Do you set goals? Do you track your progress in reaching them? About 5 years ago, our senior pastor began working with staff who report to him create annual goals and regularly review progress on those goals. It’s been aRead more…
A Question: Where’s the Joy?
I’ve got a question. “Do you have any articles about serving with joy? I feel some of our teams around here are in a slump.” — from Carolyn at a church in Wisconsin Response Thanks for asking, Carolyn. It’s anRead more…
Good Stuff: All Work is Service
Serving goes way beyond just volunteering at church. Tim Keller wrote a great post on it: All Work is Service. What a difference it makes in my day when I remember this!
He’s Calling You
How many calls did you get yesterday, through phone or text or email? If you’re a Christian, you get one particular call every day — a call to serve. But you’re probably already serving at church, as volunteer or staff.Read more…
A Good Steward of Other’s Gifts
You know you should be a good steward of the gifts God has given you: your time and talents and treasure. Are you a good steward of other people’s gifts? Should you be? If you’re a pastor or church staffRead more…
Acts of the Non-Apostles
For action-packed drama, read Acts. The early church titled this New Testament book Acts of the Apostles because Luke highlights the ministries of Peter and Paul. But a great many believers other than apostles populate this history of the earlyRead more…
Stories: God’s, Mine, Yours and Others’
The Bible is one long story, the true story of God calling and caring for his people the Jews, God becoming human and dying, and God working among the early Christians. God’s story continues today. He continues to call, redeemRead more…
Lord, What are You Calling Me to Do?
Life is full of decisions, big and small. Shall I homeschool my children? Can we afford the time and cost of Jamie being on that elite sports team? Shall I look for a new job? What career is best forRead more…
In the Store: Putting Spiritual Gifts to Work
Putting Spiritual Gifts to Work: Equipping Saints for Service is a short book (80 pages) by Karen Kogler. It’s available in The Equipper store in two versions: Electronic version: as a download; $8.00 Print version: mailed to you, with aRead more…
New Members Make Great Volunteers
The comments, below, were said by our volunteers who meet with our new members Remember your first day of high school or your first day in a new job? Remember getting lost in the building, trying to learn the groupRead more…
Hungry for Relationships
It’s no secret. People need people. They crave relationships. Sociologists, psychologists and theologians agree that they always have and always will. The need has become acute as hectic schedules, geographic mobility, consumerism and affluence pull us apart from others. Ironically,Read more…
A Modern Parable of the Talents
“They were in shock. They were overwhelmed. Everyone had a $50 bill in their hand and had to decide what to do with it.” Gladys Jennings is describing what happened at the end of the worship service on April 14,Read more…
Bible Study: Acts of the Non-Apostles
This six-session study by Nancy Kuhlman looks at selections from the book of Acts to help class members realize God has chosen and equipped them to carry out His mission on earth. You may download it free and copy itRead more…
How to Do Job Descriptions
Churches are finding great value in having a job description for each ministry task done by volunteers–everything from weeding the flower beds to serving on a board. Yet most churches don’t have volunteer job descriptions. It can seem like aRead more…
Mary the Servant
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary responded to Gabriel’s announcement. “Let it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). With these words, Mary accepted not only an honor, but also a task – mother of the Messiah. WithRead more…