A selfie culture can radically mis-shape the way American Christians think about using their gifts and volunteering in local churches.
Let’s look at three selfie influences that damage volunteer teams and ministries. Continue reading “Pastoring Ministry Volunteers, Part 3”
In part one, we talked about how volunteers come with a story. This story shapes their expectations more than they realize. To pastor volunteers begins with managing expectations and helping future volunteers see the beauty as well as the difficulties they may unwittingly bring to a team.
Our next step is to clearly name how the consumer inside each one of us can damage our view regarding how to use our gifts and why we use them. Let’s take a look. Continue reading “Pastoring Ministry Volunteers, Part 2”
Unwisely, Santa offered a teddy bear to James, unaware that he had been mauled by a grizzly earlier that year.
Receive an email titled, “concerned” or an invitation for dinner in order “to talk,” and a seasoned pastor can suddenly resemble little James in the cartoon above. So it is when someone risks making an appointment with the pastor, risks joining a small group, risks seeking a role to play as a volunteer.
Good words in themselves such as “pastor,” “committee,” “mission,” or “service for God” can dishevel us. A friend or teammate meant something good. We see ghosts instead because of past experiences.
Continue reading “Pastoring Ministry Volunteers, Part 1”
Preaching Barefoot 