How Our Father Lutheran Invites Members into Ministry, part 1 A Commitment to Connecting People “We have several strong women in charge of member integration.” That’s how Margaret Hinchey, Minister of Music at Our Father Lutheran Church in Centennial, Colorado,Read more…
Volunteer Ministry Entrepreneurship
Rich Kirkpatrick related (in an article no longer on the internet as of 2014) an incident that occurred when he attended a conference at Saddleback, Pastor Rick Warren’s mega-church in southern California. At a nearby coffee shop he met anRead more…
What is Equipping?
Want to understand the basics of equipping? Want an easy way to share those basics with others? These materials introduce the idea of equipping people to serve, and on the difference between a focus on recruiting volunteers and focus onRead more…
Governance Change . . . Volunteerism Change?
Many churches these days are changing their governance, moving from a structure of boards and committees to a policy-based governance related to John Carver’s model. Before such a momentous change, leaders carefully consider its ramifications. But one ramification often isRead more…
Profile, Cross Lutheran Church, part 2: Comments
See also Part 1 of this profile. Part 2: Comments from participants at Cross About the Network class: “The process was negative to me in the beginning. Why did I have to go to classes? I was LCMS! I kindaRead more…
Profile of an Equipping Church: Cross Lutheran Church, Yorkville, Illinois
Cross Lutheran equips saints for service by providing many avenues to connect people to serving opportunities, and by emphasizing discipleship-faith in action-rather than membership. Connecting opportunities are coordinated by: Mary Pat Bretthauer, Director of Connect Ministries; [email protected] Her responsibilities: TheRead more…
How Healthy are We?
“How Healthy is Volunteerism in our Church?” — a survey Survey Instructions Survey for Volunteers Survey for Non-Volunteers
The Seven Deadly Sins of Leadership
Can the right hand learn from the left hand how to use one of its greatest resources? God’s right-hand kingdom, Martin Luther said, is the kingdom of grace and the Gospel, in which we are given his undeserved love andRead more…
Conversation Starters
Start a conversation about volunteering/working for the Lord. What do people really think about serving? What good and bad experiences have they had? What would they really like to do? We’re often too busy ‘doing,’ and too caught up inRead more…
How to Improve Volunteerism
Do you agree? Virtually all church leaders want to improve volunteerism at their church. Virtually all church leaders do little or nothing to improve volunteerism at their church. Perhaps those statements are a bit strong, but they are true inRead more…
Tending the Flame
Starting a fire is one skill. Keeping it going is another. In order to cook juicy burgers over charcoal, or toast s’mores to perfection over the campfire, or prolong the beauty and the warmth of fireplace flames, you need toRead more…
Recruiting? or Equipping?
Volunteers seem to be in short supply in today’s church. Most discussions about volunteers focus on recruitment— we need more ushers (Sunday School teachers, board members, and so on). How can we get more volunteers? Pastors and other church staffRead 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’s Equipper offers random thoughts regarding Olympic athletes and Christians serving together in the church.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…