Okay, okay. It’s not really that fresh.  But it’s a huge key to accomplishing a great feat–such as growing a church. Or preparing a luncheon for 1,500 pastor’s wives.

INVOLVING PEOPLE!

Why involve people? 3 reasons: 

1) when they’re involved, they take ownership

2) when they’re involved, they share in the blessing

3) when others are involved, the task becomes more of a joy than a burden

Here’s my great example:  The Ministers Wives Luncheon for the Southern Baptist Convention.  We’d approached the decorating task for the event with fear and trembling! Can you imagine a ballroom with 1,500 seats? Many tales of previous years’ all-night decorating exhaustion prompted me to invite eight really quality ministers’ wives in Indiana to help on a planning team. Each of those women recruited ten or twelve other ministers wives to help them decorate tables for 220 women.  A few other volunteers joined us, and with over 100 workers, we decorated that room in less than two hours!

The luncheon was a great encouragement for all those ministers wives from across the nation. Dr. Gary Chapman brought a great message of encouragement, and it was worth the effort.

Oh, it took lots of pre-planning and organizing, and this same share-the-work/share-the-blessing plan was used in many other areas of the event, and what a delightful accomplishment we all felt! As an added bonus, many made new friends and enjoyed great fellowship as we labored together.  Leaders– Don’t try to do it all yourself.  Share the blessing!  

 ”When the leaders lead…when the people volunteer, praise the Lord.” Judges 5:2

 

 

 

 

This Fresh Idea was posted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 | Deacon Wives, Ideas For Churches, Ministers Wives, Women's Ministry.