I recently served as a worker in a local election — a new experience for me, and one I hope to repeat. My main take-away, detailed in Part 1, was how much it taught me about my community. But IRead more…
Serving in an Election: Part 1 – Community Learnings
Serving as education? That’s not how we usually think of serving. But an education is just what I received recently, when I served as an election volunteer. What I learned from the experience had nothing to do with politics; norRead more…
Our Persistent God
I rarely hear God described as ‘persistent,’ but I’ve lately learned just how persistent he is. On several occasions over the past two years, circumstances have caused me to recall a difficult time from when I was in college. ThoseRead more…
What is a Discipling Relationship and Why You Might Actually Want One
Who has been a mentor to you? Is there a teacher who made a major impact on you? Do you try to model your life after a certain family member or friend? If you are a person of faith, whoRead more…
Resource Review: Multipli
People who serve are sharing Jesus through their deeds. But words and deeds are meant to go together in the everyday lives of people who follow Jesus. To be honest, most of us long-time church-goers are way more comfortable withRead more…
The State of Church Volunteerism
Presidents annually give a State of the Union address, and effective leaders regularly share their view of the past and vision of the future. Perhaps similarly, my step into retirement has prompted reflection on the state of church volunteerism –Read more…
I was in Prison
Have you visited someone in prison lately? Or talked to, encouraged, or assisted such a person? I’ve never visited anyone in jail and doubt I ever will; the thought terrifies me. But when I consider how my God wants meRead more…
Navigating a Change of Season
No matter where you live, certain routines are involved when the season changes. As fall and winter approach here in the USA midwest, for example, I exchange short sleeve tops for sweaters in my closet and my husband stores theRead more…
More Serving? or Better Serving?
When we talk about serving, it’s almost always about “more” serving — its quantity. As volunteers retire, leaders need to replace them with more volunteers. When new ministry opportunities arise, leaders need more volunteers to make them happen. People inRead more…
Spiritual Gifts? People Eager for More
Younger respondents have bigger and more emphatic responses to . . . gifting. “Gifted for More” is a new resource on spiritual gifts with convincing evidence that the time is right for churches to help people identify, develop and shareRead more…
“Come Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest . . .”
“Come Lord Jesus, be our guest and let your gifts to us be blessed.” As I grew up, my family said this prayer at dinner each evening before dinner, and I still use it regularly at meals. Recently it occurredRead more…
You Can Be/Grow a Volunteer Champion
Imagine a world in which every Christian church, no matter its size or budget, had an acknowledged volunteer champion in their midst, a leader who helped people use their God-given gifts in their Lord’s service within and beyond the church;Read more…
It’s About Time: Everyday Serving
After nearly 30 years of leading church volunteerism, it’s about time I started leading healthy serving in everyday life. For perhaps 100 years, churches have focused on people serving at church. Isn’t it about time we all focused on servingRead more…
Church Volunteerism in a Changed World
Twenty-one months after the covid pandemic first threw us for a loop, we’re still in upheaval. Vaccines are prevalent, but many still suffer and many more are fearful. When it comes to church volunteerism, ‘normal’ is a distant memory andRead more…
Let It Be to Me . . .
“Let it be to me as you have said.” These words jumped out at me recently when I heard the familiar story from Luke 1: 25-38 (ESV), of the angel telling Mary she was to be the mother of Jesus.Read more…