Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 | Jay McSwain
Back in 1990 Greg Ogden (www.gregogden.com) wrote The New Reformation – Returning the Ministry to the People of God and in 2003 followed up with Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Both books championed the empowerment of the laity (non-paid staff) doing ministry that for years was done by clergy (paid staff). My own understanding of what God desires for all of His people to DO as ministers of the gospel was greatly enhanced by Greg’s two books.
The Observation
Have you ever wanted to believe something was true, but you just weren’t sure the evidence would truly back-up your belief? Over the past 13 years I wanted to believe we were seeing trends that laity (nonpaid staff) were being empowered to do the ministry. But I wasn’t convinced that what was taking place was more information and knowledge being dumped on God’s people with little empowerment truly being given to them.
Returning Ministry to the People
I have realized that ministry is being returned to the people of God by looking at a trend within our ministry. Let me explain. Almost ten years ago I remember how excited I was to work with a group of lay members (all unpaid) of a large church that were empowered to research for resources that would connect their people to meaningful ministry. After several months of conference calls and emails I was invited to spend the weekend training their lay leadership along with the paid staff. My first interaction with paid staff was the weekend I spent at the church. Prior to that weekend every interaction I had was with non-paid staff. I was elated to work with this group. This up front interaction with non-paid staff in this manner was a rarity until the last couple of years.
The Positive Trend
PLACE Ministries receives thousands of orders for resources and inquiries for information about our ministry each year. Until the last couple of years we guessed that 95% or more of those orders and inquiries would come from paid staff. Over the last couple of years we have seen the trend rising with our guess being that 25-30% of our orders and inquiries are being made by non-paid staff on behalf on their churches.
So many trends in church today are not positive. This positive trend of empowering non-paid staff to connect God’s people to meaningful ministry is one we can and should all celebrate and embrace.
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 | Jay McSwain
This past week after talking with two ministers in different states I further committed to stressing an insight along with two keys to connecting people that I knew, but often don’t continually stress. The insight is:
Churches who believe in helping people discover HOW they are uniquely created to serve must also be committed to helping direct people WHERE to serve.
I have watched many churches teach their people on HOW to serve based on helping them discover elements like their spiritual without any thought about how to help them know WHERE to serve.
Back to my two ministers I talked with this past week. One was using our mobilyzr ministry guidehttp://mobilyzr.com/onlineguide/overview.html and pumped about how it was connecting their members to meaningful ministry. The other was excited about the personal discovery going on through the PLACE assessments, but struggling on what to do beyond the personal discovery. His church was even providing one-on-one coaching after the personal discovery, but still struggling with connecting people to ministry.
I am thrilled with churches that truly desire to help every individual in a personal and individual way discover who they are in Christ by providing insight to members and attendees into their personality, abilities, discovering their spiritual gifts and passions and connecting their life experiences to these insights and discoveries. This is why I wrote the five PLACE assessments so God’s people can discover their personality, spiritual gifts, abilities, passion and life experiences as it relates to fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives. But, I hope you will like me commit whether you are beginning your connection process or strategy or have already implemented it you will ensure to incorporate two key steps in your process and strategy. First, create a ministry guide so your people will know WHERE they can pursue their purpose. Secondly, provide one-on-one coaching to help your people know better HOW and then WHERE to serve. The results will be worth the effort. A commitment to this simple two-step process will avoid, “I’m gift but WHERE do I serve”.
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 | Blake Paul
Why is it that we hire people who are just like us? They say that opposites attract but that does not always seem to be the case when it comes to the work place or ministry. We tend to hire people who have the same personality traits that we have because they make us feel comfortable. In reality what we probably need the most is someone who is actually just the opposite of us.
Going one step further…
Many of our leaders in ministry today are forced to wear many hats. I have found that great communicators are probably not the most gifted administrators. Even though our leadership needs help, most don’t know how to go about hiring the right person or recruiting volunteers. There was a phrase I heard used in ministry several years ago that said, “You have to get the right people on the right bus.” True enough. I would like to suggest that everyone on the bus has their own individual seat. If only there was only a way to direct the “willing” to the “right seat.”
Using PLACE as a resource…
Whether you are involved in leadership training, volunteer training, ministry placement, or recruiting volunteers, you need to know about PLACE. PLACE uses the DISC assessment to assess participants personalities. This is a great starting place for hiring the right person. I can tell you that if you hire a very social, inspiring person and place them where they have little or no contact with people you have set them up for failure. This personality assessment is as important as any skill assessment. Many people that I have introduced to PLACE now say they will not make another hire until that prospect has been through the PLACE assessments. If you are struggling getting the right person in the right seat give PLACE a try. I believe it is just the ticket.
Monday, August 24th, 2009 | Kraig Kelsey
Last month my wife, my three sons and I joined a church in our community. I am so excited because I happen to know the new pastor and he is a PLACE fan. I have the opportunity to start the PLACE process from scratch! WOW, no prior history with an intentional process to recruit and maintain volunteers, a blank slate.
continue reading…Starting PLACE from Scratch
Friday, July 10th, 2009 | Quentine Lofton
While presenting Assimilation—PLACE and Discipleship—processes at the Stone Mountain Association Executive Conference for Dr. Larry Cheek recently, a most encouraging event took place in my ministry. I encountered a church willing to allow Christ to be the head of the body, a church incorporating as well as looking beyond the practicality of assimilation and discipleship to the spiritual bottom line, simply discovery and release of what God has placed within their congregation in regards to Spiritual giftedness and godly passions (key elements in church health). It began with Charles Rawls associate pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church of Conyers, Georgia, an empowered leader by his pastor Frank Penley, on a quest for more than a new program or approach that would add an additional wrinkle for the year.
continue reading…Discovery and Release of Godly Potential
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