Not a laundry list. What would most bless him and the church to work on?*
## Development Plan for the Coming Year *For each growth area above, name: the practice or resource, the support from the elders, and a simple way to know it happened.*
## Asks of the Elder Board *What the pastor is asking the elders to do for him this year — specifically, tangibly, and in writing.*
## Asks of the Senior Pastor *What the elders are asking the pastor to commit to this year — specifically, tangibly, and in writing.*
## Follow-Up A six-month check-in between the Senior Pastor and the Elder Board Chair is scheduled for: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ## Signatures **Senior Pastor:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Elder Board Chair:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date of Review Meeting:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ *Filed in the Senior Pastor's personnel file under the custody of the Elder Board Chair.* # Staff Joy-at-Work Review — Draft April 2026 **MAYFLOWER CHURCH** **Staff Joy-at-Work Review** *Annual Review — Supervisor-Led, Developmental*
**Staff Member**
**Position**
**Supervisor**
**Review Year / Period**
**Date of Review Conversation**
# Introduction Mayflower Church's staff reviews are anchored in the conviction that work is a gift from God, that the people who do that work are made in His image, and that the church should be one of the places in a person's life where they are most deeply known, most honestly challenged, and most faithfully developed. This review is developmental, not punitive. It is a conversation, not a verdict. It assumes the best of the staff member and of the supervisor. It uses Dennis Bakke's framing of “joy at work” — gifts, growth, fairness, and fruit — translated into a church context. ## How this review works 1. The staff member completes Part A (Self-Assessment) first, on their own time. 2. The supervisor completes Part B (Supervisor Observations) independently. 3. They meet for an unhurried review conversation, working through both parts together, then jointly completing Parts C, D, and E. 4. The summary is signed, filed in the personnel file per the Employee Handbook, and supports a follow-up check-in at the quarterly 1:1 rhythm. 5. Compensation is not decided in this review. Comp decisions are handled separately by the Board of Finance in the July/August budget cycle. ## Relationship to the Employee Handbook This review operates alongside the Mayflower Employee Handbook and does not replace any handbook provision. - Character expectations follow Appendix A of the Handbook (Biblical Standards for Staff), anchored in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. This review does not create a second character standard; it reflects on the standard the handbook already sets. - The Annual Affirmation required by Appendix A.12 is a separate document from this review. The affirmation re-commits to the standards; the review reflects on development, fruitfulness, and joy in the work. - If this review surfaces conduct that warrants discipline, the matter leaves the review process and enters the Handbook's Section 8.3 path. Reviews are not discipline. ## Confidentiality Completed forms are held in the staff member's personnel file per the Employee Handbook's retention policy. They are not shared outside the supervisor, the staff member, and — where needed for a specific decision — the Elder Board Chair or the Board of Finance. # Part A — Staff Member Self-Assessment *Complete this on your own time. Be honest. This form works only if you treat it as a conversation with yourself before it becomes a conversation with your supervisor.* ## 1. Are you using the gifts God has given you? *Where did your gifts bear most fruit this year? Where did your role stretch you outside your gifting in ways that may call for support, redesign of the job, or different responsibilities?*
## 2. Are you growing in Christ through this work? *How has serving at Mayflower shaped your walk with Jesus this year? Where has the work exposed sin or weakness God is refining in you? Where has it drawn you deeper in?*
## 3. Are you bearing fruit where you have been planted? *What specific fruit of your work this year are you most thankful for? What did you hope to see bear fruit that did not? What do you make of the gap?*
## 4. Are you sustainable — body, heart, home, and soul? *How is your pace, your rest, your margin? Are the hours working for your family and your health? Is there anything about the job as currently structured that is quietly grinding you down?*
## 5. Are you being treated fairly and developed well? *Is the job you actually do still the job you were hired into? Are you being paid, supervised, and supported fairly? What would help you grow this year — training, mentoring, changed responsibilities, rest?*
## Role-Specific Reflection *See the appendix at the back of this form for role-specific prompts. Respond to the appendix for your role, then summarize here.*
## Gratitude *What are you most thankful for about this year at Mayflower — moments, people, growth in you, work God did through you?*
## Growth Edges *Where do you want to grow this year? What support would actually help? What would you ask of your supervisor, the elders, or the church?*
**Staff Member Signature:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Part B — Supervisor Observations *Complete independently after reading the self-assessment. Mirror the structure, but add what only a supervisor can see.* ## 1. Use of Gifts *Where have you seen this person's gifts most in play? Where does their role stretch beyond or outside their gifting in a way that calls for redesign, support, or honest conversation?*
## 2. Growth in Christ *What growth in character, maturity, or walk with God have you seen in this person this year? Not a grade — an observation, given in love.*
## 3. Fruitfulness *What concrete fruit of this person's work have you seen this year? Name the fruit specifically, not generically.*
## 4. Sustainability *Is this person sustainable in their role? Do you see signs of fatigue, resentment, or drift? What would need to change in how the role is structured or supported to keep them flourishing here for the long haul?*
## 5. Fairness and Development *Is the job as posted still the job as performed? Are you supervising them well — accessible, clear, fair, developmental? What are you doing well as a supervisor and where are you failing them?*
## Role-Specific Observations *Respond to the appendix for this role, then summarize here.*
## Supervisor's Summary *In one paragraph, what would you say to the elders about this staff member's year?*
**Supervisor Signature:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Part C — Goals Review *Completed jointly in the review conversation. What did we commit to a year ago, and what happened?* ## Goals from last year's review List the goals and commitments from the previous review. For each: what happened, what got in the way, and what was learned.
## Reflection *Honest joint reflection — what did we learn from the last year's goals about how this person works best, where support is needed, and what kind of goals are realistic?*
# Part D — Development Plan for the Coming Year *Completed jointly. Keep it short, concrete, and honest. Two to four goals is usually plenty.* ## Goals For each goal, name: what it is, why it matters, the support needed, and a simple way to know it happened.
## Support commitments from the supervisor *What is the supervisor committing to do to help this succeed?*
## Support commitments from the church *Anything the elders, boards, or budget need to provide — training, tools, time, rest, coverage, prayer?*
# Part E — Pastoral Care of the Staff Member *This is not perfunctory. Staff members are under the spiritual care of the church they serve. Ask real questions and listen.* ## Rest and Sabbath *Did they use their vacation? Are the office-closure weeks resulting in actual rest for them? Any rhythm changes to make next year?*
## Family and Home *How is the job impacting their family? Is there anything the church should know, pray for, or adjust?*
## Health and Mental Health *Any concerns to pray about or support? (Asked pastorally, never pried into. This section can be left blank if there is nothing to name.)*
## Spiritual Growth *Where are they being fed this year? Are they receiving pastoral care themselves, in addition to serving others?*
## Asks of the Supervisor and Church *What the staff member is asking for in the coming year. Put it in writing.*
# Part F — Signatures and Filing Both parties sign indicating the review conversation happened, both parts were reviewed, and the development plan is mutually agreed. Signing does not imply the staff member agrees with every observation; it confirms the conversation was had and the plan is the one going into the coming year. **Staff Member:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Supervisor:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ **Date of Review Conversation:** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ *Filed in the staff member's personnel file per the Employee Handbook's retention policy. Next quarterly 1:1 check-in scheduled for:* \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Appendix — Role-Specific Prompts *Use the appendix relevant to the staff member's role. Both the self-assessment and the supervisor observations should draw on the prompts below for Part A's “Role-Specific Reflection” and Part B's “Role-Specific Observations” sections.* ## Appendix A — Director of Biblical Counseling Anchored in the Director of Biblical Counseling position description. Consider: - Fidelity to Scripture and to Mayflower's Statement of Faith in the counseling ministry. - Counselee care — accessibility, follow-through, appropriate confidentiality, timely referrals for issues outside the scope of biblical counseling (medical, psychiatric, legal). - Coordination with the Senior Pastor and the Shepherding Teams — not replacing pastoral care, but integrated with it. - Sustainability of caseload — is the counseling load sized to the person, the role's hours, and the ministry's calling? - Training and growth — continuing education, certification maintenance, case supervision. - Boundaries and self-care — this work is heavy. Is the person protected from vicarious trauma, with proper debrief and their own counselor or spiritual director where warranted? - Record-keeping and case notes consistent with best practice and the Employee Handbook's confidentiality standards. *Note on input sources: For this role, the supervisor relies on the counselor's self-report, case volume and outcomes, and any referral patterns — not on direct client feedback, which would breach counseling confidentiality.* ## Appendix B — Church Secretary Anchored in the Church Secretary position description. Consider: - Office operations — phones, mail, communications, filing, reception — reliability and warmth. - Calendar stewardship — supporting the three-calendar model (Events / Communications / Operations), facility bookings, vendor coordination. - Communications support — Bellringer deadlines, weekly email, bulletin, announcement windows. - Membership and attendance records — Planning Center accuracy, check-in data, directory currency. - Confidentiality — handling sensitive pastoral and financial information appropriately. - Support of the Senior Pastor and staff — reducing administrative load on pastoral and counseling staff so they can focus on their calling. - Front door to the congregation — members, visitors, vendors, and the community often encounter Mayflower first through this role. What is that experience like? - Systems and tools — Planning Center, Mailchimp or equivalent, BookStack, ProPresenter, the physical office environment. ## Appendix C — Other Staff (Template for Future Use) When a new staff role is created, add an appendix section here with role-specific prompts anchored in that position description. Use the same structure: - Core responsibilities from the position description. - Systems and partnerships relied on. - Character and confidentiality considerations specific to the role. - Sustainability risks particular to this kind of work. - Training and growth pathways.