How does a leader say good-bye to a volunteer? If the volunteer taught Sunday School every week for 30 years, the good-bye might well be with a congregational luncheon and an appreciative plaque. If the volunteer was a burr underRead more…
Go for the Gold
The Olympics are taking place: the stirring Olympic trumpet fanfare is heard, the five interlocking circles are displayed, and athletes are in the spotlight. Hence, today The Olympics are taking place: the stirring Olympic trumpet fanfare is heard, the fiveRead more…
In Sickness and In Health
“In sickness and in health.” In marriage, it can be a challenge to love and care for a spouse who is sick. Perhaps it’s the opposite challenge in our church family. When someone is seriously ill, when tragedy strikes, theRead more…
Volunteers Are Not Free
Are volunteers “free labor”? Of course they are. By definition, volunteers perform a task without receiving payment for it. So we find it easy to think of volunteers as free labor, the opposite of staff who are paid to work.Read more…
Love Shows
When someone’s in love, it shows. It may be that dreamy look or an absent-mindedness that gives it away. It’s certainly also revealed in the frequency with which the loved one is named in their conversation. And we’re most convincedRead more…
The Power of Together
When hurricane Katrina hit southeast Louisiana in late August 2005. It remained headline news for many weeks, not only due to the terrible devastation caused by the storm, but also for the aftermath of the inadequate and confused initial response.Read more…
An Equipping System
An equipping church builds a system for equipping people. There is no one perfect system. The best systems are designed by and for the people who will use them. But a good system will have these elements. Educational opportunities, forRead more…
An Equipping Culture
Spending extended time in a foreign country (with “regular” people rather than at tourist destinations) brings continual surprises. Things are done differently. You can’t take anything for granted. Food and clothing, manners and expectations, parties and transportation–all are different. EachRead more…
A Comparison: Recruiting and Equipping
Recruiting is finding a person to fill a specific need, an open position. Equipping is helping a person figure out, and then follow, God’s call to service in their life. Recruiting focuses primarily on the position. Equipping focuses primarily onRead more…