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As early as possible as you begin your tenure as a Ministerial Director, arrange for a meeting with your conference administration to scope out the nature of the work they need from you. This is very important because most pastors who enter into the work of Ministerial Director have very specific notions of how they'd like to function.

It might well be that your president will have other ideas and other specific needs than what you bring to the table. Be wise and hear him or her out. See what common ground exists between their thoughts and yours, and verbalize them back to your president so that you both know that you both see this together. And only then venture into sharing your dreams and desires about your work. If they know that you understand what they need from you and are sure you will be doing it, most presidents will offer their support for you to put your own stamp on your work by allow you to also do what you desire to do.

When a president has verbalized a boundary, don't push against without a very good reason. And don't push it without their knowledge and assent. Don't ever act in such a way that your actions later catch them off guard when they hear about it. That will complicate your relationship immensely. And you cannot do your job well unless you have the complete confidence of your president.

What are some typical boundaries you might run into?

•Inserting yourself into a pastoral move process if that's not your role

•Inserting yourself into a pastoral discipline or difficulty issue that has been initiated and is being carried out by an officer

•Meeting autonomously with a church board or board of elders about a pastor or an issue

•Making promises to a pastor about a potential move, additional staff, or some request pending before the conference. You are not an officer, so don't say things that only an officer can rightfully say

•Obligating the conference to a major purchase or project on your own

Here are some boundary and freedom issues to explore with your president:

•Do you have the freedom to initiate contact with pastors at will for whatever reason you deem it worthwhile?

•Do you have the freedom and opportunity to speak privately with the officer in your conference who directly oversees pastoral placement in advance of committee meetings where potential pastoral moves will be discussed?

•Do you have freedom to bring conference resources to bear in times of urgent pastoral needs?

•Do you have an adequate budget to take pastors and their families out for meals?

•Do you have the freedom to bring remediation to a pastor for a weak area of his/her ministry without having to consult administration?

•Do you have the freedom to work with your pastors in the regular course of your work without having to report the specific activities to administration?

•Do you have the freedom to work primarily away from the office, except for important committee and in-house meetings?