Minister's Life & Ministry

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Enrichment
The First Decade
Every issue (Fall 1995- Fall 2005) on 3 CDs.

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Conflict Management
Two volume set now available.

Managing the Local Church/Leadership CD.

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Includes all 29 years of the now out-of-print Paraclete magazine. An excellent source of Pentecostal themes and issues. Contains articles on theological topics concerning the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. An indispensable source of sermon and Bible study material with a fully searchable subject/author index.

Advance/Pulpit CDs
Long out of print but fondly remembered, Advance and Pulpit magazines blessed thousands of ministers. Now the entire Advance/Pulpit archive--nearly 40 years of information, inspiration, helps, and history--is available to you on separate CDs.

Table of Contents

How To Retain Single Adults in Leadership Positions

Here are several keys to retaining single adults in leadership positions after they make an initial commitment to serve.

1. Empower. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide their ministry. Delegate the responsibility and authority commensurate with the task. Let leaders feel free to risk, to try new strategies, and even sometimes to fail.

2. Equip. Ensure that leaders have the necessary skills, knowledge, and the proper funding, supplies, and equipment to do their assigned task.

3. Encourage. Affirm your leaders. Let them know what they are doing well. When things don’t go right, share an experience when you failed and reassure them that failure is something everyone experiences. Help them learn from failures.

4. Recognize. Be creative in the ways you recognize your leaders. Be quick to praise their successes. Give all due credit. Recognize them in public.

5. Reward. Find ways to reward your leaders. Give them tickets to a ball game or gift certificates for dinner at a restaurant. The rewards need not be expensive; the thought is what counts.

6. Relieve. Don’t recruit a leader for an indeterminate period of time. Be clear when you first discuss the position that the commitment time is limited. Start with a short commitment–3 to 6 months or a year at the most. They can reenlist at the end of the initial commitment.

7. Listen. Talk with your leaders frequently. Ask how things are going. Follow through on issues and concerns.

8. Love. People respond to love. If you truly care for your leaders as individuals, they will sense your concern and will consider you their friend in ministry.

9. Learn. Be willing to learn from those you recruit. Don’t miss out on a idea simply because you are the pastor.

10. Lead. A genuine leader is more concerned with developing people than developing programs. A leader is a guide, a model, an encourager, and a supporter who helps strong people become true leaders.

Bobbie Reed, Ph.D., D.Min., Lemon Grove, California.