Tony Webster is a retired Leadership and Continuous Improvement Coach. He developed and delivered training for team leaders, provided one-on-one coaching and interventions, as well as seminars targeting key leadership groups and topics. He is a Master Six Sigma Coach, certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach, and was a certified Crucial Conversations and Crucial Accountability instructor for the company he worked at. At church he served in many callings over the years, including elders quorum president twice, bishop, and high councilor. He and his wife currently serve as leader and member support church service missionaries assigned to a branch in their stake.
Enter Tony…
Before my wife and I were called as member and leader church service missionaries, I devoted a considerable amount of time and training promoting welfare and self-reliance efforts in our stake. My group delivered training to church leaders at all levels. And yet, use of the myriad resources developed by the Church to promote self-reliance and growth in the members of our stake was limited. When asked to sponsor self-reliance groups in their units, some leaders expressed that there were not that many needs seen.
Attending ward and branch council meetings in the units, I came to realize that there was a data gap that was preventing the welfare and self-reliance system from functioning effectively. Generally, only a few of the members of the ward were being discussed in presidency or unit council meetings.
More specifically, what I call the ministering cycle was not working effectively.
Two key components were missing. First, ministering interviews were not happening for all companionships. Those that were held were not necessarily gleaning the needed information on the status and needs of the families.
Second, the interview data was not working its way up through the presidencies to the ward or branch leadership councils. Thus, most discussions in those councils tended to be about responding to the few priority issues rather than planning for proactive use of resources to promote self-reliance in the members. Which of course would have most likely headed off much of the last minute firefighting needed.
The Initial Expectations
Let’s take a look at the ministering cycle. During the 2018 training for the change from home and visiting teaching to ministering in a higher and more holy way. Elder Stevensen expanded upon President Nelson’s conference teachings for the new emphasis on ministering.
“This would become a hinge point for the Church, and the realization of this vision, I think in large measure might be predicated upon how well ministering brothers and sisters are taught and engaged in the ministering interview. As we have learned now, we don’t count, but we render an account.’ Ministering interviews should become the primary source of content in a presidency meeting, even in a ward council meeting. I think it’s going to become the key element to the development of ministering brothers and sister, and a key element in the quality of ministering visits.”
In a handout on ministering interviews the brethren expressed the following expectations of how these interviews should work:
- Interviews give leaders a chance to share the vision of ministering and give encouragement.
- Leaders can help companionships learn how to counsel together.
- If these interviews are not held, there is a real danger that we will do less to care for others rather than more.
The Challenge
I propose that the real need to promote robust welfare & self-reliance programs on the local unit level can be addressed by:
- Ensuring that ministering interviews are conducted with all ministering companionships at a minimum quarterly, more often if necessary.
- Seeing that the interviews are used effectively to achieve the outcomes expressed in the above bullets.
- Making sure that the key information from the interviews are discussed in the appropriate presidency meetings, and between the Relief Society, elders quorum presidents, and bishops.
- Formatting the ward or branch Council meetings so that the needs and concerns of the members are a result of the comments and observations coming from the ministering brothers and sisters become a priority for the council.
Key leadership should be tasked with assessing how the ministering cycle is functioning in their unit and addressing any evident gaps. The measures of effectiveness could be:
- Percentage of ministering interviews conducted.
- Number of issues and needs identified through the interview process.
- Number of issues and needs addressed at the appropriate level.
- Number of self-reliance resources utilized as a result of this emphasis.
The Promise
Elder Bednar gave the following counsel to church leaders:
“I think leadership includes both what you do and what you leave. What you do is necessary but not sufficient; it’s not enough. The most important thing is what you leave when you’re not there, and the most important thing you can leave are people who have increased in capacity and confidence.”
As I reflect on what I have suggested in this article, I realize that units of the Church vary in their implementation of the welfare and self-reliance program and how it interlinks with the other components of the Church. What I have expressed is from my own specific observations. From my previous career experience in leadership development compared with my church leadership experience, I realize that in the Church even our local leaders are all volunteers. Implementing change can be hard and drawn out. A key though, is to start by developing and then communicating the vision of the change. The good news is that there are resources we can use, already in place.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson and President Camille N. Johnson gave instruction at the October 2024 General Conference Leadership Meeting.
“Ministering interviews are the inspired scaffolding that supports our efforts to minister as the Savior would.”
Their instruction is available online and is a great way to start the process. If we perceive a gap in our local area, my suggestion is that we become the change agents. Download the summary sheet of Elder Christopherson’s and President Johnson’s teaching to pass along. Additionally, point the right people to the Church “This Is Ministering” website.
At the This Is Ministering website, the testimonies that are given are their promise that the Lord’s work will be carried forth through the efforts of our ministering brothers and sisters. That people’s lives will be changed for the better as we emulate the Savior and His ministry. Please feel free to leave comments of things that you see happening in your areas in relation to the ministering cycle or welfare and self-reliance.
