SHOULD I JOIN
ENCORE?
Navigators Encore is an ideal way for many staff to continue to serve when full-time ministry no longer fits their desires and capabilities. How do you determine if it’s right for you? The articles below offer helpful information and guidance to help you make the decision.
Guidelines for Your Decision
Consider the following guidelines as you evaluate your best ministry contribution with The Navigators. You may want to discuss this with family members, trusted friends, and/or your Navigators supervisor.
- Your personal mission statement and ministry focus are aligned with an established Navigators Mission.
- You have a vital relational network in your current Navigators Mission. This includes working relationships, supervisory relationships and the geographical accessibility to both ministry and personal relationships.
- Your current mission leadership welcomes and values your part-time contribution, without pressure to meet all full-time staff requirements.
- Your ministry account is currently in deficit.
- There are any unresolved relational tensions in your current mission.
- Your presence in your current mission does not limit next-generation contribution and development.r
- You will soon move to part-time salary and plan on incrementally decreasing salaried work hours. This may include a long-term plan of moving to Navigators Associate and eventually full retirement.
- Your ministry over the years has resulted in a ministry network broader than one Mission’s focus and you want increased freedom to minister where God opens doors beyond your Mission’s focus or target.
- You want more freedom to move to another location for either health or family reasons while still making a ministry contribution.
- You are willing to remain accountable to a supervisor regarding your job description and ministry goals and completing annual reviews. (These also apply to Navigators Associate staff.)
- You are willing to maintain a donor base adequate to meet agreed-upon ministry expenses and are willing to and capable of meeting the administrative and relational responsibility that accompanies donor support.
- You are willing to stay current and complete administrative requirements, realizing that computer-based administration is part of the job description of all Navigators staff.
- You embrace the role of a shepherd who mentors and encourages younger staff or disciplemakers who are assuming leadership responsibilities.
- Health issues or cognitive limitations make job competency and fulfilling the responsibilities of a salaried staff or an associate staff stressful and difficult.
- You have increased caregiving responsibilities that make fulfilling ministry responsibilities more stressful or difficult.
- You find using a computer and web-based applications too time-consuming and confusing and you no longer have a desire to learn the required Navigators web-based applications.
- You find fundraising and donor relationships less enjoyable and more burdensome.
- Your focus is increasingly on devotion to Christ and family and less on your role as Navigators staff.
