Our Indiana pastors and wives retreat this weekend was such fun! Our churches are blessed with wonderful, Godly leaders.

Looking for a good mixer for a large church event?  Here’s one we used at the retreat. You can see that the questions are designed for pastors and pastor wives in Indiana, but you can tweak the questions to fit your group.

Hang giant numbers 1 – 9 (made of posterboard) all around the room, high on the walls. Spread them out to cover the entire room. You’ll call out a question, show the answer choices on powerpoint (or posters), and ask everyone to go to the number that corresponds with their answer, and chat with others in that area.  Explain that when the buzzer sounds, everyone stops and moves to the next question.

We gave a new question every 3 or 4 minutes to keep the game moving.  People would move to their answer and immediately begin chatting with others there. We played music a little loudly to make conversaton less intimidating. The purpose, of course, is to allow the group members to quickly discover some things they have in common, stimulating friendships and later conversation. These are the questions we used:

FRIDAY NIGHT SCRAMBLE

 

[Questions & answer choices on powerpoint; host blows whistle to announce next question.]

 

COLOR OF YOUR SHIRT

(this one’s for practice…when you get there, tell someone your favorite joke?)

1)    Blue

2)    Red

3)    Green

4)    White

5)    Pink

6)    Black

7)    Brown

8)    Yellow

9)    Other

 

MY CHURCH LOCATION  (chat about what your town’s known for)

1)    North Indiana

2)    South Indiana

3)    East Indiana

4)    West Indiana

5)    Central Indiana

 

LIFE STAGE: (if you have children, share your favorite “pastor kid” story)

1)    Married with no kids

2)    Married with preschool kids

3)    Married with school age kids

4)    Married with teenager

5)    Married with college age kids

6)    Married with adult kids

 

BIRTH STATE  (where did you grow up?)

        Put up a map of the US with colors and have them to the right area by number

 

ARE YOU… (more than half IN pastors bi-vocational! Q: tell your worst wedding accident)

1)    Full Time Pastor/wife

2)    Bi-vocational pastor/wife

 

A SPORT I LIKE:  (FAVORITE PLACE/USED FOR MINISTRY HOW?)

1. 1.      Hunting
2. 2.      Fishing
3. 3.      Golf
4. 4.      Team sports (football, baseball, basketball)
5. 5.      Hike/walk/jog
6. 6.      Camping
7. 7.      Archery/Shooting 
8. 8.      Biking/motorcycling
9. 9.      Tennis

 

CHURCH SIZE: [your church’s high attendance this year](Q: what’s the best thing going on at your church lately)

1)    2-50

2)    50-100

3)    100-200

4)    200-350

5)    350-500

6)    500+

 

BIRTH MONTH   (a quick one. See if you can find someone who shares your birthdate.)

1)    January - February

2)    March

3)    April

4)    May-June

5)    July

6)    August

7)    September - October

8)    November

9)    December

 

OUR CHURCH WORSHIP MUSIC STYLE: (talk about how your music helps reach people)

1)    Contemporary

2)    Traditional

3)    Blended

 

I ENJOY…   (FAST)

1. 1.      Reading
2. 2.      Model building
3. 3.      Knitting/quilting/sewing
4. 4.      Bowling
5. 5.      Gardening
6. 6.      Eating J 
7. 7.      Scrapbooking 
8. 8.      Woodworking
9. 9.      Stamp/coin collecting

 

CHURCH SETTING: (after you get to your group, tell someone about your most embarrassing moment as a pastor/pastor’s wife.)

1. 1.      Rural
2. 2.      Small town
3. 3.      Medium size town
4. 4.      Large town
5. 5.      Inner city

 

IF YOU  WERE LEAVING TODAY TO BE A MISSIONARY, WHICH COUNTRY WOULD YOU CHOOSE? (Here’s a fun question for you.) 

1)    Chili

2)    Ireland

3)    China

4)    India

5)    Brazil

6)    Mongolia

7)    Iran

8)    Australia

9)    Zimbabwe

 

 

AGE GROUP I’M DRAWN TO FOR MINISTRY: (if you could only do ministry with one age, which would you choose?) 

1)    Senior Adults

2)    Adults

3)    Young adults

4)    Singles

5)    Youth

6)    Children

7)    Pre-School

 

WHICH COLOR WOULD YOU RATHER DYE YOUR HAIR? (Here’s your chance to tell about your funniest ministry story (baptism, evangelism bloop). Divide this way, then share.)

1)    Blue

2)    Green

3)    Pink

4)    Purple

5)    Yellow

6)    Orange

 

AGE: (couple/use younger age) (name your favorite restaurant)

1)    20s

2)    30

3)    40s

4)    50s

5)    60+

 

MINISTRY DRAW:  (Besides preaching, what’s an area of ministry that you really enjoy?) 

1)    Music

2)    Media/Arts/Drama

3)    Administration

4)    Prayer

5)     Benevolence

6)    Teaching

 

FAVORITE SEASON: (what’s the most unique ministry your church does in this season?)

1)    Summer

2)    Fall

3)    Winter

4)    Spring

 

FAVORITE STYLE OF MUSIC (Just for fun, which of these styles of music do you like best?)

1)    Jazz

2)    Rap

3)    Bluegrass

4)    Rock

5)    Classical

6)    Techno

7)    Country

It’s such a treasured time for many Christian teens! My article for next month is one about ways church members can encourage kids going to youth camp (or kids camp, mission trips, etc.)  The column is almost complete, but I thought I’d ask if any of you have suggestions.

Have you (or others you know) done anything–small or large–to inspire or encourage or treat those young Christians who are taking a week away at Christian camp?

 

So you’re celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus this weekend, but you’re a little old for an Easter Egg hunt? Need fresh ideas?

After you’ve planned your worship celebrations, why not plan an “adult easter egg hunt?”

A flashlight easter egg hunt is easy and unique.

We actually did this idea three different times — once for a large church staff party and another for our teenagers’ friends, once for our new singles Bible study group. It would be great fun for a young married couples Bible class. And, believe me, teenagers love it! 

We prepared lots of really good eggs–chocolate ones, prize eggs, ceramic eggs, wrapped candy eggs, and plastic eggs with really nice surprises inside. You’ll be surprised at what cool things you can fit into a plastic egg. Dye hardboiled eggs using a crayon to write numbers for 1st prize, 2nd prize, etc.  For our teen prizes, we used the newest Christian CDs. My daughter is planning an adult flashlight Easter egg hunt for her apartment ministry, and one prize is $ off next month’s rent.  The party was scheduled just before sunset (check the local newspaper for sunset time), and began with snacks. As soon as dark arrived, everyone received a flashlight for the hunt.  We used our large back yard, but any section of grass that is safe would do. Don’t make it very large. It’s harder than you think to find eggs in the dark!

Here’s how we began: “Friends, we’ve invited you here for a fun way to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection. We’ve enjoyed the Maundy Thursday Lord’s supper reenactment, the Good Friday service, and now we’re all awaiting tomorrow’s Easter worship celebration. Tonight, we’re just going to have a fun “adult Easter egg hunt”  to celebrate Jesus as the light of the world. (Read John 8:12.)”

Be sure to instruct everyone to walk carefully so they don’t step on eggs in the dark, give them all a basket to collect their eggs, blow a whistle so they can start. If some guests don’t attend a church, give them a printed invitation to worship with you at your church on Sunday. 

Oh, yea, it’s silly, but a great excuse to gather friends or family if you don’t have little kids in  your group. 

Happy Easter, friend.  Praying your Resurrection Sunday celebration is the best yet.

He is risen indeed!

Here’s  a reprint of a Fresh Ideas article I wrote a while back. I thought it might inspire you to get busy and plan an egg hunt for your neighbors this Saturday! Happy Easter!

FRESH IDEAS

Finding Eggs AND the Savior 

by Diana Davis

      What’s cuter than a two-year-old at an Easter egg hunt dumping six eggs as he picks up one? Or a fifth grader stretching to reach that last elusive egg?  That’s as good as it gets! …or is it?  Why not take this fun event, add a twist, and touch entire families in Jesus’ name?  Whether it’s a community-wide event at your church or a neighborhood egg hunt, it’s inexpensive, simple to plan, and lasts only an hour!

      Our family’s annual egg hunt was a friendship outreach for friends and neighbors, sharing the true meaning of Easter with parents and children.  As she outgrew hunting eggs, our daughter, Autumn, took over planning our egg hunts. Dozens of precious children adore her for the special annual event in our yard, and many neighbors heard the Gospel for the first time at an egg hunt. You can do that! 

Your event could include your neighborhood, your church family and their friends, or your entire community. All you need is a large area of grass.

Place invitations in a plastic egg and hand-deliver or distribute them at church. For a bigger event, advertise in the local paper or on your church sign. The invitation should state date, place, and beginning and ending time. Our egg hunts were the Saturday morning before Easter from 10-11 a.m. Invite the entire families, and ask them to bring a dozen eggs per child for hiding.

Purchase lots of wrapped eggs, and spray-paint gold prize eggs. Number the prize eggs with a permanent marker and hide those ahead of time. Gather several prizes, such as candies or stuffed lambs or rabbits. Prepare Easter basket cupcakes and lemonade for refreshments to encourage fellowship. Before the crowds arrive, establish clear boundary lines, with separate areas for younger children. 

If it’s a church event, carefully train members to greet and spend time with every guest who attends. They can introduce them to your Pastor and other church members, personally invite them to their Sunday Bible class, and help them to feel welcome.

            As families arrive, moms and kids go to a separate area to blow bubbles and draw sidewalk art while dads hide the eggs. When eggs are ready, gather everyone for a creative presentation about the real Easter story. The presentation should be animated, sincere and brief. It could involve drama, puppets or an object lesson. Check your local Christian bookstore for ideas.

      Now it’s time for the hunt! Children stand in a long line, then separate whistles blow for preschoolers, younger elementary, then older elementary kids to begin. After about fifteen minutes, gather children for prizes and snacks. As guests depart, give them a verbal and printed invitation to join you for Bible study and worship at your church on Easter Sunday.  

      Autumn used the same tablecloth each Easter, asking children to use paint pens to write their name and year on it. Parents traced toddlers’ handprints on it. Over the years, children graduated from handprints to block letters to cursive. Autumn is in college at Baylor University now, and she just called to ask me to mail her tablecloth. She’s planning an Easter hunt for her Sunday School class. Yes, that’s as good as it gets!

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©Fresh Ideas are shared by Diana Davis, wife of Indiana Baptist Convention’s Executive Director, & author of Fresh Ideas, Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry and Deacon Wives (B&H Publishing). www.keeponshining.com

Hi friends. I’m off to visit my sons in Ohio, but thought you might enjoy a sneak-peak at this month’s Fresh Ideas article.  You can see these online at our state convention website – www.scbi.org, too.  I know that all of your churches don’t have an administrative assistant. Some have a volunteer secretary. Others have many administrative professionals!  Either way, April 21st is a great day to creatively, sincerely bless her with words of thanks for her ministry and some type of gift expression.  Here are a few fresh ideas:

Fresh Ideas

“Hello, This is First Baptist…”

By Diana Davis

She’s often the first to represent your church, and her special day is coming. A good administrative assistant significantly impacts the ministry of your church and church staff. Will you—a church member or staff member—bless her (or him) in some way on Administrative Professionals’ Day, Wednesday, April 21^st? Need fresh ideas?

Wouldn’t she be surprised to arrive at work to find brewed coffee and a tray of pastries and fruit in her honor? Or helium balloons tied to her chair? Or dozens of “Thank God for Phoebe!” signs hung around the office?

The church website, newsletter, bulletin or pre-service PowerPoint could acknowledge her service with a photo, comment about her work, her favorite Scripture and a request for members to pray for her this week. 

Need thoughtful gift ideas? Order a personalized study Bible or note cards. Make a certificate or t-shirt to proclaim her “Best Administrative Assistant in [your town.]” A desk set, electronic desk gadget, plant for her desk. A gift in her name for missions. A good book, bouquet of her favorite flowers, a gift card to a great restaurant or scrapbooking shop. Tickets to her favorite sports event, Christian concert, garden show or theatre. For a church with several assistants, consider hosting a lovely luncheon in your home for them. With your gift, be sure to include a hand-written note of sincere appreciation for her work.

If the whole church (or a group in the church) wants to collaborate:

-          Put a beautiful, large vase on her desk with a single flower.  All day, staff and church members stop by with a couple more flowers and words of thanks, ultimately creating a gorgeous bouquet.

-          Each person contributes an item for a themed basket—teas, crosses, books, fishing. Or spray paint a branch and attach items and notes to create a themed gift tree, such as a Chocolate Tree.

-          Each day this week a different group brings lunch or takes her out.

-          Everyone contributes one of some item she likes (i.e. golf balls, Snickers.) Beautifully wrap one; put the rest all around the office for her to discover that day.   

How about a surprise lunch in her honor? Invite church staff, her husband or friend, and people she sees regularly at work, such as the postal carrier, custodian or church leaders. She arrives to unexpected applause and “thank you” signs. Each guest presents her a balloon as they share a story or word about her uplifting ministry. (Be sure to invite the waiter and postal carrier to church on Sunday.)

Most importantly, say the words. Pick up the phone, send an email or text, or stop by to express appreciation. As you show honor to God’s servants, you honor God, too.

“Consider others as more important than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3b

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NOTE: If you are a Christian businessperson celebrating your administrative assistant’s day, consider giving her a second gift as a Christian witness or encouragement. A book, such as The Purpose Driven Life, a personalized Bible, or a Scripture bookmark.

©2010 Diana Davis is author of Fresh Ideas (B&H Publishing) and Deacon Wives (B&H) Her husband is Indiana Baptist Convention’s executive director. www.keeponshining.com

 

 

 

 

Keywords: Secretary’s secretaries administrative assistant executive assistant ministry assistant

 

I just returned from Texas, where we enjoyed a wonderful visit at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, time with family there, and then I got to help lead a conference for deacons’ wives at Inglewood Baptist Church in Grand Prairie. What a lovely group of women!

Here’s an idea that Inglewood is using to invite unchurched friends to attend worship on Easter Sunday.  They had a mountain of Peeps marshmallow candies in the church foyer with an invitation to church attached to each.  Everyone at church was encouraged to take as many as they would give to neighbors, friends and coworkers.  What a simple, creative way to invite guests to hear about Jesus! 

I’m not sure what their invitation note said, but it could have a variety of quotes along with the details of when and where the church meets, such as…

“I wanted to invite all the Peeps I love to church with me this Easter. Hope to see you there.”

“There’s more to Easter than just chicks and bunnies! Meet me at church on Sunday?”

“Hi Neighbor! Here’s my sweet invitation for you to join me for church Easter Sunday.”

Or you could be less corny and just give them a Peep and an invitation…

DAY #6 – SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT YOUR PASTOR’S WIFE

Your compliments and encouragement can enhance her ministry. Does your pastor’s wife know that you’re 100% “on her team?” Can she count on you? Can she trust you implicitly. Can she lean on you if needed? 

My husband was the brand new pastor at a church when a deacon wife made this emphatic statement to me: “I don’t even know you yet, but I’ve made a commitment to God that I will never ever say one negative or critical word about my pastor or his wife. You can count on me.”  Sound silly to you? Believe me, it was one of the most wonderful, meaningful statements ever made to this pastor’s wife by a Christian leader in our church. 

Your love, appreciation and encouragement means more than you realize. A joyful pastor’s wife certainly can positively impact your church and your pastor, and words and actions given in love by the wife of a deacon are meaningful to her.  Oh, I know she’s not perfect (but neither are you!)  Respect her , love her, help her as she serves your church with your pastor.

Make a commitment to God today that you will build her up with kind words, complimentary statements and encouragement. 

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“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Find more ideas for deacon wives at Deacon Magazine(LifeWay) and Deacon wives—Fresh Ideas to Encourage Your Husband and the Church (B&H Publishing).

NEXT MONTH:  “31 Days to a Better Women’s Ministry

So your church has called a new pastor…or youth minister or other staff member.  Need an effective way to say “welcome?”

Try this idea! Prepare a notebook of”welcome forms” froma group who will be partners with her in coming days of ministry.

For example, deacon wives could prepare a welcome notebook for the new pastor’s wife. All the youth teachers and leaders could prepare a notebook for the new youth minister. 

Prepare a form similar to this one, but fit the questions to your church and her ministry.

Dear Pastor’s Wife… Welcome!

Deacon wives at ______ church are glad you’re here.

(One form to be completed by each deacon wife)

My Name_________________________________________

You can call me “_____________”

__You can count on me to be your prayer partner, friend, supporter and favorite sister!

 My husband: _____________ 

Children: __________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________(My address is marked on the attached map)

Phone: _________________

Email: _____________________________________________

Employment or interests: ________________________________________

One thing I’m involved in outside the church is ________________________

Something else I enjoy:__________________________________________

My favorite restaurant, bakery or coffee shop in our town:________________

One thing you’ll love about our town: ________________________________

 My favorite ministry involvement in church is  ________________________

My spiritual gift is _____________________________________ (Eph 4:7-12)

A favorite Scripture of mine is: ___________________________

One thing you’ll like about our church: _____________________

The best thing about our church is __________________________________

 Call me when… (just check a few)

___ You need a laugh

___ You need prayer

___ You get lost in town

___ You need a friend

___ You need a babysitter

___ You need a ride to church

___ You want to meet for coffee

___ You want help unpacking boxes

___ You need an encouraging word

___ You forget what time worship begins

___ You need someone to pick up the kids at school

___ You’d like company on a hospital or ministry visit

___ You need to find a ____________________(i.e. doctor, mall, dry cleaner)

___ I’d love to help you with: ____________________________________

(Example:  I work in the school district, like planting flowers, will introduce you to all our homebound members sometime, help you with computer, cooking, decorating, etc.)

 —–

You could distribute the forms by email, asking the participants to email a digital photo to accompany the form.

I was the pastor’s wife in a church with a large ministry staff.  As we added various staff members, we’d prepare a form similar to this to quickly make the staff wife feel welcome.  All our current staff wives would complete the form.

It’s difficult to make a move. Try this simple way to give her a warm welcome.

“I was a stranger and you took me in….” Matthew 25:35

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• Pray for Steve and I as we lead Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Pastor / Deacon / Wives Retreat this weekend in Bowling Green.
• Coming February 1 – Thirty Days to be a better deacon’s wife. Daily blog with simple tips to improve your serve.
• Coming March 1 – Thirty Days to improve your church’s women’s ministry.

 

Here’s this month’s Fresh Ideas article:

Fresh Ideas for Winter Outreach

Sharing the Savior in the Snow

By Diana Davis

 “He directs the snow to fall on the earth…” Job 37:6

Whether you’re in Houston or Indianapolis, your church may have an occasional opportunity for sharing Jesus in the snow. A few fresh ideas:

We’re Open! Invest in a professional, brightly-colored sign or banner to display outdoors on questionable weather Sundays: “Let it snow! Join us for worship today at 11.”

Biggest Snowman in Kokomo! Build a gigantic snowman on the church lawn during the next big snow. Make a huge black hat, and gather accessories, buckets, snow shovels and ladders. A tree limb arm will hold a big sign: “God loves you snow much! Join us for worship Sunday at 11!” When the white seems right, send an email and phone tree message to invite church members to help. Some may bring trash bags of extra snow, if needed. You’ll enjoy fun Christian fellowship, and it may make the local paper’s front page!

Snow Fam. Build a snowfamily or a row of snowpeople on the church lawn—snowmen, snowgrandpas snowgirls, snowpets and so on. Each snow creature holds a sign inviting passersby to Sunday worship.

Snow Shoveling Party. During extended extreme weather, ask members to join deacons to shovel sidewalks for elderly church members and neighbors. Provide thermoses of hot cocoa for shovelers.   

Snow Soup. For snow parties, everyone brings cans of vegetables to add to huge, steaming soup pots.

Phones and  Escorts. Assign church members to call homebound church members during weather crises to assure their safety. Walk elderly folks to their car on slippery Sundays.

Coat Exchange. It’s like a cookie exchange, but warmer. Ask members to donate outgrown coats, place them on big coat racks, and invite everyone to help themselves. 

Hot Cocoa and Warm Teaching. Advertise a winter Bible study to feature a hot chocolate bar with all the trimmings. 

Mitten Tree. To collect warm socks and mittens for a local benevolence project, roll donated gloves and socks and hang like ornament balls on a tree.

Winter Sports. Take advantage of local opportunities for church-family winter fun, such as snow skiing, snowball wars, ice skating or sledding. Enjoy indoor sports during dreary weather months. Don’t have a gym? Rent a local facility for basketball, bowling, curling or volleyball tournaments. 

 Cancellation Policy. Make a plan for extreme weather cancellations. For example, one church cancels worship only for major power outages or if the governor mandates road closure. Post an announcement on the church’s answering machine and website within two hours of worship.

 God created the summer and the winter.  Praise Him in every season!

 ©Diana Davis is author of Fresh Ideas and Deacon Wives (B&H Publishing). See www.keeponshining.com

Praying that 2010 brings a wonderful year of health, joy and opportunities to serve God in your walk of life.

Here’s one of my favorite ideas for a  party. It’s great for adults, teens, seniors, singles, and it can be varied for almost any time of year. It involves a wild variety of hats, and I’ve given the instructions below. Use it for a long mixer as you begin your party, or make it a whole evening of fun, just doing the hat thing along with whatever else you’ve planned.

Try it with your Sunday School class, small group, church group or other friends.  It’s perfect for a small or large group of people. Use it as a mixer, or let it last through the whole evening.  You’ll be amazed at the “ownership” folks take as they sport their interesting headgear, and it can liven up the calmest group. 

Our family has an interesting assortment of hats we’ve gathered over the years…an indian headdress, a cheese head, tierra, top hats, antlers, cowboy hats, unting hat, fancy ladies’ bonnets and hats, dunce hat, fireman hat, a penguin cap, crazy feather hats, cowboy hats, helmets…dozens of hilarious one-of-a-kind hats. Over the years, we’ve used those to enhance many parties, with the instructions below.  We never announce that the event is a “hat” party–it’s just a surprise when they arrive.

Alternative ideas: You can use New Year’s hats for a New Year’s Eve party. For a Christmas party, you can ask everyone to bring a funny Christmas hat as a gift exchange, play the game all night, then let everyone take the first hat they wore home as a prize. A summer outdoor party could use summertime head gear. Be sure you have plenty of guys hats as well as girls, and avoid too many regular baseball caps, unless it’s a cap party.  Just use your imagination! 

1. As guests arrive, ask each one to select a hat from the assortment near the door and wear it. 

2. Watch people come alive as they converse with one another in their interesting headgear.

3. Every half hour or so, ring a bell and make an announcement about the hats. For example:

- Everyone has thirty seconds to exchange hats with the person nearest you! (You’ll be amazed at how traumatic this is. Many won’t want to give up their hat.)

- Everyone look inside their hat right now. The person with a safety pin inside  their hat wins this fabulous prize! (Use a great prize; that will keep people wearing their hats.) Everyone doesn’t need a prize, but you could continue to whistle every half hour, and award another prize. Some prizes can be nice; others can just be silly. If you’re doing lots of prizes, write specific hats on paper an dput them in a basket to draw out the prize winner as the party progresses, such as the person wearing the elf hat. Do prizes quickly so it’s a welcome interruption. 

- Everyone must select a new hat. Choose your favorite one from someone’s head or take one from the extras at the door. 

- When I count to three, everyone throws their hat in the air, and catches a new one to wear.

- Ring the bell and tell everyone to give their hat to someone who they think could wear it well! You have thirty seconds…go!

Interestingly, we’ve not found an age group that doesn’t enjoy this activity.  We’ve used it as a mixer or during an entire party.  

Here’s a bonus:  every party photo is a treasure!  Enjoy!

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