By Andrea Lohman on March 27, 2013
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 As we serve our Savior, our hearts fill with gratitude for his countless blessings. He blesses us in our joys, in our sorrows, through our struggles, and in our [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Pastor, Sunday School, Teachers, Time Management, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged Bible Club, children's minister, children's ministry, children's pastor, church leaders, DCE, DRE, lay leader, Pastor, Sunday School, superintendent, VBS director
By Karen Kogler on March 13, 2013
If it’s so exciting for a believer to be called to serve (See Called to Serve, Parts 1- 3), why are most churches so short of volunteers? Let’s start by checking our attitudes. We who serve in churches, staff and volunteers alike, are busy people who care about ministry. We believe every member should volunteer, [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Time Management, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged Bible Club, children's minister, children's ministry, children's pastor, church leaders, DCE, DRE, lay leader, Pastor, Sunday School, superintendent, VBS director
By Karen Kogler on February 20, 2013
How many calls did you take yesterday on your cell phone or on the office land line? Christians get one particular call every day, but I’m not talking about a phone call. I’m talking about the call to serve. Now, if you’re a church volunteer or staff, you know about serving. You serve in many [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouraging Volunteers, Time Management Tagged hearing God's call, leading church staff, leading volunteers, Volunteers in ministry
By Andrea Lohman on January 22, 2013
We need each other! Imagine this scenario. A three-year-old child sits quietly and contently in one corner of the classroom reading books to the stuffed animals gathered around her. After reading, she places the animals in a circle for an imaginary circle time. No other children are around to distract her from her play. I [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Devotions, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Outreach/Evangelism, Pastor, Time Management, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged leading church teams, leading church volunteers, managing volunteers
By admin on December 5, 2012
Bright lights and tinsel. Carols and cocoa. Family time and laughter. Christmas is all these and more. But Christmas is also sadness and pain, confusion and frustration, loneliness and tears—at least it is for some to whom we minister. Think back over your counseling sessions during the past year and remember that young couple who [...]
Posted in Advent, Christmas, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Grieving, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Pastor, Time Management, Women's Ministry Tagged children's pastor, family ministry, grieving, Pastoral Care, shut-ins
By Jane Fryar on October 10, 2012
If you’re a church professional, it’s no secret that life through the week can be one long interruption. Retired members drop by with a coffee cake and stay to chat. Youth get out of school at 2:30 and stop in to hang out with the youth pastor. Individuals leave their doctor’s office with a serious [...]
Posted in Christian Worker, Church staff, Encouragement, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Pastor, Pastor Appreciation, Time Management, Women's Ministry Tagged interruptions, pastor working from home, time management in church
By Debra Kreienkamp on July 25, 2012
Editor’s note: This blog first appeared on this site in September of 2009. We thought the ideas were worth repeating. As you think about rebooting the ministries in your church next month, how will you intentionally care for the individuals whom you serve in Jesus’ name? CTA offers a number of tools to help you [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Outreach/Evangelism, Pastor, Time Management, Visitors, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged children's ministry, Christian preschool, community, community outreach, Dad's Day Out, Encouragement, evangelism, Moms Day Out, outreach, Parent's Day Out, teacher
By Karen Kogler on December 7, 2011
Leading a team is hard work, but it’s also wonderfully rewarding. It’s also the God-pleasing way to do ministry in the church. When church leaders work as Lone Rangers, they prevent others in the body of Christ from using their gifts and rob them of the joy of serving. As Paul reminds us: The eye [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Time Management, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged church teams, encouraging volunteers, leadership tips, leading teams, managing volunteers
By Karen Kogler on November 16, 2011
I was trying hard to get a project done in my office at church. I’d been trying all week, but it wasn’t going well. I kept getting interrupted by E-mails, phone calls, and people who dropped in. All needed a response. My frustration level rose, so I tried to figure out the reason behind all [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Church staff, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Sunday School, Teachers, Time Management, Women's Ministry, Youth Ministry Tagged church volunteers, leading church teams, managing volunteers
By Karen Kogler on October 19, 2011
How do I recruit and retain good volunteers? How do I schedule them, maintain good communication with them, show my appreciation, and lead them? How do I handle the problems that arise? These common church challenges are easier to face when we pool our knowledge and experience. Too often, we fight on alone. We’re wiser [...]
Posted in Children's ministry, Christian Worker, Church staff, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Free Resources, Ministry, Time Management, Youth Ministry Tagged church staff, leading church volunteers, Volunteers