Reggie Joiner's Blog, page 47

Today, This Week, Next Year—What Your Church is Doing Matters

And the winner is. . . .

What an exhilarating, stress-filled rush, right? Why do we put ourselves through the surge of overwhelming emotions? We already know what is going to happen. The camera is going to zoom in on the lid that covers the unforgivable dish of the chef that will be unfortunately eliminated, then immediately cut to a commercial segment that we cannot wait to end (unless we were smart enough to utilize the DVR). Oh, the intense agony of waiting for the outcome! But we still en...

The Impact of Telling Kids Stories Over Time

“Stories over time move us to imagine a world beyond ourselves.”
—from the book, Playing For Keeps The Importance of Stories

Stories are important. There’s a reason why Jesus constantly spoke in parables to his disciples. And there’s a reason why kids seem to gravitate towards story books. Stories allow us to make sense of the world around us. Which is especially important for kids.

Just imagine trying to explain the theological significance of the Christmas story to a child.

You could set u...

Personal Actions Speak Louder Than Personal Words

People will follow what you do more than they will ever follow what you say. This is the power of example. And if you are a parent you have probably seen this play out when your three-year-old repeats something you say in private but would never want people to know you say in public. When your 10-year-old uses the same facial expression you do that says, “I’m looking at you but really not listening to you.” And when your 15-year-old begins to exhibit the same work ethic and moral guide they’v...

How to Manage Your Day to be More Productive in Ministry

If you’re anything like me, then you are very busy. Let’s be honest. Right now there’s just more things to do than time to do them in. There’s a lot of talk about how our lives are a lot busier than ever before. I honestly don’t think this is true. I think we were just as busy back in the settler days. The difference is the amount of individual tasks we have now. The things we did before took up our entire day. Individual tasks took a lot longer, so that meant consequently we could do fewer o...

How to Recruit Volunteers for Camp

It may still be freezing cold where you are right now, but as student pastors, we already have summer on the brain. Why? Because camp may be in the summer, but signups happen now! And that’s true for students and volunteering adults alike. In fact, pretty soon you may find yourself asking your volunteers the dreaded question:

“So, are you coming to summer camp?”

We’ve all been there. You make the ask. Their response? Usually an awkward half-nod, a sheepish half-smile, total eye contact avoida...

Married and in Ministry? If You Have 40 Seconds a Day, This Is for You

My wife, Nancie, and I have been involved in ministry during our entire 23-year marriage. We’ve found that ministry can be a blessing to a marriage, but it can also be a challenge.

The blessings of being married and in ministry are indescribable. There are no words to describe seeing, together as a couple, God do what only He can do.

But being in ministry also poses unique challenges for married couples.

Some of the problems that come from being married and in ministry aren’t hard to see. For...

Andy Stanley Shares About Clarity, Controversy and Irresistible Faith

I first stepped into the doors of Buckhead Church almost seven years ago. As a young leader, I was constantly looking for new ways to approach ministry in different contexts. A friend pointed me toward Andy Stanley and the team at North Point Ministries as an example of those who were doing fresh and innovative things in the church every single week. So that Sunday, I went.

And you guys, I was blown away.

By the time that hour was up, I’d sought out a volunteer just to ask, “How do you do thi...

Clarity, Controversy and Irresistible Faith

I first stepped into the doors of Buckhead Church almost seven years ago. As a young leader, I was constantly looking for new ways to approach ministry in different contexts. A friend pointed me toward Andy Stanley and the team at North Point Ministries as an example of those who were doing fresh and innovative things in the church every single week. So that Sunday, I went.

And you guys, I was blown away.

By the time that hour was up, I’d sought out a volunteer just to ask, “How do you do thi...

The Importance of Keeping Your Spiritual Gas Tank Fueled

It doesn’t matter how nice your car is if you’ve run out of fuel. You’re not driving it anywhere. The same can be said for our souls. In seasons of life where we are emptying ourselves into our ministries and relationships, it’s imperative to find ways for our souls to be filled. An empty leader is an ineffective leader. Empty leaders tend do more harm than good because we are expecting something from our productivity that only comes from our Lord. If you’ve been through a season where you’re...

Performing a Social Media Assessment of Your Ministry

Every year, when the calendar turns from December to January, there is a new year filled with tons of possibilities. It is the perfect time to think through and implement all the things you wanted to do the previous year into this whole new year. While it may be easier to do this in your personal life or ministry world, figuring out how to analyze and implement change in your social media communication is not something most average Joe ministers know much about. But, with the importance of ha...