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People often ask, “How can we encourage more men to become elders?”. For several years, I saw something at the Central Church of Christ in Dalton, Georgia, that was effective. We had a good group of elders and deacons. Elders delegated, empowered, and let deacons deak. They were also good at showing appreciation. One of…
The response of the apostles in Acts 6 amazes me. When there was criticism because Grecian widows weren’t getting their fair share of food, the apostles replied, “We won’t be going to the grocery store to get food for our Christian sisters.” Can you imagine that attitude from men Jesus taught and trained to be…
When new shepherds are appointed, they usually go by former shepherds’ rules which are often unconscious, unspoken, but understood. A pattern has been set about agendas (or lack of), who speaks when, prayers (number and time), how the group makes decisions, and how much deacons’ work elders do. Orientation is usually coming to the first…
While running on Old Charlotte Road in Nashville recently, I was struck with the scene: seven mailboxes and eight Yellow Pages® books. They had been there for some time. They were weather worn. Why haven’t people picked them up and enthusiastically started using them? Fewer people are using Yellow Pages®. We threw ours away. I…
There are two problems in delegation: not releasing a task and not accepting responsibility. I received the following email after a previous post: Marked this (delegation) early this morning to send to my elders…they do a great job in this area. The most challenging things for them are: Deacons who “grew up” under a system…
One of the joys of our last interim in Maury City, Tennessee, was seeing the faith, works, and gratitude of Christian farmers. They are men and women who operate big businesses. Farmers study, learn, invest, plant, fertilize, and pray to the Lord to give increase. After an abundant harvest, they thank Him when He blesses…