church leadership at its finest.

Week 13 - Rachel - Minister's Taxes

2009-03-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

1. Use Turbo Tax

Minister’s do not pay income taxes on housing expenses
Minister’s do pay Social Security taxes on housing
Minister’s buying a house also get to take their housing interest
Claim honorariums
Don’t ignore the housing allowance cap

Week 12 - Rachel - Learning Leadership

2009-03-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Some of the best ways that people learn are from the mistakes that they themselves make. They form an understanding of what works and what doesn’t work. In ministry, there may not be much time recover from a mistake, so it’s best to find a way to evaluate what went wrong and begin again. However, it is wise to not only learn from personal mistakes, but to be observant and learn from mistakes made by those around you. Knowing this and learning from others mistakes can save time and allow you to avoid problems that could come up. By picking up on mistakes that others make, it can also make you aware of obstacles that you will face and how not to go about dealing with those problems.

Week 12 - Rachel - Formal Leadership Theory

2009-03-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

I’ve chosen to work with 360 Degree Leadership which states that no matter who you are, no matter where your position is in “the company,” you can be an affective leader to the people below, beside, and above you.

Here is the church setting: I am a newly hired youth pastor for a medium sized church of 700 people. The staff is a decent size (8 full-time people plus office assistants). When I was hired, many of the staff members began to share their wisdom with me about working at this church, especially about the head pastor. Most say that he can be difficult to work with and keeps to himself a lot. He doesn’t put much effort in getting to know those who work under him. I’ve noticed this for myself by the lack of face time I see from him.

According to the 360 Degree Leadership Theory, I can still influence and be a leader to my head pastor, even though he seems distant and may not give me an opportunity to do so. The trick is, I need to create those opportunities. I know that I’m working in ministry and one of the greatest rules is to stand behind your head pastor. I do not want to create a schism, so I need to support him and offer to him any help I can give him. I need to go out of my way to be interested in him even if he does go out of his way to get to know me. I need to keep tight communication with him and take initiative to do things without being asked to. It’s my desire to show him that I am a leader.

Week 10, "John Maxwell Book"

2009-03-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

Principle, "Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

It really is true, that there are many occurrences in our lives, good and bad, big and small, but our reactions is what sets the tone of how our life will play out.

When you have certain things happen to you, it can either be the end of the world, or not a big deal. This is how this principle applies to our lives, every little thing that happens to us can either stress us out and put us in a bad mood or we can control our attitudes and then let these things not get to us. Our reactions are things that we can control and learn to change. Not everything in the world is about us, and we must remember that to see if we are reacting selfishly, selflessly or even some way different than either of those...

If you are in a leadership position and are leading others, how you react to things is setting an example. If you continually react in a negative manner, people are going to question your leadership. 90% is a pretty big percentage and we must remember that we can control how we react.

Week 10, "Mistakes Ministers Make" Taylor Shanks

2009-03-29T20:42:00.001-07:00

Interviewed Earl Shanks on 3/28/09.

Mistakes:

Not being on time- When ministers are chronically late and do not take promptness seriously, shows a lack of professionalism and desire to be in their position.
Not sharing the vision- When a minister is not sharing what God has shared and driven them do, the importance of why we all do what we do in the name of the Lord, shows a lack of passion and drivenness to act on what God has called us to do.
Selective leadership- When a minister is selective about whom he or she wants to lead a ministry and who is involved in ministry, this is not always a good thing.

Week 13: Singleness and Ministry Melissa

2009-03-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

Week 13: Singleness and Ministry

Code of Items I Intend to Practice to Avoid Sexual Impurity:

I will always listen to those around me when I am single and when I am married. If people come to me telling me to be cautious around someone then I will listen. I will set up boundaries with men around me and never “start anything” or respond to any co-workers if they initiate something.

I will always have an accountability partner that I can tell things to in this area of my life. I will speak truth if I think someone is acting in an unhealthy manner toward me.

I will not be in the office late at night and I will not allow myself to be in an office alone with a man. I will also not hangout with men from the church in my spare time.

I will seek God to control my emotions and fulfill my life. I will not become “emotionally attached” to another man besides my spouse. I will be in the Word and committed to purity.

I will be committed to prayer and continue to ask for God’s protection against Satan. I will dwell on the heavenly things instead of the earthly things and pursue holiness.

Week 13: Taxes Melissa

2009-03-28T17:55:00.001-07:00

Week 12: Minister’s Taxes

List of Six Most Important Things I Need To Remember About Ministers and Taxes:
1. Use TurboTax because it immediately ask if you earned income from being a minister
2. You do pay social security taxes on your house
3. Report unused housing allowance
4. You can “double dip” by living in a house and getting to deduct the interest after you’ve eliminated it “off the top” of your income
5. Keep receipts to show what you actually spent
6. Get a letter in advance designating your housing expense and don’t estimate low

Week 11 - Rachel - Maxwell Book

2009-03-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

The first principle that Maxwell shares about leading down in The 360 Degree Leader, is to get out of the office and be more approachable.

He says, “First and foremost, leadership is a people business” and a leader should connect with their people and show real interest in them. People are more likely to willingly follow if they know their leader cares about them. A good way to care is to look at everyone with potential, never sub-par. “360-Degree Leaders get more out of their people because they think more of their people.” What’s more, a leader must see every member of their team as a person and develop them that way because again, leadership is a people business.

I think that this is a great principle not only in leading, but also in life. It really better for everyone if you go into a situation thinking that everyone you are going to come in contact with has value and something to offer. It humanizes people. I think that too often we label and judge others too quickly. Then, when we need something from them, or they have something to offer us, we dismiss them and right them off.

Week 11: John Maxwell Book Melissa

2009-03-24T15:57:00.001-07:00

Week 11: Maxwell Book

John Maxwell in The 360 Leader says, “You may be able to grant someone a position, but you cannot grant him real leadership. Influence must be earned.”

What John Maxell means by this principle is that you can’t give someone influence. A position can be handed someone, but it’s not real leadership because real leadership is influence and that is something that is earned. No one can make you follow them, if you want to be a real leader then people will need to follow you out of choice. People didn’t follow Jesus just because he told them to, they followed him out of respect and out of seeing what he was doing; they believed in not only what he did, but also who he was. In order to be a real leader, people must feel the same way about you.

It is far easier to obtain a position that someone gave you, than to actually have people that are willing to follow behind you. Anyone can sit at a desk and receive orders from someone else in order to get a job done. However, it takes a real leader to be able to call the “shots” and have people submit and follow in their footsteps. People have to believe in your vision and in where it is you are going. Only then will they be willing to follow you wherever you go, only then will you have gained influence with them.

Week 11: Mistakes Ministers Make

2009-03-23T18:17:00.001-07:00

Week 11: Mistakes Ministers Make

I interviewed Chuck Bokisa on 03/23/09

1. They don’t become aware of church traditions or rituals so they are unaware of what members are expecting from them

2. Not updating the church body on upcoming events so that they are able to allow money for budgeting for the event

3. Not creating a good connection with the Senior Pastor in order to gain their wisdom and knowledge of the church.

Week 11 - Rachel - Mistakes Ministers Make

2009-03-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

I interviewed Christy Moo over e-mail.

Mistakes:
1. Not bringing energy - it may at times appear that you aren't 100% on board with what's going on, or you are just not excited about what's happening. It can seem to your co-workers or even those you are trying to reach that you don't really care about what's going on, or them, and may seem that you don't want to be there. If you have a lack of energy and enthusiasm, then it's going to rub off on others and no one will be excited about it.

2. Involving yourself in badmouthing/gossip - it can become very easy to get sucked into workroom talk. It's hard to hear people badmouth co-workers and not form an early and judgmental opinion of that person. It's helpful to learn pet-peeves of others and how to relate to those you work with, but don't get caught up in all the unnecessary talk. It only brings others down and can quickly undermine any ministry that is taking place.

3. Stay organized - It becomes really easy to get behind. The first few weeks/months can be overwhelming with all the rules, regulations, paperwork that has to be taken into consideration and taken care of, not the mention the huge amount of e-mail sent everyday that you are expected to respond to immediately. Make sure you know the policies on money (credit cards, receipts, etc.), what events you are and aren't expected to be at, and also how many office hours you are to keep.

People Work, Week 9, Taylor Shanks

2009-03-22T19:47:00.001-07:00

I don’t think that there is any particular easy way to help with learning about people, but when you are put into ministry and are an extremely relational person those two factors help. Some advice might include spending time with others, through relationships and spending time with others you are learning how to interact and be with others. Secondly, I think learning to listen rather than hear yourself talk is a great way to learn about people. If you talk about yourself all the time, how do you expect to learn anything about anyone else? It doesn’t quite work that way. I think you can also learn about others through knowing your own learning style and learning to adapt and be aware of how other people learn and manage. Knowing this can help you adapt how you manage or how you interact so that you can get along and work better with others. Another way would be to handle conflict in a mature and Biblical way. If you feel that someone has an issue with you, be honest and approach him or her. And try to handle it in a caring and intentional way.

I think allowing others to get to know you and loving them for who they are in Christ is how you jump over walls and loses barriers when it comes to working with others. When God is in control of your relationships it causes you to think how he would treat others rather than how you would interact with others.

Church Fight, Week 9, Taylor Shanks

2009-03-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

- I met with Ryan McCarty 3/15/09, at his house after church during a leadership meeting.

1. The Issue: Finances

2. How Bad It Got: Pretty bad, the woman thought that finances were being misused, going to one source instead of another. She was not happy and threatening to leave the church.

3. She should have done her research, because the pastors met with her to resolve the conflict and fight and she accused them of sending finances somewhere not good. When really the finances were supposed to go to a certain place, and not to the ministry she was in charge of. She was being selfish in thinking that her ministry was more important than to the one where the money was going.

Week 10: People Work Melissa

2009-03-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

Week 10: People Work Essay
There are a variety of ways in which one can learn how to work with people better. My first recommendation is that you become a better listener. Open your ears instead of your mouth more. Through the art of listening you can determine what the people around you truly desire from you and what they are trying to communicate. If you focus on just listening you’ll be able to better understand those around you, instead of always trying to come up with your reply back to them. My second recommendation is to communicate openly with those that you are working with. If you have a question or an appropriate suggestion then don’t be afraid to voice it. This will make those around you feel more like a team and help staff relationships develop. My last, but probably more important suggestion is to serve those around you. This could be the most Christ-like attribute that you have in the workplace because so many people don’t do this. Watch out for those around you and try to find creative ways to make their jobs easier and more effective. Get to know those around you as people and not just for what they can do for you. When you serve someone they will notice and this may even give you a little job security.

Rachel - Week 10 - People Work

2009-03-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

A person learns to work with people through experience. It takes time to understand that working with people is like a relationship in which to have to give as much as you would like things to change. It is all about balance between the people in the workspace. You have to be able to know what people like almost before they tell you.

Through the time a person puts into the learning experience they will make mistakes from which they will learn and grow. From those mistakes you can have a mental template of what works with people and what does not. And no two people are alike so you have to be flexible in your learning.

Also one of the most important things to learn early is that you have to be observant. Through observation of people you can learn a lot about them and how best to work with them. Through the years your observational skills will improve to a point that you will be able to do it subconsciously.

Rachel - Week 10 - Church Fight

2009-03-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

I met with Julia Hurlow

Issue: The pastor’s schedule wasn’t matching up. He got caught up in a lot of lies and some of his relationships began to come into question.

How bad it got: It did get ugly. Naturally, because Julia was the young girl, the pastor portrayed her as being the liar. He said things about her that weren’t true. There was a lot of tension as well because her family was involved. Her father was on the board at this church, so things got messy.

What could have/should have happened: She said that she wishes that the board had taken action sooner. When she brought all of this to the board’s attention, they sat on it for a while and things only got worse before they got better. As a result, however, the pastor was asked to resign.

Week 8, "Leadership Characteristics" Taylor Shanks

2009-03-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

List of possible characteristics of a leader:

visionary- A leader should have a vision, or know what God is calling them to do and those who follow God.
passionate- A leader without passion about what he or she is doing won't help others catch onto the dream.
caring- A leader should be able to care about others, ministry is relational after all.
full of wisdom- A leader should be rich in biblical knowledge and being able to use his or her experience in life to help others.
determined- A leader should be determined to get things done, to help others and so much more.
organized- A leader should stay organized in administrative work, and other areas.
personable- Being able to connect with others is important.

Week 8, "Firing a Teacher/Leader" Taylor Shanks

2009-03-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

1. Interviewed Pastor Ryan McCarty on 3/13/09 at 1:00PM @ Starbucks

Don't pay people at God's House Ministries, so firing is a but different, so people are no performing. As the pastor, we must understand that these leaders/volunteers, teachers are giving up their time, so are we filling them up as pastors?
Use what you got until you get what you want.
If there isn't passion, meet with the volunteer, be open and honest with them.
Be concerned with both parties. If there is one person who is the problem, talk to the whole group and discuss more than just that issues, and they talk to the whole group.
If we are paying someone it is business, not just ministry. Hiring them to do a job at the church, if they weren't doing their job, I'd fire them Donald Trump style. (You're Fired) Higher standard in difference between staff member and volunteer.

Week 7-"Conflict" Thursday Post- Taylor Shanks

2009-03-10T07:19:00.001-07:00

List of Insights about Conflict:

1. As a body of Christ we are supposed to treat others the way we want to be treated, and when we enter into conflict we must be careful that when we are arguing with someone, we must argue but show respect and the idea of how we might want to be treated in such conflict.

2. If you have any sort of insight as to a possible conflict with someone else, you are to approach them in a tender, loving and caring way. The whole idea of if you confront someone and they deny what is happening, then you bring someone back with you. And if that does not work, you bring the church behind you to support you.

3. As someone who might be a part of the conflict and realize that they are in "the wrong" to be honest in front of God and front of those around you, it is your job to admit you are in the wrong. Admitting is the first step to fixing the problem.

4. Sometimes we ourselves as higher than others, causing conflict because of pride or being exclusive with who we spend time with, our love should not be selective, for God's is not.

5. Read 1 Corinthians 13, it describes a lot about love, showing its characteristics and we can apply those characteristics to any situation of conflict.

6. Conflict is not just personal, it can also be corporate and beyond the church. We can pray for conflict within our churches, for conflict between others, (not getting involved, just praying out of awareness that there is a conflict) and for conflict politically, culturally, racially, we are not bound by praying for certain things. God can work through our prayer to those who needs assistance ad-mist their conflict.

Week 7 "Motivating Volunteers" Taylor Shanks

2009-03-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

1. Interviewed Ryan McCarty on February 22, 2009

2. Five Tips for Motivating Volunteers

a. Gathering People together and sharing the vision

b. Selling the vision/ vision casting

c. Spotlighting things about leadership

d. Honor those have done things well

e. Highlight positive things

Week 10: Church Fight Melissa

2009-03-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

Week 10: Church Fight

Interviewed Jil Mazellan on 02/11/09

Two men who happened to be board members at the church were ready to fist fight in a church meeting over a woman in the church. The pastor of the church had been counseling this woman and having inappropriate relations with him. After the meeting was over the church ended up slitting because the woman was an elder in the church and half of the church thought the pastor should have been forgiven for his actions and given back his position and the other half said no. The pastor had been with several vulnerable women in the church and many people were affected by it. In the end the pastor resigned, even though he wanted his position back, the church let him go. In this circumstance I think the church did the right thing in not letting the pastor stay on staff. Despite the church splitting, one really can’t help what people actually decided to stay and leave. Perhaps a church meeting could have been held to dry to address some of the concerns of the people who left the church, in an attempt to get them to stay. In any case, the situation played out how it did and I think it’s good that the pastor wasn’t accepted back into his position.

Rachel - Week 9 - Leadership Characteristics

2009-03-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

Leadership Characteristics

A church leader has many attractive characteristics:
1. Authority- they have the sense of authority that makes people want to listen.
2. Confidence- they believe themselves so we follow suit.
3. Knowledgeable- their knowledge far surpasses the normal church patron.
4. Outgoing- they have to be willing to share their faith with others.
5. Friendliness- they are friendly to everyone, which makes them feel welcome.
6. Responsible- the church leader has to be able to stay on track for the church.
7. Good listener- an important part of the church leaders job is to listen.

People want to follow a church leader because they are a natural leader who commands attention and loyalty. There is a sense about them that people want to be around them. The characteristics above give a brief outline of the desirable aspects of a church leader.

Rachel - Week 9 - Removing Someone

2009-03-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

I did a face to face interview with Julia Hurlow.

How do You Go About Removing Someone?

Redirect their gifting

First, re-evaluate and re-assess what they have been doing
It is good to get into the habit of constantly re-evaluating things. It makes things easier down the road, especially when you are searching for someone to fill in a volunteer spot because you know what you need and what kind of person you need.
By re-evaluating, it would make it easier to move a person who isn’t working out to another location.
Remember, this is a process. Don’t walk in and tell them one day that they are fired. Take the time to make the decision and be able to understand what is going on and why. Then, work to place this volunteer somewhere that’s a better fit for them.

Rachel - Week 8 - Conflict

2009-02-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

Insights on conflict.

Conflict is often used to challenge yourself into thinking hard about why you believe what you do and to have enough information to back it up.
Conflict helps you grow as a person because is reinforces your beliefs.
It helps keep you away from apathy, because if no one ever challenged your beliefs why would you believe so strongly in it?
Conflict has a way of bringing two people together because of the reconciling process after a conflict.

Rachel - Week 8 - 5 tips for motivating volunteers

2009-02-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

Again, I was able to interview Julia Hurlow.

5 Tips for Motivating Volunteers

1. Clearly state the need

Find people whose strengths match the need
Identify how, what they would be helping with, is going to fit into the big picture
Give encouragement
Trust them. Once you appoint volunteers, let them run with and allow them to lead. Don’t be controlling

Thursday, Week 6 “Office Work,” Taylor Shanks

2009-02-23T16:31:00.001-08:00

I think the shift I’d like to see is the shift becoming more of a balance between the trend of the 1970s and the trend of the 80’s. The role of a pastor these days is a mix between the role of someone who prepares a sermon to preach the Word of God and someone who has other responsibilities, including administrative responsibilities in the office. Having too much work in the office cuts out of time for preparing and being active in ministry.

In an ideal world, there would be time I would put aside for each task, for both preparing a sermon, administrative needs and other aspects of ministry. As a pastor, I think its crucial to be organize, with either a physical planner or some sort of computer program with your schedule, Microsoft Outlook, iCal, whatever. Spending time preparing for a sermon, I would imagine 1 ½ to 3 hours a day, so 10-15 hours a week, meting maybe 6-10 hours a week, counseling 4-5 hours, and outreach 2-4 hours. As a pastor I believe that my family and personal time with the Lord are also important, so I think having time with them should also be included in the schedule. As pastors we must realize that our job is not merely preaching, that we have other roles as a spiritual leader of a church and a great responsibility to help the needs of our people. Disregarding professional responsibilities such as administrative work or any office work would be disregarding our call into ministry, we are called to be there for all, in and out of the office.

Tuesday, Week 6 “Church Conflict Story,” Taylor Shanks

2009-02-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

February 22, 2009, Interviewed Pastor Ryan McCarty

Meeting with Pastor during lunch this past Sunday, I was able to discuss a church conflict story and how they happen to come about in the church. He shared with us a story about conflict. There was a woman who was leading a dance ministry at our church for young inner-city girls of the area. She was upset with Pastor Ryan because she thought that is was silly to send so much money to Zambia, Africa and should invest in something more local, like the outfits of the dance ministry team. Her reasoning was that these inner city girls should have outfits, because this dance team is a ministry. The dance ministry is a chance to get the girls off the streets and into something where they can minister in a way to others that is unique. When the girls can’t afford the outfits, they can’t participate in the ministry. The woman thought that the money would be better placed in outfits for the dance team.

Pastor Ryan and his wife, Katara really considered the feelings of this woman, reflected over the mission of God’s House and met with the woman, with both Pastor Ryan and Katara present (so Pastor and the woman would not be alone). They made sure to thank her for her hard work with the ministry and wanted to show her the difference she was making in the lives of those young girls. They reviewed the mission of the church with her that God’s House is using their finances for both the local community and the for the world, that we must acknowledge ourselves as a local body and help our brothers and sisters on an international level. They suggested that she organize a fundraiser for the dance team and she did, and the fundraiser worked and the dance ministry continued.

Pastor is convinced that conflict usually does not appear until there are at least “ten to twelve offenses.” This woman had many personal disputes with Ryan and Katara in the past and was “not willing to submit to the kind of mission the church as a whole.” She actually ended up leaving God’s House a few years later.

Week 9: Leadership Characteristics for Thursday by Melissa

2009-02-23T15:59:00.001-08:00

Week 9: Leadership Characteristics

What are the attractive characteristics of a church leader?
1.The leader actually implements the things that they say they will
.2The leader works alongside their workers and helps them in any way that they can
3.The leader is always available to communicate with or gets right back to you if they are away doing a specific task
4.The leader has a clear vision on what they are trying to accomplish
5.The leader evaluates their workers and programs to constantly try to get better and more effective
6.The leader has a strong relationship with Christ and encourages their workers
7.The leader makes clear what their expectations are for each worker

Week 9: Firing a Teacher Melissa

2009-02-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

Week 9: Firing a Teacher

I interviewed Jil Mazellan on 02/11/09

Advice on firing a Sunday School teacher:
1.Don’t ask them to be a teacher the next time around
2.Jil hand picks the teachers so she hasn’t put anyone in the position that she couldn’t work with. She knows if someone could handle the position.
3.She did have some early childhood teachers that weren’t patient with the kids so she gave them helpers in their classrooms
4.Jil says to always look ahead and try to predict the situations that could occur with people and never put children at risk with someone.

Week 8: Thursday Conflict Melissa

2009-02-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

Week 8: Conflict

List of Insights on Conflict from a Theological Perspective:
1. We are called to be united in the Body of Christ so conflict should be resolved as soon as possible to keep the unity
2.If you think someone is upset with you it is Scriptural to confront them in a kind and loving way
3.If someone is acting in a foolish manner it is best to approach them on your own and then if they don’t change their behavior bring more people into the situation
4.Pray for those that persecute you with holy hands, not in anger
5.Love one another as Christ has loved you
6.God’s love is not exclusive so our love shouldn’t be
7.Be patient and understanding because love is patient and does not envy

Week 8: Motivating Volunteers Melissa

2009-02-23T15:33:00.000-08:00

Week 8: Motivating Volunteers

Interviewed Jil Mazellan on 02/11/09
Tips on how to motivate volunteers:
1.Cast the vision (get excited and describe the benefits)
2. Ask people by phone, don’t desire an answer right away
3. Evaluate people’s gifts (where will they be successful)
4. Work hard alongside them (ask what they need and delegate so you can give that to them)
5. Keep yourself free to support the volunteers (providing the tools for success)

Week 7 - Rachel - Campus vs. Church

2009-02-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

There are a few differences between getting along with people in college and getting alone with people in a church. Because the environments are so different and peoples temperaments are different. Here are some differences:

1. It is easy to get along with people in college because it is only 4 years and at the end of those 4 years you will probably never see most of the people again.

2. It is a little harder to get along with people in a church because they are a part of the church family and they will not always agree on everything, and unlike in college you have to work at repairing those relationships because you want all of those people to stay.

3. It is easier to get along with people at college because for the most part they are all around the same age as you and have the same generational views, compared to a church where you have people from many different generations.

Week 7 - Story of Conflict - Rachel

2009-02-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

I interviewed Julia Hurlow

Julia told a conflict story that happened at JC Bodyshop towards the beginning of the year. There was a parent who approached her one Sunday morning after worship. This parent complained about how the music was too loud and how her daughter was getting headaches. Julia said that at the time, she did not know that this parent had been coming to the leaders with problems all along, and now, with Julia being a new staff member, this parent approached her. Luckily, Julia’s boss picked up on this and together they were able to talk with this parent. They suggested to the parent that it would maybe be a good idea if they found a new youth group because the daughter was obviously not happy here.

Julia said that in this situation, it was good that they confronted the conflict and got it taken care of right away.

Week 6 - Office Work - Rachel

2009-02-18T23:01:00.000-08:00

I would like to spend my week at church in a mixture of office hours and calls. I like the idea of having some office hours so people know when you are available in order to come in a see you without having to set up an appointment. This way it will allow me to get some of the office work done in between my time with people.

I would also like to spend part of my time doing calls. I think that going and seeing people and getting some personal interactions with the congregation outside of the church building would be very beneficial, to the congregation and me.

I would like to spend a maximum of 20 hours a week doing the office hours. This would give enough time to make a simple schedule but not enough where it takes up my entire day. The rest of the time I would like to be making calls, 20 hours a week would be enough to really get to know some of the church body and the community.

Week 7: People by Melissa

2009-02-18T16:46:00.000-08:00

Week 7: People Campus vs. Church

Difference between getting along with people at college compared to getting along with people in a church situation

1. When you’re in college you can pretty much choose who you hang around with, if you don’t like someone then you can easily avoid running into them
2. When you’re in college the campus is usually spread out and chances are you won’t have every class with the person so you may be around them less than at church
3. When you’re in college you’re usually only there for 4 years then you might never see the person again!

1. Getting along with people at church is usually mandatory, especially if you’re on staff! It’s not really appropriate to avoid people when you’re supposed to be ministering to them!
2. When you work for a church you get attached to your ministry there and chances are if you’re a committed person you’ll develop job security and could be there for far more than 4 years.
3. If you don’t get along with someone that is a key person in the church it could ruin your entire reputation in the church depending on how much influence they have.

Week 7 Church Conflict Story Melissa

2009-02-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

Week 7: Church Conflict Story

Interviewed Jil Mazellan on 02/11/09
There was a family that appeared after Jil started working at College Church and they were determined that since she wasn’t ordained and since she was a woman she couldn’t be respected in ministry. The lady of the family even had to be let go from a volunteer position in Sunday School as a result of this conflict. The couple made Jil’s life a living hell and they were grouping people to be on their side. Pastor Steve called a meeting with the man of the family and Jil and the man continued to bash her in front of Steve. When Jil stepped out to take a phone call the man told Pastor Steve she wasn’t qualified and didn’t know what she was doing. After the meeting was over Steve asked Jil what she wanted out of it and she wanted to walk out of the meeting with resolution and be respected. Jil says that she was disillusioned that the conflict could be resolved and Steve set in the reality that just because you’re working in a church doesn’t mean everyone will life you. Jil continued to be in ministry at the church and the couple eventually left the church.

People, Thursday, 2/19, Taylor Shanks, Week 5

2009-02-16T05:59:00.000-08:00

All of your work should be “people-purposed” whether it is answering an e-mail with an important question from a person or whether it be planning an event that includes people, that we should be people-focused. If we trying to reach inanimate objects by sharing the gospel, there would be no response, no reason to help shape lives and be a vessel of the Holy Spirit. Thus, all your work should be infused with the purpose that without the factor of people in the equation there would be no ministry, no one to minister, no odd jobs to further the ministry of the Lord. If you struggle with doing small jobs and see them as purposeless, then think back to why you started working in ministry and who you are doing it for.

Time Management Advice, Tuesday 2/17, Taylor Shanks, Week 5

2009-02-16T05:54:00.000-08:00

1. Boundaries, the biggest thing is you have to learn to say no. That is how I manage to set boundaries. If you are always saying yes to others and no to yourself, and to God, you have no boundaries; people are always going to be taking up your time with no balance or boundaries Boundaries apply physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is only so many places you can privately with someone of the opposite sex by yourself, a certain amount a space between you and someone else, boundaries on how much you share about your emotions and your spiritual life with others as well.

2. Having a physical schedule/planner/Blackberry or whatever it takes for you to write your schedule down day to day, tracking everything you do, like appointments, eating, sleeping, etc. etc., it allows you to see where you are lacking or where you need to spend more time.

Week 6 - Time Management - Rachel

2009-02-15T20:16:00.000-08:00

I interviewed Julia Hurlow once again.

Hours: 3.5

Time Management Advice

Boundaries: Say no. Remember to say no to one thing because you said yes to something else. Julia has a very strong personal conviction to set boundaries for herself because she knows what she’s capable of handling and what she isn’t capable of doing. She also knows what works for her when taking care of commitments, and that involves planning things out so she doesn’t become overwhelmed.

She also is a big advocate of structure. She personally works better in dealing with things in “chunks” and to schedule personal time.

Time Management Advice: (1) Have clear, defined expectations of yourself and also have the church give clear and defined expectations of what they want out of you. (2) Learn to say “no!” Say no to obligations and yes to self care and personal time.

Week 5 - People Essay - Rachel

2009-02-11T21:55:00.000-08:00

From what I’ve seen and learned about church administration, about half of what a minister does is in contact with people and the other half of the administration work is for the people.

By doing contact work and having staff meetings, it makes administration work able to focus on people. When a minister is planning, they have to keep in mind that they are planning for the Lord for the people.

Ministry is all about serving the Lord by serving people. Although creating a budget might not seem like a people oriented task at the time, the reality is that if a minister didn’t work out their budget for that year, then his or her ministry wouldn’t last very long. There would be no more serving the people.

Week 5 - Hours Worked in Ministry - Rachel

2009-02-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

Hours: 2

I met again with Julia Hurlow.

Hours Worked in Ministry

Study: 10-15 hours
Administration: 15 hours
Services: 10 hours
People: 5-10 hours depending on the week
Miscellaneous: 5-hours depending on the week

Some observations that I made: (1) There is an incredible amount of responsibility put upon a person in her position, meaning that if she isn’t able to get it finished, it won’t get finished. (2) She has to plan in down time or personal time for herself, or her work schedule will take over her life.

Week 4-Attend A Board Meeting, Taylor Shanks-Tuesday Post

2009-02-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

1. I went to God's House Ministries where the closest thing we have to a board meeting is called a leadership meeting, they do not use the system of parliamentary procedure, but it is how the decisions and the direction of the church is reported to those who volunteer and put in time at the church. We met for a total of two hours.

2. The decision making process is more of a voiced consensus that if the pastor suggest something, people follow with a nod of agreement or raise of hands to agree or disagree with the pastor, who is in charge of the direction the church is heading in.

There are different groups of volunteers who break into groups to brainstorm ideas for the separate ministries within the church.
there is only one paid pastor on staff at God's House and everyone else is a volunteer staff, which is a unique set up,
Pastor Ryan and Katara makes it known how grateful they are to have such a dedicated volunteer staff
Pastor Ryan and Katara make the executive decisions for the church, but the leadership meetings are there to ensure that others on leadership are in agreement with what they act on and to see if there are additional ideas or disagreements.

Week 6 Office Work Essay Melissa

2009-02-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

Week 6: Office Work Essay
I believe that there has been too drastic of a shift from the 1970’s “office work” to the late 1980’s churches appearing as insurance agencies. I think that there needs to be middle ground. I understand the need for administrative work when a church is dealing with a building with many programs that occur, but ministers are made to be with the people as well. In my ideal world I would like to spend 20 hours in the office doing administrative work. If I broke these hours down it would be 3 hours in meetings a week, 5 hours in study for my lessons, 4 hours returning emails and phone calls, 4 hours planning events and having 4 hours of “open office” hours a week where teens could come in and seek my counsel. My other 20 hours in my work-week would be spent out with the students. I would attend their sporting events, plays, concerts and other special events. This would provide me with the ability to get to know many students in their “element” and disciple them further. I would strategically spend 5 hours out of those 20 with key leaders in the youth group to mentor them personally. Oh, what a dream!

Week 6 Tuesday Time Management Melissa

2009-02-06T15:57:00.001-08:00

Week 6: Time Management Advice

Interviewed Jil Mazellan 01/09/09

1.She sets boundaries by taking advantage of her days off (Monday and Friday)
- Holding the line for family
- Drawing a clear line
- Not having students around at home
- Trying to budget time
- Lives by Microsoft Outlook, cleans out her email all the time
- Keeps things simple and orderly

Time management advice:
- Always keep the bigger picture in mind, should be God’s ministry not yours
- Shut your office door when you need to
- Work hard and get a little rude if you have to
- Realize you’ll never make everyone happyLearn who the people are that you need to make happy and prioritize

Week 4 Staff Report to A Board-(Thursday) Taylor Shanks

2009-02-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

I was not really sure what an official "staff report" was until I did some asking around to figure out that this is an essential action that a staff pastor should take to allow other staff members and the board know about what is going on in the ministry that he or she is in charge of. How uncomfortable might you be if you a part of a church board and you had funds and important people investing time into a ministry yet you somehow had no idea what was going on in that ministry? No updates would make me skeptical.

A staff report to a board should include a multitude of things. It should first and foremost show where the budget and finances are going. The board usually has active members in the community aboard and it is important for them to see where their money is going and how effective it is.

Include names of those who are involved in the ministry and the work they are doing, praise volunteers for their willingness to serve and show how the organization of the ministry is improving, as jobs are getting done by both the staff and the volunteers who are involved.

Be consistent in how you construct your reports. Don't confuse the board with the unexpected template and order of items in your reports, allow them to be read with consistency.

Be honest. Don't lie about attendance and how the ministry is doing. Do not stretch the improvements or the needs of the ministry, that can get you in trouble for being dishonest and not a leader reflecting Biblical holy living.

Finally, make sure you explain the importance of your ministry and why it should continue to exist, show its influence on the church community and the surrounding communities of the area.

These are just a few of many ideas that you can include in a staff report, it covers many areas and should allow you to help create effective staff reports.

Taylor

Week 4 - Staff Report to Board - Rachel

2009-02-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

I think that a report to a board should include where you've been, where you are, and where you are planning on going. It's a review/update/check-up on what my ministry has been doing since last I met with the board. That would include some numbers, whether is attendance or how many kids went on the high school summer camp trip. It also would include what regular meet time with my ministry looks like and what he accomplish through those times. For example, how our Sunday morning Sunday school hour differs from our Wednesday night Bible study differs from Thursday morning youth group.
Another thing that I would think would be included is to let the board know plans for the future and what we hope to do and how exactly we are going to get it done. They want to understand and know what's happening with the youth. Money is being spent on it, and it's my job to reassure them that I'm being a good steward of it. It is a time for some dialogue and to help the board get a sense of what I do as a youth pastor.

Week 5: People Essay Thursday Melissa

2009-02-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Week 5: People Essay
Despite there being all kinds of “church administration” duties for ministries it is still possible to do church administration in a way that still focuses on people. First, I think it’s all in your mindset. As a minister you have to continuously keep in mind the people that you are doing the administrative work for. Without those people in mind you just become task-oriented. Take into account that the administrative work that you are doing is enabling ministry to be done. Second, it is also important to realize that when you are doing administrative task many times they do involve people, such is the case when thinking of meetings. During these opportunities take the chance to ask people how they are genuinely doing before or after the meeting. That action might help you feel more like a “minister” in the office. Perhaps even try to not separate “administration” from “people” because you have to have an element of both while working within the church. It isn’t fair to tease yourself that you could “be out with the people”, there is a time and a place for that.

Melissa's Week 5: Hours Worked in Ministry Tuesday

2009-02-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

Week 5: Hours Worked in Ministry

Interviewed Jil Mazellan on 01/09/09

Study – 2 hours
Admin. –20 hours
Services – 6 hours
People – 10 hours
Visitation hours – 2 per week
Crisis Situations- 1 hour

Observations:
Ministry is a lot more administration than time actually spent with people
I never thought to factor in time for crisis situations
It seems like it should be more time spent studying

Week 4 - Administrative Work - Rachel

2009-02-02T21:25:00.000-08:00

Hours: 6.5

What kind of administrative/office work do you do? How much time do you spend?

1. I interview Julia Hurlow on Monday night at McConn.

2. Roughly 15 hours total:
- Budget and making purchases for the snack shops, etc.
- Office paperwork
- Taking care of correspondence with parents and others
- Doing contact work
- Staff meetings - 5 hours
- Planning
- Overseeing discipleship group

3. Julia said that it's funny to take a look at everything you do on paper. It makes you realize just how much you have to do. I asked her if she thinks about when she sleeps and eats when she sees that kind of thing. She laughed at me and said, "Ya, kinda."
I know that it is important to keep track of your hours. I know that you need to keep busy while on the job, but it's also important to protect the personal/alone time you have for yourself as well.

Week 4: Staff Report to Board (Thursday) Melissa

2009-02-01T15:47:00.001-08:00

Week 4: Staff Report To Board

Discuss what you think a staff member’s report to a board should include and what it should accomplish?

What is the function of the Board?The function of the Local Board is the carry out the will of the local church conference, serving as the chief governing and coordinating body of the local church in the interim of local church conference sessions. (Wesleyan Discipline 750).

A staff members report to a board should include:

Necessary Business: Administer the affairs of the church in keeping with The Discipline, other general and district regulations and the directions of the LCC. These affairs are in membership, pastoral staff, officers, boards and committees, property and finance and day school. (Wesleyan Discipline 782)

1. Provide the examination of all candidates for church membership
2. Nominate pastor to the LCC and renew their call
3. Elect two members of a nominating committee from among the members of the LBA

New Business: Revise and adjust pastoral salaries and review all plans of support annually, recommend changes in the financial policies as necessary.
Also Included: Updates on current ministerial programs and evaluation of past programs. As well as upcoming events and what the goal of them will be for the specific ministry that the staff person oversees and for the church as a whole. This will provide the Board with a vision of where the church is going and what its staff is accomplishing. Essential each report should bring unity within staff members and help the church evaluate if the ministry being done is efficient and effective. It is a means of accountability as well.

Week 3 "Parliamentary Law"-Taylor Shanks

2009-01-30T12:38:00.001-08:00

Robert's Rule of Order:
For Fair and Orderly Meetings & Conventions

Provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole membership - the right of the deliberate majority to decide. Complementary is the right of at least a strong minority to require the majority to be deliberate - to act according to its considered judgment AFTER a full and fair "working through" of the issues involved. Robert's Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should "undue strictness" be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation.

The fundamental right of deliberative assemblies require all questions to be thoroughly discussed before taking action!

The assembly rules - they have the final say on everything!
Silence means consent!

Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while another has the floor is out of order! Must be recognized by the Chair before speaking!
Debate can not begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote!
Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second.
The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution - Amendment - Motion to Postpone
The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor!
No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once!
All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives!
The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur!
The Rules
Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc. - may interrupt only if necessary!
Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion - to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order
Point of Information: Generally applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question."
Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda (a deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules)
Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. Must be raised immediately after the error is made
Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly
Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions (must be able to stand on their own)
Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble can not be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased.
Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions
Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after question is stated; mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor
Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment).
Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question; extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time
Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time
Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed
Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated
Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending
Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of item previously "laid on the table" - state the motion to take from the table
Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view
Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session - exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session
Previous Question: Closes debate if successful - may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred
Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole" - informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal.
Appeal Decision of the Chair: Appeal for the assembly to decide - must be made before other business is resumed; NOT debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business
Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution); the object of the suspension must be specific

List of how I might change Robert's Rules:

I would begin by arguing that we should maintain the language of Robert's Rules since it creates order and professionalism among peers within a group, i.e. the body of Christ
If they wish to be lead by the Spirit, there shouldn't necessarily be a moderator or someone who "chairs" any time of meeting because that means someone has precedence, but the Holy Spirit does.
There shouldn't be debate because that includes personal opinion, instead there should be prayer for the leading of the Holy Spirit because that would promote His leading rather than any form of personal opinion. Making decisions would be based on the outcome of prayer.

Three Problems with new method:

These groups who reject parliamentary law would never get anything accomplished because if they feel that it is a win/lose situation, how will they ever come to a consensus on something if no one wins?
Second problem is the Holy Spirit could be leading people in different ways. Just because the body of Christ is being lead by the Spirit, it doesn't mean that they are all going to be lead in the same direction all the time.
Each person may have different convictions about a certain issue, so how can we possibly come to a consensus if the majority can't win at anything?

Week 3- "Hours Worked in Ministry" Taylor Shanks

2009-01-30T12:28:00.000-08:00

I interviewed Ryan McCarty on January 29, 2009 at 3PM.

1. Study 3-4 hrs.

2. Administrative Work 8 hrs.

3. Services 4 hrs. (Sunday Only)

4. People 4-6 hrs.

5. Other job 20 hrs.

technology/website 2-3 hrs.

Family--rest of his time

Observations:

1. The other pastors who I have known spend much more time on their sermons because of the way they prepare, their exegetical work takes much more time. Ryan's way of preparing is a bit more unconventional so he spends less time than most.

2. Pastor Ryan also holds another part time job, which takes up 20 hours of his week, which is different than most full-time pastors, he does this to have extra support for his family.

Week 4: Church Administration Melissa

2009-01-26T17:28:00.000-08:00

Week 4: Administrative Work

I interviewed Jil Mazellan on Wednesday January 14th

2. List of how she spends her time:
- 20 to 30 hours a week of administrative work
- 4 hours working with children
- 6 hours in meetings
- ½ hour on time sheets
- 2 hours getting placements for Sunday
- 4-5 hours doing evaluations
- She is always returning e-mails as well

3. Observations:
- Jil is supposed to be part-time but it appears that she works full-time
- Even though she’s in ministry most of her time is spent in meetings
- She is more involved in equipping people for doing ministry than actually teaching/preaching herselfShe always has to be on top of administrative work for the ministry to go smoothly

Week 2 “Administrative Work” Tuesday Blog-Taylor

2009-01-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

Week 2 “Administrative Work” Tuesday Blog

1) Who’d you interview and when? I interviewed Pastor Ryan on Monday 1/26/09 at 2:30PM.

2) How much administrative or “office” work does he do? Pastor Ryan says depending on the week when he is working he could put in from 20 to 40 hours. This week he said he would be putting in at least 40 hours. 8 of those hours include the billing and the mailers. The other hours include sermon preparation, meetings, training, counseling, graphic art for marketing and for the website. He didn’t give me the exact break down, but this seemed to be what he had for me.

3) I think this is a good reminder that there is a lot more that goes along with being a pastor than just preaching and teaching. Obviously, there are many hours that go into other tasks to help keep the church moving and keeping up in this society and time. I recognize that I must prepare and be ready to take on such tasks that go along with being a preacher. Basically it’s a WAKE up call to those who think being a preacher is going to be easy. Balancing all these things plus having a family and maybe even an extra job like Pastor Ryan does reminds us of how busy a life of a pastor can be.

Taylor Shanks-Essay on Leadership--Thursday Week 2

2009-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

Week 1 1/15, What is leadership?

1) What is leadership?

Leadership can be defined as a multitude of things depending on who is in the leadership position and to what he or she is leading whether it be a movement, a cause or a group of people. Leadership takes place in numerous scenarios taking on many different manifestations. When I think of those who are leaders, each individual has led in his or her own unique way because God has used them regardless.

Leaders are those who have abilities to guide others, assist decision-making. They are not necessarily assertive, having the same personality type, but may carry a quiet leadership quality. Those who are leaders are balanced individuals who have gifts and characteristics or influence over others. They are people who can be leaders in many realms of life differing in career paths, different ages, political and religious beliefs and differences of all kinds.

Leaders are those who stand up for what they believe, religious or not. In the realm of ministry, they take what they believe to death. They dare to dream big and pursue them with endless heart. Leadership takes al of someone, not part of them.
2) What are several kinds of leadership in the Bible and example of each?

I was doing some research on the Internet and came across three types of leadership that comes from the Bible. These include: “Leading the Unleadable,” “ Leading Yourself First,” and “Leading by Influence.”[1] I wish to explain and share each of these types of leadership and show their importance to each Biblical story and example. For example, Adam was the first man here on Earth, who had a direct relationship with God with no sin holding him back. He could be defined as one who lead by influence because God created him to be the man of the household, the caretaker and the breadwinner. Eve did the same as she led by influence over her children. One could argue that both of these Biblical examples were also both leaders by example, because they are our first Biblical examples of a man and a woman. If you take a look at Noah, he lead himself first because he had to follow God, and he went after the dream God gave him, heart and soul. There are many more examples that we could think of…but this is what I’ve decided to include.

[1] www.christianitytoday.com/let/2006/spring/13.33.html?start=1

Taylor Shanks-What do Evangelicals Believe About Tithing- Thursday-Week 1

2009-01-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

Tithing is both a necessary and important concept to the Christian faith and to be a good steward of the finances that God has blessed you with. It IS Biblical because the Israelites were required by law to give 10% of their income back to the Lord. The Israelites are God’s chosen people and the Law was God’s commandment to us to obey. As far as I am concerned disregarding the Old Testament would be heretical. This new wave of evangelicals deciding for themselves about tithing and whether it is important or not, amplifies our individualistic culture. See these verses to understand the Law about tithing, Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:26, Deuteronomy 14:24, and 2 Chronicles 31:5. It is disappointing that people can be so dismissive when it comes to something as serious and authoritative as Scripture.

We are called to give our full, our all to God. He did not merely call us to be good, but to be great. Doing, “the best you can do,” is not sufficient. You should be able to trust the Giver of your paycheck to take care of your check. It wasn’t your originally, give back what isn’t yours. Ever heard the phrase, “return it better than you found it,” that should apply to tithing, return the money to where you found it better, possibly with an offering.

I have faith that there are enough Christians out there who still believe in the inerrancy of Scripture to understand that tithing is not an option, but a command. As much as I am guilty of questioning the necessity of tithing, struggling financially can either motivate to move one away from tithing or to the Lord in obedience. As a good preacher once said to me, “You were born buck-naked, and you will die buck-naked.” Just remember this when you are keeping your money (which is His) from God.

Week 2 - Essay on Tithing - Rachel

2009-01-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

To me, tithing makes sense. After all, it’s not really our money. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” We are simply giving back what God has blessed us with. Besides, how else would churches function without tithing? The church is made up of people, and it’s the people who must support the ministry. No one is going to do it for them.

The Lord knows what we give and also what we are capable of giving. Although we don’t partake in sacrificial offerings anymore, the story of Cain and Abel comes to mind. Greed is a powerful thing and easily gets in between our Lord and us. We should give our very best to the Lord, just like the widower did in Mark 12:41-44: “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’”

Week 1 - Essay on Leadership - Rachel

2009-01-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

What is Leadership?

I would describe leadership as what happens when a person is able to influence people around them no matter what position that individual is in. Leadership is about believing in something and helping others to work and reach “goals”. However, successful leadership only happens when the leader first handles him or herself correctly. A leader is willing to step up when no one else will and sets the example for others.

What are several kinds of leadership in the Bible?

Courage – David (Goliath)
Faithfulness and Loyalty – Esther
Wisdom – Solomon
Boldness – Paul
Vocal – John the Baptist
Compassion / Leading by Example– Christ
Determination – Moses

Melissa Curran's Leadership Essay

2009-01-14T20:30:00.001-08:00

Week 1: Leadership Essay

Leadership is influence. It is the ability of a person to influence others. “A biblical leader is a person with God-given capacity and God-given responsibility to influence a specific group of God’s people towards His purposes for the group.” (J. Robert Clinton, The Making of a Leader) A leader knows where they are going and they are able to persuade others to go along with them. They work to build a team that can achieve the common vision.

There are several kinds of leadership in the Bible and a variety of examples of each. Throughout Scripture there is the leadership of Christ. This is shown in Mark 3:13 when Jesus personally picks those that he wanted to work with. Then in Luke 11:1-13 Jesus leads through demonstration as he shows his disciples how to live. In Matthew 10:1-8 Jesus leads by getting involved in the practical needs of those around him. Then in Mark 6:30 Jesus shows leadership through accountability. Nehemiah is a great example of a leader from the Old Testament. In 1:3-4 he identifies with the people and then he has a vision. Peter and Paul are other key leaders in the book of Acts that take bold actions after having visions. In Nehemiah 2:6-9 readers learn that he leads from developing a plan or strategy. The Early Church did this by setting up a council of leadership to handle church matters. Nehemiah inspires those around him and encourages them. Then in chapter 3 he leads the people through delegating specific things for them to do. A great leader always enlists the people around them. In chapter 5 Nehemiah is always communicating with the people, much like the prophets throughout the Old and New Testament did. He doesn’t take advantage of his position but places himself as a servant to the people around him, like Jesus did.

Taylor Shanks- Church Budget- Week 1

2009-01-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Considering I had SUPER limited time to even obtain a budget from an already overly busy pastor, I decided to search online on a budget to dissect that might do for a substitute in trying to decipher the importance of church finances.

So I choose the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's overall budget, which includes millions of dollars!

Here is their budget:

7.6 % spent on facilities, and communication and development services

19. 8% spent on denominational support and missions

20.7% spent on ministers and staff

45% programs

3 Observations:

The most amount of money is spent on programming.

You would think they would be paying your staff more, more than on missions.

What are communication and development support besides helping facilities?

Taylor Shanks

Melissa Curran Week 1 Church Budget

2009-01-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Melissa's Church Budget:

Week 1: Church Budget

College Wesleyan Church
Interviewed Anne Bainbridge and Jil Mazellan Friday 01/09/09

46.6 % Ministers and staff incl. benefits

37.7% Facilities incl. Debt payments

7.2% Programs (education, evangelism, ect.)

8.49% Denomination support & missions

Three Observations of What I discovered:

The Church has grown in monetary support from last year
They are under their percentage of money allotted to programs Junior High and Senior High Ministries spent less money compared to last year