A church playbook is different than an employee handbook. An employee handbook is focused on employees alone and their relationship to the corporation and community of the church. A church playbook is all about articulating the philosophy of ministry of the church in whole and how the church fulfills ministry.

A church playbook is often developed by the lead pastor and executive team and outlines the chosen methods of ministry for a church. Here is a sample playbook that you can download and use for your own ministry context.

Your Church Logo Here

Your Church Name
Your Address

Team Playbook

The purpose of this playbook is to clearly articulate our church’s goals and the methods we will use to achieve them this season. Every team member plays a vital role by aligning with our framework, contributing ideas, and helping to drive our collective success.

Statement of Faith
Vision / Mission Statement
Organizational Values
Staff Values Statement
Structure
List of Current Policies

HR
Operations
- Technology
- Communication
- Facilities Maintenance
- Accounting

Ministry Teams

Outreach
Church Assimilation
Faith Assimilation
Volunteer / Leader Development
Groups / Adults
Care
Life Events
Youth (Sr & Jr High)
Kids

Services

Newcomers
Parking
Greeters / Ushers / Security
Lobby Teams
A/V Teams
Worship Team
Transitions
Teaching Team

Statement of Faith

Insert your church’s statement of faith here. This section should outline our core beliefs and doctrinal principles.

Vision / Mission Statement

Insert your vision and mission statement here to define our church’s purpose and direction.

Organizational Values

Outline the key values that guide our church culture and decision-making.

Staff Values Statement

Describe the expected values and behaviors for all staff members.

Structure

Present your organizational chart here. Include:

Key leadership roles
Volunteer teams
Reporting lines and responsibilities

List of Current Policies

This section provides an overview of our guiding policies. (For detailed documents, refer to our central file repository.)

HR (Human Resources)

Employee Manual: Overview of policies and procedures
Compensation: Salary structures, raise assessments, and benefits
Staff Expectations: Performance criteria, work hours, and time-off policies
Departure Procedures: Exit protocols and final assessments
Health & Safety: Harassment policies, dispute resolution, and safety protocols
Professional Development: Training opportunities and career growth
Assessments: Evaluation and disciplinary processes

Operations

Technology

Systems: Email, word processing, and file management
Hardware: PC, Mac, and other equipment
Phone Systems: VoIP and other communication platforms
Management Tools: Software for volunteer and group management
Facilities Management: Room bookings, daily tasks, and repairs
Accounting Software: Donation records, expenses, and payroll
Communication Tools: Email newsletters, social media, and websites

Communication

Internal & External Communication:
Frequency (church-wide, department-specific)
Channels (bulletins, website, app, email, social media, phone)
Social Media & Email Policies: Guidelines and best practices
Communication Calendar: Scheduling of regular updates
Record-Keeping: Tracking interactions and maintaining records

Facilities Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance: Responsibilities for upkeep
Room Bookings: Procedures for reserving spaces and room setups
Event Support: Coordination for landscaping, snow removal, and other external services
Emergency Protocols: Contacts and procedures for urgent repairs and security issues

Accounting

Budgeting: Process for setting church-wide and departmental budgets
Expense Management: Guidelines for purchases, expense forms, spending limits, and approval processes
Income Tracking: Procedures for managing donations, registration fees, and other income
Stewardship: Systems to ensure responsible financial oversight

Ministry Teams

Outreach

Community Engagement: Equip team members to reach their local circles
Awareness Strategies: Increase community visibility and enhance website SEO
Service Projects: Identify and serve local needs through evangelism

Church Assimilation

Guest Tracking: Monitor first-time, second-time, and subsequent visits
Expectations: Define what new guests should expect
Follow-Up: Procedures for connecting with guests and guiding them towards membership

Faith Assimilation

Baptism: Outline the process and protocols
New Believer Integration: Strategies for welcoming and nurturing new faith journeys

Volunteer / Leader Development

Recruitment & Training: Onboard new volunteers and leaders
Background Checks: Procedures for positions involving vulnerable sectors
Scheduling & Tracking: Manage volunteer assignments and transitions to leadership roles

Groups / Adults

Program Oversight: Direction for small groups, classes, and discipleship
Goals & Rhythms: Annual planning for groups and leader training
Resources: Support and materials provided to group leaders

Care

Support Services: Overview of care options offered
Referrals: When and how to refer to external care providers
Documentation: Record-keeping for care interactions

Life Events

Ceremonies: Procedures for weddings, funerals, child dedications, and baptisms
Planning: Steps for managing life event processes from initial inquiry to follow-up

Youth (Senior & Junior High)

Purpose: Define the goals for youth ministry
Planning: Annual event calendar and evangelism/discipleship strategies
Leadership: Recruitment, training, and transition of youth leaders
Budget: Allocation and management for youth ministry expenses

Kids

Ministry Goals: Define success for children’s ministry
Calendar & Budget: Annual planning and financial requirements
Parent Communication: Strategies for supporting and updating parents
Leader Recruitment: Procedures for training and transitioning leaders

Services

Newcomers

Guest Experience: How we want guests to feel, what they should know, and expected next steps
Follow-Up: Procedures to integrate newcomers into our church community

Parking

Team Responsibilities: Guidelines for the parking team
Guest Impressions: Ensuring a welcoming experience upon arrival

Greeters / Ushers / Security

Role Descriptions: Expectations and responsibilities for greeters, ushers, and security personnel
Recruitment & Training: Processes for onboarding and scheduling

Lobby Teams

Responsibilities: Managing check-ins, donation stations, and information desks
Additional Services: Handling refreshments, merchandise, and visitor inquiries

A/V Teams

Production Oversight: Coordination of audio/visual aspects of services
Team Requirements: Personnel, training, and standard procedures for each service

Worship Team

Vision: Define the style and flow of our worship services
Processes: Song selection, rehearsal schedules, and leadership roles

Transitions

Service Flow: Procedures for announcements, offering, story time, and other transitional elements
Integration: Coordinating connected ministries (non-profit programs, schools, etc.)

Teaching Team

Expectations: Guidelines for preaching, teaching, and speaking roles
Annual Plan: Overview of the teaching calendar and supplementary materials
Coordination: Communication strategies for group handouts and resource distribution

This playbook is a living document. We welcome feedback and suggestions to continually refine our processes and enhance our ministry impact.

Feel free to adjust sections, add specific details, or modify the structure to best fit your church’s unique context and needs.

Church Playbook