In your Ministry Placement, you will be required to think critically about what is happening in this ministry setting and seek to find solutions to any barriers, issues or problems that you observe to find a solution.

 
As you watch and read the following, please make some notes on the role of critical thinking for businesses, the community, and at an individual level.

Watch: What is Critical Thinking?

Read: What Is Critical Thinking And Why Is It Valuable In The Workplace?

https://pmctraining.com/site/resources-2/what-is-critical-thinking-and-why-is-it-valuable-in-the-workplace/

DISCUSS

The role of critical thinking for businesses, the community, and at an individual level.

Basic problem-solving techniques

The traditional model for problem-solving looks like this. However, I would like to look at problem-solving specific to the church setting. So, let’s take a look at the following article titled Beyond the Problem-solution Model.

The traditional model for problem-solving looks like this. However, I would like to look at problem-solving specific to the church setting. So, let’s take a look at the following article titled Beyond the Problem-solution Model.

Visit the following link for more information: Better problem solving in your church starts with these 4 questions.

This approach looks at the different questions that can be asked in the ministry setting. Each word represents a critical question we need to ask whenever we are faced with challenges as leaders.

Different types of questions and their relevance to different situations

1. Now: What is going on?
2. Why: Why is this going on?
3. New: What ought to be going on?
4. How: How might we respond?

Some other questions that might find helpful in also in solving problems can be found at this link:

https://childrensministry.com/ministry-problem-solving/

Different Styles of Questions.

Read: The 8 essential questioning techniques you need to know

1. Closed questions
2. Open questions
3. Probing questions
4. Leading questions
5. Loaded questions
6. Funnel questions
7. Recall and process questions
8. Rhetorical questions

Other important aspects of problem-solving.

Rule #1: Know Yourself

• What’s my involvement in this issue? What should my involvement be?
• What do I need to do to effectively resolve this issue in a Christian manner?
• Am I contributing to the problem? If so, how?
• What is my responsibility to God, my team, my church, and my pastor?
• Is my relationship with God healthy, allowing me to be an effective problem-solver?

Rule #2: You’re Not Alone

• Who is legitimately involved in the issue? Who should be involved?
• How can other team members directly or indirectly help the situation? hurt the situation?
• In what ways can I use the talents and gifts of my team to resolve this issue?
• What procedures or policies can be instituted to discourage such a problem in the future?

Rule #3: Leaders Stand Together

• Who in your leader network has similar experience?
• What other leader has expertise in, or is a good source of support for, this situation?
• How can you make a more informed decision with the input of other leaders?
• In what other areas of ministry or life have you seen someone lead a successful resolution to a similar problem?
• What traits do you admire in other leaders that you can emulate now?

Rule #4: We All Have Weaknesses

• Specific to this problem, in what ways is our ministry weak? strong?
• How do these weaknesses impact our volunteers, children, parents, leadership, and congregation?
• What would it take to remedy these weaknesses?
• How can we learn from our strengths to improve our weak areas?

This website also outlines some effective questioning and communication techniques.

• Use “I” statements when you confront someone.
• Restate what you hear before you reply.
• Reflect empathy when you talk to hurting people.
• Avoid dirty-fighting tactics. Don’t use gross generalizations or attack the person rather than the problem.

“When you’re both sure you’re hearing each other, the communication keeps going deeper,” says Jutila in Leadership Essentials for Children’s Ministry. “Most of our problems…stem from our reluctance to be direct. After all, this calls for us to bare our souls to some extent, to reveal who we really are.”

Typical blockers to problem-solving processes

A problem-solving barrier is something that stops people from finding a successful solution to a problem. These barriers are often caused by cognitive blocks – how we think and feel – as well as by practical social and physical blocks. Have a look at the following website which summarises some typical blockers to problem-solving.

Read: Barriers to Problem Solving

Cognitive blocks

• Perspective
• Emotion
• Intellectual
• Expression
• Cultural

Social blocks

• Personalities

Physical blocks

• Noise
• Lack of space
• Poor technology