The Real Reason Church Staff Quit (It's Not the Pay)

Why do good church staff quit? It's usually not the paycheck. In this episode of the Church Staff Book Club, Jonathan Malm and Jason Young unpack Chapter 9 of their book Likable Leader and get honest about the real reason church employees walk away: leaders who take from their team instead of investing in them. If you lead church staff or volunteers, you've probably felt the fear. You encourage someone, they realize how talented they are, and they leave. So you hold back. But holding back is exactly what pushes people out the door. Jonathan shares the story of an employee he encouraged to take a higher-paying job at another church, and why that employee still wants to keep working with him. In this episode we cover: The five ways leaders invest in their team: time, encouragement, growth, connection, and wisdom Why an open-door policy doesn't mean you're approachable Putting wind in someone's sail vs. putting holes in their boat Why investing in people and getting results are not enemies (the 23% productivity difference) How to handle underpaid church staff who need a side hustle The fear that your staff will surpass you, and why that's the wrong fear Why growing teams are messy, and why that mess is worth it What investing in someone actually looks like beyond sending them to a conference #ChurchLeadership #ChurchStaff #ChurchStaffRetention #LikableLeader #PastoralLeadership #MinistryLeadership #ChurchCulture #ChurchStaffTurnover #LeadershipDevelopment #ChurchStaffBookClub