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BLOGThe easiest way to measure results is by counting numbers. Any church staff person knows that numbers will be due every year, every quarter, every month and even weekly. But so much more takes place in ministry than numbers, lines and columns can calculate. How do we measure effectiveness adequately?
Experiences of Joy
Monday, October 26th, 2009 | Ginger McSwainThe joy of the Lord is my strength” was the song of encouragement and prayer I sang to the girls this morning as we drove to school. Their second day in a new school. Their countenances and spirits were understandably a bit low….(not to mention their mama’s!). But as I think about their feelings over the past few weeks transitioning from homeschool to public school I realized how often I’ve felt the very same things they’re feeling….but in ministry. More than once over the past 15 years of volunteering in my local church I’ve experienced the excitement of the ‘dream’ or the ‘vision’ of what a particular ministry role will be like; the nervous anticipation of the first team meeting; the preparation and thrill of that first day on the job. But then what sometimes has happened is the over analyzing of my performance and then eventually the comfort level of that position settling in and then the routine of it all just zapping my initial enthusiasm.
Tags: abilities, church, ministry, personality, place, spiritual gifts, volunteering
Connecting Newcomers to Ministry
Thursday, September 10th, 2009 | John Rushing
What is typically on the minds of newcomers as they contemplate the decision to connect with a congregation of any size. Certainly, there are a number of variables that play into their decision: Bible preaching/teaching; mission/values/core spiritual beliefs; opportunities for fellowship/small groups; programming for their children and youth; and so on.
Tags: assimilate, church, church ministry, ministries, ministry, place, teaching, volunteer
Nothing Fishy About Sharing Your Life Experiences
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 | Keith Durham“Daddy, are we almost there?” I could read into this question from the backseat the excitement my kids felt as we neared our family’s favorite vacation spot, South Padre Island in Texas. This trip had us fishing in the bay, a first for us! We thought our fishing excursion would take place on the calm, relaxing, wave-free side of the bay. Instead, the captain – wanting us to catch lots of fish, took us outside the bay to the deeper, much rougher waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As the boat bobbed up and down we found ourselves holding on for dear life! We caught fish alright, but all five of us ended up experiencing sea sickness in one fashion or another! We still share that life experience with others and laugh about it when we tell it. Life reminds me of that family trip: At times unexpected things cause us temporary discomfort. Other times, unexpected things cause us much happiness.
Tags: assessment, Assessment Tools, church ministry, ministries, ministry, spiritual gift assessment
There’s a difference between knowing….. and owning
Friday, August 14th, 2009 | Jamie ParlerI am a PLACE cheerleader. Now I can promise you that you would not want to see me in a cheerleading dress, but when called upon, I will eagerly pick up the pom-poms if you will, when it comes to PLACE. It may be because this is the tool God used to call me into full ministry after 12 years in the business. Or it may be just be because of the vast amount of knowledge that I have gained through the PLACE process in the last 6 years. Either way, my desire is to help others understand the value of this process and the impact it can have on them personally, others in their church, and ultimately the Kingdom as people give their lives away for the glory of God. You might say that I have owned this.
Tags: Assessment Tools, Church Ministries, personality, spiritual gifts
Engaging God’s People
Friday, July 31st, 2009 | Blake PaulHow do you get your people off the pew and engaged in meaningful volunteer ministry? What a huge, complex, yet completely relative question. If only we had a simple solution. I have realized that there are no simple solutions to the complexities we face in life and ministry. Simple solutions tend to make great selling book titles and that is about it. Yet there is a solution to engaging and mobilizing your people into meaningful ministry.
Tags: assessment, Assessment Tools, disc, engage, gifts, ministries, ministry, Ministry Placement, personality, place process, process, self discovery, volunteer, volunteer ministry
Making the Right Choice at a Crossroads
Friday, July 24th, 2009 | Lisa BakerPersonality, spiritual gifts, abilities, skills, passions and experiences were all important in making the right choices at the crossroads where I found myself standing for several years. My immediate response to this yearning for a more clearly defined purpose was to better myself through outward disciplines; however, the hours of mastering my plan offered very little fulfillment in the way of defining my purpose.
Tags: abilities, experiences, passions, personality, skills, spiritual gifts