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"We get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. Perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless." - Paul Bowles 
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KEEPING VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEERING
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 by Loren Seibold
A friend told me this story this week. Her daughter and a couple of other young adults were leading the praise singing in church last Sabbath. Somewhere in one of the songs they messed up - not singing the verse on the screen, or something equally minor. They recovered gracefully, and went on. But after church, the queen of the congregation's music program scolded them for the mistake. On the way home my friend heard one of the young people mutter, "Makes you not want to help at all." My friend assured them that they did fine, and suggested they not take the criticism too seriously.
The strength of the way we do church is that it's participatory, involving well-intentioned volunteers in serving God. That's also its weakness. Volunteers aren't employees. They're doing their part out of love, not because they have to. Smart employers don't keep the threat of being fired hanging over employees heads, but it is there, implicit: produce, or we may not need you. That won't work for pastors. You've got to finesse relationships with the people who, collectively, do most of the work that makes church happen. You've got to help them love doing difficult tasks, for the satisfaction of serving. How many hours have you spent trying to talk people into taking volunteer positions in church, to do important things like teaching children, leading meetings and outreach activities? Getting spiritually-healthy people to take on hard, labor- and time-intensive tasks is one of our biggest challenges.
So what do you do when they give their best, and get criticized for it - and want to quit? You and I don't like criticism, but we take it, because it's part of the job. Your volunteers don't have to take it, and some won't.
It hurts the most when it's young people, because we so much want them to love the church and love doing things in church. Their offerings aren't going to be perfect. Their choice of music and attire may not be what you'd like. But can't we give them some leeway? (I'm grateful that when I was 20 and had bushy hair down to the middle of my back, my grandpa and his two friends asked me to sing baritone in their quartet, and never said a word about my bizarre appearance. What grace!)
Yet there are people in our congregations for whom criticism comes easily. Perhaps because they picture a critical, angry God, they believe that it is up to them to scrutinize and correct every action, every idea. I try to protect my volunteers against criticism, but it's not always possible. (It gets especially complicated when you find you do have to make changes because a volunteer really isn't doing the job well.)
How do you keep volunteers encouraged? How do you keep them from withdrawing under criticism? I'd love to see what you think, on our Best Practices Facebook page.
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| MINISTERIAL SPOUSES E-LETTER TO LAUNCH SOON | |
 Pastors, please forward this announcement to your spouse...
MINISTERIAL SPOUSES ....
Connect with other NAD spouses of ministers bimonthly through an electronic newsletter featuring:
- faith story videos
- a counselor's corner
- family, fitness and finance tips
- 'laughs and gaffs'resource reviews
- links to inspiring music
Whether you are a female or male spouse of a minister, we need your contribution to encourage and support others on their journey. Sign up to have the bimonthly NAD Ministerial Spouses Newsletter emailed directly to you. We're hoping to have the first issue out in August.
--Donna Jackson, Ministerial Spouses Association, NAD
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READING FOR PASTORS
| A deceptively simple way to control your to-do list.
The National Association of Evangelicals just released this Code of Ethics for ministry. Is there anything here that would stop you from signing it?
Here's a great piece on preaching (especially for those who have to listen to us): "When Your Preacher Is Not John Piper". Quote: "The mature worshiper is easily edified. When hearing lackluster (even if biblical) preaching, immature worshipers will typically not listen to the message because they wish the messenger was more exciting. Conversely, mature worshipers eagerly receive the truth as it is proclaimed, even if it sounds like the preacher is reading a phone book."
Bob Roberts Jr. on how not to be a statistic in ministry! Quote: "Most statistics say that 60% to 80% of those who enter the ministry will not still be in it 10 years later, and only a fraction will stay in it as a lifetime career."
Has the megachurch trend peaked? Quote: "The idea of the megachurch will become less attractive and slowly enter into decline. But, it is unlikely to ever disappear alltogther. There will always be a strand of Christianity anchored in the culture of the affluent, suburban consumer even once the Baby Boom has passed from the world."
Do you think you're not creative? Here's a must-see video: David Kelley talks about finding your creative confidence, and creating it in others.
I've never had to create a church "stage" (we're lucky to have some flowers), but I found these church stage sets from a real designer that are interesting. Perhaps some of you creative types out there will use something you see here.
Sorting things out for effective church communication. Note: this would be good to go through with your board or staff. How often do you see people wondering why no one showed up at something important when they just mumbled an announcement?
Is Craig Groeschel right that worry is a lack of faith? Quote: "Someone said 'Worry is distrusting the promises and power of God' and I think that is a good definition of it. ... On a deeper level, what we fear reveals what we value the most and, too, it reveals where we trust God the least. (Interestingly, Ellen White said something similar.)
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TO THE POINT: WORRY
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Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
- Corrie Ten Boom
If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.
- Dalai Lama XIV
The more you pray, the less you'll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You'll feel more patient and less pressured.
- Rick Warren
Never worry alone. When anxiety grabs my mind, it is self-perpetuating. Worrisome thoughts reproduce faster than rabbits, so one of the most powerful ways to stop the spiral of worry is simply to disclose my worry to a friend... The simple act of reassurance from another human being [becomes] a tool of the Spirit to cast out fear -- because peace and fear are both contagious."
- John Ortberg Jr.
How can a person deal with anxiety? You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?" To which the man responded, "That's your worry." - Max Lucado I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened. - Mark Twain
Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
...when someone says "please pray for me," they are not just saying "let's have lunch sometime." They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying place. Worry invites me into prayer. As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling. When I take worry into prayer, it doesn't disappear, but it becomes smaller."
- Sybil MacBeth
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IDEAS, EVENTS, RESOURCES, ANNOUNCEMENTS
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NY13 - NAD's First Major Mission to the Cities Project: New York City is the first of 650 cities chosen for evangelistic meetings. Ellen White says in the Spirit of Prophecy that the work done in NYC should be a "symbol of the work the Lord desires to see done in the world." A Special Satellite/Internet Evangelism and Prayer Rally to launch NY13 will be held September 21-22, 2012. It will be uplinked via satellite and streamed live via the Internet from the North Bronx Seventh-day Adventist Church in NYC. You can watch it live on Hope Channel (broadcast or Internet), Hope Church Channel (broadcast or Internet), Esperanza TV, on Atlantic Union Adventist Media or via www.praizevision.com. 3ABN will carry a delayed broadcast because of their Fall camp meeting program.
Humor: Bearded Gospel Men!
Previous resource links:
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Best Practices for Adventist Ministry is published by NAD Ministerial. Editor:Loren Seibold . Managing Editor: Dave Gemmell. Copyright 2012 North American Division Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists. v(301) 680-6418
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