One of the finest ways to keep volunteers is to appreciate them. We all like to be and feel appreciated, don’t we? Please feel free to share some ways you show volunteers you appreciate them. I am including Weekly Appreciation Checklist developed by Dema Kohem to help you to keep up with the ways you communicate appreciation. […]
Volunteers: A Four Letter Word?!?!?!? – Follow-up Read More »
by Cathy Hopkins As I read post after post from church leaders, and especially preschool and children’s ministry leaders from across the United States, I notice a common thread in a large percentage of their laments- VOLUNTEERS!!! Leaders are asking: How do we find volunteers? How do we keep volunteers? When and how do we
Volunteers!!! A Four Letter Word? Read More »
Summer is a good time to experience the joys of Vacation Bible School or make plans for the new church year. It is also a good season to rest, reflect and recharge. That sense of reflection and recharging is what we would like to share with you in this newsletter. Earlier this year we put
A Summer Collection Read More »
For he said to me “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” II Cor. 12:9 The Message I understand when I see the memes and hashtags that say “you are enough” So many people in this world are drowning in messages of self-loathing and inadequacy,
After my last post, it has caused me to be more hopeful with my email inbox. So many times in the busyness of each day, I see my emails as a bother or an interruption. I constantly remind myself to slow down and pay attention. Hopeful is an exciting way to live life. I am
Hopefulness in Email Read More »
Larry Glover-Wetherington This blog refers to the November E-ncourager article on “Five Spiritual Practices for Congregations.” The first spiritual practice was Listening. Listening to God, to one another, and to our neighborhood. Baptist congregations typically make decisions using Roberts Rules of Order, which are good as a structure for order of business, but in several
Having Difficult Congregational Conversations Read More »
We are in the relationship business. From the beginning God created us for relationship. Jesus became man to build relationships with us. He had compassion on the people. Everywhere he went he clashed with the Temple elite because he put people ahead of the rules. Some people are easy to love and these are probably
People are the Most Important Read More »
In response to my earlier article, I would like to clarify some concepts of vacation. I have been on vacation before when the entire time was spent in go! go! go! and spend! spend! spend! modes. Potential problems with that are that upon return you are tired rather than refreshed and perhaps in debt or
Problematic Vacations? Read More »
In last month’s article I shared four ways to go about planting new seeds in your church’s ministry. The last point of partnering, “partnering with other churches”, is generating good feedback in Barnabas Partnership discussions with ministers. There are at least three benefits to taking this approach. The first win is that you get to
Plant a new partnership with other churches in your community Read More »
One of the issues that churches fail to consider when building or renovating new space is the future cost of operating that space. A new space presents potential increases in utilities, cleaning supplies, janitorial services, insurance premiums and maintenance costs even if it is never used! 75% of the lifetime cost of a building is
After the Keys Are Yours Read More »
