Encouraging Your Team (Worship, Youth, Elders, Leadership, Ushers, etc.)

Everyone appreciates a little attention and care.  Here's a great list of ways to encourage your volunteers whether you're in children's, youth, adult, worship, or sports ministry. How do you invest in your team of volunteers?  

http://thechurchcollective.com/tutorial/worship-team-building-ten-ways-to-encourage-your-team

Coming back from Camp

Pic is from TFZ (German Teen Camp) 

"The routine is the necessary dirt for the inspiration to take root. Euphoria is only euphoria because it is brief. The everyday life of the Christian, then, is the time between the watershed moments that allow a soul to rest and to reflect."  -Quote from the article linked below

http://fishingforleviathan.com/?p=719

Many of us are recently returned from a church retreat or church camp.  The resource article here are some thoughts from a ministry leader about the process of coming home from camp.  It also speaks to the importance of church being community and helping our people establish routines of connecting with God. 

Is there anything intentional you do to help your people re-enter "normal" life?  

Next Generation Leadership Development

One of the most important aspects of leadership development is that you have to be intentional about it.  Developing leaders (volunteers, paid staff, or community members) will not just happen on it's own, we must take steps to invest in others.  

Here's a blog post from a pastor about how his church intentionally goes about developing the next generation of church leaders. Just a quick note: he talks a good deal about how he does this with his paid staff... I think the principles he mentions can easily be transferred to volunteers, paid staff, and/or community members  in our churches. 

The Link:   

https://www.churchcommunitybuilder.com/blog/developing-the-next-generation-of-church-leaders/

Processing Information: 

1. Empower your leaders to equip others. The only way to multiply ministry impact is for church leaders to continually develop leaders within their specific areas of ministry. This is why it’s so critical to adopt an Ephesians 4 ministry model.
2. Encourage church members to help you define a mission they can own. If you truly want your church members to become owners of your ministry, then allow them to be part of the process. Allow them to dream with your leaders about the impact you can make as a church.
3. Equip your leaders to create environments where people within your church can go out and do ministry. Encourage your leaders to actively look for church members who are interested and passionate about ‘owning ministry’. Teach your leaders how to invest in them. Equip them with the resources and accountability structure they need to provide the things church members need to find their groove in ministry.

Developing Leaders

I've been thinking a lot recently about how we were meant to journey with others. Specifically, I'm challenged by how important it is for us, as leaders, to be investing in other leaders who will come with and after us. In the article below there are some suggested actions on bringing others along the way and intentionally developing leaders. 

http://contextcoaching.org/7-steps-developing-leaders-church/

Growing Creativity

I believe that we serve a God who is very creative. I also believe that the image of God is in each one of us. Does it not serve us well then to encourage the creativity in ourselves and among our people? I even wonder if cultivating creativity in this way is a way to return worship to God. 

Here's an article that shares 7 ways to encourage creativity in your church.  

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2016/april-web-exclusives/7-ways-to-foster-creativity-in-your-church.html