Here are three keys to doing that:

Keep it personal. This is no one-size-fits-all event. It’s not even a one-size-fits-most event! Begin by thinking long and hard about the individual servants you want to honor. What motivates them? What do they enjoy? Center recognition events and thank-you gifts around that.

Make it inclusive. If yours is a church with only one paid staff, the pastor, it’s okay to single that one person out. If, though, your church staff includes one or more additional servants, consider ways to express your appreciation to them, too. Not only will this help prevent inter-staff resentments and conflicts, it will keep your pastor from the embarrassment of being honored while other equally hard-working staff members are ignored.

Think spiritually—but be authentic. All of us want to believe our work, our lives, make a difference. Your pastor wants to draw you closer to your Savior. Offer evidence that’s happening! When I asked one pastor what he would consider an encouraging gift, he suggested that members really listen to sermons—maybe even take notes and ask an occasional question during the week.

CTA offers a number of spiritually meaningful gifts for pastors and several appropriate for Pastor/Staff Appreciation. Whatever you say or give, though, be sure it comes from your heart!

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include the copyright line below and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Article used with permission grant #082510 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

It seems that back-to-school comes earlier every year. The weather isn’t yet cool–at least in most places. But the days get busier and stress mounts for children and parents alike. As a reminder that Jesus is our source of guidance, love, and protection during the school year, many churches set aside one Sunday before school begins to “bless the backpacks.” 

St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Walled Lake, Michigan, has a “Blessing of the Backpacks” each year on the last Sunday in August. Children in 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades are invited to bring their backpacks with them to church that Sunday. During the children’s message, they take their backpacks to the altar for a special blessing. The pastor prays for learning, safety, and guidance for the children. After the service, each child is given a gift to attach to their backpacks. 

“Two years ago, we used CTA’s GLOW bookmark to remind the children that ‘God Lights Our Way,’” said Linda Willmann, a member of the youth and family life staff at St. Matthew. “Last year, we passed out CTA’s The J Team ID tag. CTA always provides items that are inexpensive, but are still a big hit with the children and their parents!” 

The First United Methodist Church in Decatur, Alabama, includes the parents in its “Blessing of the Kindergarten and Elementary Children.” A two-week prayer vigil is held for the children before the school year begins. Each child’s name is posted in the church’s prayer room, and members of the congregation are invited to come there to pray for the children, as well as praying at home. 

During the service on the Sunday before school starts, Pastor Greer calls all kindergarten children and their parents up to the altar. Pastor and congregation pray a responsive prayer, asking God for strength, peace, comfort, and love for all the children. The 1^st through 5^th graders come up after the prayer, and every child receives CTA’s Gospel Cross Cloth Keychain to attach to their backpack zippers. 

“The service helps children and parents both feel special and reminds them that a community of people is praying for them,” said Director of Children’s Ministry Ann Crabbe. “The crosses remind the children of who they are in Christ and encourage them to be mindful of God in the choices they make.”

How will you send the children of your church off to school with a blessing this fall?

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include the copyright lines below and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Article with permission grant #072810 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

We’ve received over 1000 nominations already, and more nominations keep pouring in every day.

First prize?  An all-expense-paid retreat for two at the 3-day seminar of the pastor’s choice at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove near Asheville, North Carolina. The trip is valued at up to $1,500.

We’re accepting E-mail nominations for a few more days, so don’t delay! Check out the Servant Heart Award website, put a team of leaders together, and nominate your pastor today!

Displays of strength are easy to come by in our world. The halfback’s speed and agility rush him into the post-game spotlight. The CEO’s power is hard to miss as he flies into a meeting on a private jet.

For many, power is something you flaunt. Something others see. The broader the display, the wider the impact, the more powerful you can claim to be.

Yet the Christian man claims a different kind of strength.

An old oak tree stands there, majestic in the park. Its branches extend outward over the lawn, causing you to stop and look upward in awe. Yet, even more awe-inspiring is what lies beneath your feet. The roots.

This tree survives on hidden strength. Buried in the ground, fibrous roots extend outward in all directions. These roots gather water and minerals from the soil to support the life we see. In fact, some trees have roots that extend two to three times farther than the branches of the tree. When we stand and gaze upon the branches, we fail to comprehend the tree’s true strength.

When Jeremiah speaks about the man of God, he turns our eyes toward a tree. The branches, the foliage, the fruit, the trunk, these are not what Jeremiah first asks us to see. Instead, he directs our eyes to that which is unseen. To roots that are the tree’s survival strength.

Jesus also placed the strength of our salvation deep within the ground. He spoke of his own death as a seed that was planted, a grain of wheat that falls to the ground, and by dying produces many seeds (John 12:24).The cross on which your Savior died is a tree of life. It is rooted in God’s love for you. His love reaches back before creation and extends outward until the end of time.

Let the world system around us celebrate its little displays of strength. Those who are strong in the Lord will meditate on God’s Word. His promises are a rich root system, a mystery hidden, delivering to us limitless grace and strength.

Meditating on God’s Word, we grow strong in faith and live in divine favor.

Jesus, you died upon a tree that I might live and flourish. Give me grace to trust in you for my survival strength. Amen.

This devotion is a sneak-peak at one of the products CTA is preparing for Men’s Ministry next spring. It’s taken from a devotion book we’ve titled, Strong in the Lord. It’s written by David R. Schmitt and is drawing rave reviews from the CTA staff who have read it. Watch for it in January!

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include the copyright lines below and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Devotion used with permission grant #071910 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

For example, take the young mom who picks her children up from VBS a few minutes late. How tempting it can be to reiterate the correct pick up times. But doing so could easily erect a roadblock—particularly if we take an impatient tone. A minor inconvenience for us could morph into a comment that further tears down the morale of a discouraged, harried parent.  

 As I work with young families in our Christian preschool, I am constantly reminded that for many, this is their first experience with the church. In whatever program we serve, we need to remind each other that we get to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we greet and welcome new and returning families to the family of God.

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #063010 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

 Wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate with fireworks in church? What celebrations could we mark with fireworks? Here’s my list:

• Every Easter hymn. He is risen indeed!
• Every announcement of the Gospel–God’s glorious, free grace!
• Every baptism–a new member in the family!

 But I wouldn’t stop with Sunday. As we live out our lives of faith, we could celebrate every time someone:

• notices and stops to help someone who’s hurting
• puts aside their own comfort in order to serve
• wisely says “no” to an invitation to a volunteer task because that particular task would be poor stewardship of their time
• notices and thanks a humble servant
• reminds someone else of the purpose behind all that we do

In a firework show, the best is saved for last: the concluding climax fills the sky with deafening noise and blazing light. Similarly, we will save our best fireworks, our biggest celebrations for those events that stir heaven itself: a life transformed, a sinner who repents, a wandering soul found by our seeking God (Luke 15:7).

Praise him–today and forever!

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #062810 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

Servanthood is a key theme in the lyrical words of Isaiah 41—53. God uses this term to describe the people of Israel, the coming Messiah, and others.

Interestingly, “servant” and “chosen” are often together in these chapters. (See, for example, 41:8; 43:10; and 44:1.) Isn’t it an odd combination? When I picture a chosen person, I see an adopted child, a best friend, or an elected ruler. But not a servant. The word chosen points to high regard and honor. The word servant describes someone quiet and humble, working hard. 

But God’s chosen are his servants. His people Israel were his servants, a people called to bear witness to him and to provide the human ancestry of his Son. Jesus is The Chosen One, the One by whom the world was made and by whom it will be judged, yet who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). We, too, are chosen by God and are called to serve.

So what are your servant tasks today? Do they include changing a diaper and making dinner? Or preparing a report and making a sales call? Maybe it’s supporting people on the team you lead or wrestling through a decision that will impact hundreds. Is it patiently listening to a spouse or a friend, holding back your own needs for a time? Or perhaps it’s cleaning things up and running the errands. Maybe you’ll cross paths with a stranger in need today.

Did you notice what else God says about his servant, his chosen one, in the words above? God upholds the servant. And more: God delights in that servant. While the servant serves, God supports and rejoices, he encourages and enjoys. Who knew servants had it so good!

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #062110 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

Behind all this, in part, is the thought that relaxation means doing nothing, and doing nothing implies laziness. But relaxation is a gift from God, not an accusation! Relaxation doesn’t just imply putting your feet up on the coffee table. (Or is it now called a latte-espresso-mocha table?) There are well over 5,478,972 ways you can relax!

Though miles and centuries separate us from the tranquility David experienced as he tended his sheep, the words of Psalm 23 still apply:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Psalm 23:1–3

I’ve always gotten a kick out of the thought that Jesus “makes” me lie down. If a sheep or person refuses to rest, nobody can make them. I realize that’s not the meaning of these words, but it gives us a picture of our lives at times, doesn’t it?

At times, we refuse to relax, even in the arms of our Shepherd-Savior. “You can’t make us!” we fuss. We forget that our Lord has met our needs. No matter what worries swirl around us, we can trust him. He wants us to feel secure and relaxed in his presence.

Jesus unpacked the truth of this psalm to settle the hearts of his disciples as he prepared them for his arrest and crucifixion. Breathe in our Lord’s words as you relax:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Relax . . . and feel free to put your feet up on your latte-espresso-mocha table!

 Prayer starter: Prince of Peace, you are what I need, now and always. Teach me to relax peacefully . . .

This devotion is drawn from Man of God: Soaring to New Heights, CTA’s new devotion book for this Father’s Day season. It’s written by Tim Wesemann and is available in both NIV and KJV editions.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #060710 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

Four words. So simple. So obvious.

In response, words of agreement flow easily from our mouths: “Of course we hate evil and love what is good!” We want to believe it. But Amos packed more into his command than we might grasp at first.

 Love. Hate. Those verbs come packed with passion. Love embraces and holds tight. Hate commits us to fight with our whole being. Do we “hate evil” and “love good” with that kind of zeal? 

Our culture teaches us to tiptoe around the truth so as not to offend. But God’s Word speaks much more plainly than our politically correct society. For example, the Scripture clearly teaches God’s love for all people (John 3:16), but it also warns us against making light of sin (Proverbs 15:9, 26). 

When I examine myself critically, I realize how seldom I truly hate much of what God hates and how seldom I am willing to take a stand for what God loves. 

This realization drives me to Calvary’s cross. Here, Jesus took a stand. Here, he went to battle for each one of us on a Friday we call “Good.” In true love, Jesus died. In true love, he rescued us from the power of sin, the lies of an evil world system, and the accusations of Satan. In true love, Jesus earned for us a life of victory, a grace-filled, forgiven life. 

Christ lives victoriously with and in his people, creating a wellspring of strength and courage to flow within us. That living water creates a hatred for evil and a delight in what is good and godly (Romans 12:9). It musters up the fighting Spirit within us, reminding us of what is at stake.

Authentic love and righteous hatred both make sense at the cross. And the cross of Christ makes both possible.

I’ll meet you there! You’re going to love the new strength Jesus gives. You have his Word on it.

Prayer starter: Lord, I’m not sure there’s much of a fight left in me, but then again, I’m not always fighting for things you love. Thank you for fighting victoriously for me and for my salvation. Empower me to take a stand . . .

This devotion is drawn from Man of God: Soaring to New Heights, CTA’s new devotion book for this Father’s Day season. It’s written by Tim Wesemann and is available in both NIV and KJV editions.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #060710 © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026. www.CTAinc.com.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:1–11.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (v. 11).

______________________________________________ 

Lord our God, nations rise and fall, people are born and die, and time flits by as a swiftly passing shadow. Constant change rocks our ability to cope, and sometimes the storms of trouble and temptation even threaten to sweep us to destruction. We need a foundation on which to stand, a foundation that cannot be moved.

You are that foundation, that Rock, O changeless Christ! People often try to build their lives on other things, but you are the only foundation that will never crumble.

We want to build quality lives on you, Lord. So many waves and winds threaten to move us away from you. We see errors and infighting even in the church, and we struggle to hang on. Be the head of your church on earth as well as the foundation of our own personal lives.

Help us live for you and keep us safe, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #053110. © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026-1205. www.CTAinc.com.