Morale Turnaround at a Large Mainline Church:

Between 2003 and 2008 the Church of the Resurrection experienced a significant morale turn around documented by the administration of the Best Christian Workplaces study.  In 2003 the results were below average on a range of issues regarding morale.  This seems to have been the result of the tensions introduced by the hyper growth of the church during that time (more than 1000 members added per year), and the structures that facilitated effective communication and workflow.  As a result of several intentional intervention efforts by executive staff, the turn around that was generated was singularly unique in the experience of the Best Christian Workplace staff.  Resurrection was, in 2008, named “The” Best Christian Workplace.  In a conference call during a large staff event, the leader of that organization when asked what he would say to Resurrection staff said, “You are working at the best place you will ever work.”

Documenting this kind of turn around is rare indeed, and though the circumstances leading to the issues may be unique, the issues of organizational morale and trust in management are a systematic problem across our denomination and the church in general.  I am currently interviewing most of the long term staff at Resurrection to asses what lead to the turn around from their perception.  I expect that the results of this study will lead to significant recommendations for leaders facing similar issues in the future.

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