Ministry in Motion (MIM) Ezine, April 10, 2007

-- "Dancing with the stars…or with Natasha and Bob, anyway" by Charles Marshall.

-- Book Review: "God’s Potters: Pastoral Leadership and the Shaping of Congregations," by Jackson W. Carroll, reviewed by Tom Hanover.

Shop at DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion’s Bookstore for Christian Books, CD, DVDs, Jewelry, Apparel & Gifts and Save! Order Books & Resources

Because of the strong response we got to our free book give-away- we are going to continue with this offer each issue of the E-Zine.

In keeping up with current trends and writings, DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion builds up quite a few books and resources in our shelves.

As a thanks to our valued e-zine readers, we would like to offer some of the best back to you.

We are offering books such as, "Pastor," by Will Willimon; "The Secret Message," by Brian MacLaren; "Overcoming Barriers to Growth: Proven Strategies for Taking Your Church to the Next Level," by Michael Fletcher, and many others.

Put 'FREEBOOKGIVEAWAY' in the Subject line and include your name and mailing address.

My work with ministry placement and volunteers brings me in contact with many volunteers. Where would churches be without these hard workers and their unique gifts? So showing them they are appreciated is important because a volunteer who feels valued is more likely to continue to volunteer.

Jennifer Gallardo, the Children’s Ministry Director at our church, is the master of volunteer coordinating and appreciation. Recently, Jen came up with such a unique gift idea that I asked if I could share it with my MIM readers. Jen gave this gift to staff members at Christmas, but I immediately saw how it could be tweaked to be used as a volunteer appreciation gift.

Non-profits are nearly always stretched for money. The beauty of this gift is that it can be an economical, yet classy and unique gift to give to multiple staff members or volunteers to show appreciation for all their hard work.

Purchase four different types of chocolate after reading their labels to determine the percentage of chocolate they contain. Jen bought prepackaged bags of pre-wrapped morsels for the following: Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate, Scharffen Berger Milk Chocolate, Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate, and Lindt Excellence. If not all of these chocolates are available in your area, you may need to substitute something comparable.

Place two individual pre-wrapped morsels for each brand in an attractive gift bag.

Include a tag on the outside with the volunteer’s name and the following scripture verse on the flip side. Psalm 119:103. “God, how sweet are your words to my tastes, sweeter than chocolate to my mouth!” (Modern Day Version)

1. Light a candle and relax. This chocolate tasting is to be experienced at a slow pace.

3. Sample the chocolate with the least amount of “coca” first and work your way up to the highest amount.

4. Breathe in the chocolate. Place a small piece in your mouth and allow it to melt on your tongue.

6. As the chocolate melts in your mouth, think about what it tastes like. Make note of what you like or dislike about its taste.

Teena Stewart is a published writer, a ministry consultant and coach, and a product developer for DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion. Her new book, Best Practices of Successful Small Groups (Beacon Hill) is scheduled for release in December 2007. To learn more about Teena, her writing, coaching and consulting services, click here. Email Teena at smartwords@sbcglobal.net

Not long ago my wife and I took a ballroom dance class. I know it’s wrong and I’m not proud of it. I’m just saying we did it, but have since gotten our lives right with God again.

Signing up for dance lessons was very difficult for me because I’ve just really never been able to figure out the point of dancing. Especially if you’re single. Could there be a worse activity for two people considering a relationship with each other?

“Hi! My name’s Frank. I will now gyrate my body in the most unfavorable and disagreeable fashion so that you may determine whether or not you think I’m a good long-term relationship risk.” It just doesn’t make sense.

So my wife signs us up for dance lessons sponsored by our public school’s Continuing Education Program, which means the same thing in my neighborhood as it does in yours: quality, excellence and teachers who couldn’t get a full-time gig.

Our teacher, whom I’ll call Natasha because I forgot her real name, is a pleasant older lady who speaks what little English she knows in a thick Russian accent. She has been teaching dance since Moses was fished out of the Nile, but still dances like a fawn on a spring morning. That is to say, she dances in jerky, spasmodic motions, like someone trying to learn to use their legs for the first time. No, I only jest. She dances beautifully, but unfortunately possesses no actual teaching ability.

When my wife and I were learning the waltz, any question I’d ask Natasha would inevitably result in loud clapping in my face, accompanied by the words, “ONE, two three, ONE two three. See? Is easy! No problem. ONE two three!”

Our teacher’s dancing assistant, whom I’ll call Bob because that’s his name, also dances like a dream, by which I mean everything is out of place and nothing makes sense. Once again, I kid. His dancing is also superb.

Bob is roughly 40 pounds overweight but he doesn’t know it because no one has told him. So Bob wears a skin-tight, white T-shirt that resembles sprayed-on latex, which is not very flattering, but nobody has told him that either. Bob has tattoos all over his arms and he sports a foot-long pony tail of solid white hair which rounds out his I-teach-dance-when-I’m-out-on-parole look.

From what I can tell, Bob’s primary responsibilities seem to include periodically dancing with the women in the class while scolding them about the sin of not following the man while he is leading.

After a while, Bob would run out of steam, relinquish his partner and then hover longingly around the other couples, hoping that someone would ask him something so he could cut in and berate another woman mercilessly.

About three-fourths of the way through each class, Natasha and Bob would give up on their slow-witted, clumsy students and start gliding around the floor like Fred and Ginger. The rest of us would then look for our opportunity to slip out of the room without getting caught, like restaurant patrons trying to skip out on the check.

It feels good to get this all off my chest. The Bible says to “confess your sins to each other” (James 5:16a MSG), but it’s amazing how seldom we actually do it.

Maybe it’s hard to be vulnerable with each other because we’re afraid of what will happen if we do. Experience has taught us that to do so might bring ridicule, criticism and gossip.

Maybe it would be easier for us to confess our shortcomings and failures if we adopted an attitude of grace and cultivated a culture of mercy. In a fallen world, it takes no talent to point out that which is wrong. It takes humility, however, to see God at work, even in the midst of disappointment and chaos.

So, don’t think too harshly of me for my ballroom dancing folly. Instead start praying for me right now. I just noticed my wife looking at the fall Ballroom Dancing II schedule.

© 2007 Charles Marshall. Charles Marshall is a nationally known Christian comedian and author. Visit his Web site at www.charlesmarshallcomedy.com or contact him via e-mail at charles@charlesmarshallcomedy.com.

By Jackson W. Carroll, 2006, Wm. Eerdmans Publishing, ISBN-13 0-8028-6320-1, 296 pages

Dr. Carroll is Professor Emeritus of Religion and Society and recently retired Director of Pulpit & Pew: Research on Pastoral Leadership at Duke Divinity School. He is an ordained United Methodist pastor and an author of a number of books including Bridging Divided Worlds: Generational Cultures in Congregations and Mainline to the Future: Congregations for the 21^st Century. This book grows out of the findings of the Pulpit & Pew’s National Clergy Survey, one of the most comprehensive studies of clergy ever taken.

While many ministers are overwhelmed and burned out, Carroll discovered that most American clergy appear to be dedicated, happy and healthy, although the problems they face are complex and serious. Carroll enumerates many of them. Even so, most clergy are satisfied with their work and are deeply committed to their calling.

As one who is responsible for supervising pastors and churches, I found Carroll’s research fascinating. He includes a number of tables and charts that clarify the data revealed in the survey, and over the course of the book’s eight chapters, he expands on themes that emerge from that data. Although I did not read the book from cover to cover, I selected the chapters out of order as I explored his thoughts.

God’s Potters is a thorough review of his research and the findings. It is a bit academic for the non-researcher, but it is insightful and provocative for those who are willing to wade into its depths. While the pastor and local ministry reader may not find it practical for everyday ministry tasks, it is a must read for those who lead and supervise other pastors.

Attention: Churches, Small Groups & Non-profits. Are You Paying Too Much for Books & Resources?

If you or your organization normally orders multiple copies of books and Christian resources you can save money by applying for a special discount coupon via DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion's online bookstore. The coupon is absolutely free with no strings attached. Email Teena Stewart at smartwords@sbcglobal to apply for this discount coupon.

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Ministry in Motion is looking for columnists & writers in the following areas: women's ministry, men's ministry, single's ministry, youth ministry, worship ministry, small group/bible study ministry, and general ministry. We are also open to general church ministry related freelance articles. If you have an idea for a column or would like to share ministry insight or even short ministry tips, we'd love to hear from you. Present payment is promotion only -- no pay but great exposure for you, your ministry, book, or website. Please read our writer's guidelines here.

One of the needs we have perceived at Ministry in Motion is a service to help connect qualified ministers and church workers to ministry related and church staff positions. If you are presently in job search mode, or if you have a ministry position you are looking to fill, be sure to check out this site by clicking here.

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MIM Ezine April 10, 2007