07 November 2009 | 4 comments

Leadership on the Front Foot 5: Tactical issues Sandy Grant

Paul Grimmond10/11/2009 05:33 AM

Someone has graciously and wisely asked me to post this anonymously, I think there are good reasons for doing so.

“Sometimes ministers find it hard to remember that other people have jobs.  Mine asked me recently why our Bible Study group starting time is “so late”.  I had to explain that I finish work at 5pm, pick up the kids from care, reach home just after 6pm, cook dinner, my husband arrives at 7pm, we eat, and therefore we start our Bible study at the unconscionably late hour of 8pm!

So yes, the ‘capacity’ point is important, and some ministers probably need to think carefully about the work they believe a member of the congregation can accomplish.  It is especially helpful if they can frame it in terms of family evenings the lay person is expected to forgo.”

Sandy Grant11/11/2009 04:22 AM

Thanks for this comment - capacity must include a realism about people’s situation.

Mikey Lynch15/11/2009 02:17 AM

We collect little in our ‘offertry’ but like the way it symbolically includes money in our church meeting, and forces us to thank God and pray for the working lives of our members and for the financial welfare of our church - what do you think?

Sandy Grant15/11/2009 04:21 AM

Mikey, back on my introductory thread reviewing this book, a person commented that he felt it was close to an essential part of corporate worship. I don’t agree with that, but agree it is worth thinking about how we acknowledge corporately the place money plays in our church and individual lives and to think about generosity. Giving via EFT can lead to ‘set and forget’.

But I think you could still do this regardless of whether you ‘pass the plate’. I imagine congregations that don’t pass the plate, still periodically remind people about money, by mentioning how to find out about EFT, or directing people’s attention to the giving box at the back, etc.

Be creative: I put a monthly update in the bulletin.  Sometimes I include a biblical reference to encourage generosity or thankfulness. It could even be an occasion for a brief verbal encouragement/reflection in the notices. Or you could ask the person leading prayers that Sunday to include prayers for stewardship and generosity and workers’ employment that day. Or you could include a verse from the old BCP’s list of exhortations about money even though you don’t pass the plate!

Commenting rules

If you would like your comment to be considered for publication, please observe the following rules:

  1. Please use your FULL NAME (your real name, not an alias).
  2. Stay on topic.
  3. Be godly.

Failure to adhere to these rules will result in your comment being quietly deleted.

If you want to give us feedback but don't want your comments to appear on the blog, DON'T use the form below. Instead, please send us an email or click on the button below.

Your Comment

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Right Side Up

Sponsors

Placeholder

Recent comments

RSS logo

Stephen Jackson on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!

Sam Freney on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!

Marty Foord on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!

Dianne Howard on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!

Mike Bull on Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia

Current discussions

RSS logo

Recent posts

RSS logo RSS logo

The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel! by Tony Payne (4 comments). Regular Sola Panel readers will no doubt have detected a little slowness and quietness over the past six weeks or so. … more

Kids’ culture watch spot: Facing fear by Gordon Cheng (3 comments). By popular demand (two people asked), here is my next script for a culture watch spot I did with the kids … more

Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia by Gordon Cheng (1 comment). It's a Sunday as I write this, and I'm speaking on Daniel 2 and 7 later this morning at a friend's … more

A constituent on same-sex marriage by Sandy Grant (34 comments). Last year, the Australian Parliament agreed that its Members of Parliament (MPs) should seek the … more

A tribute to John Stott by Sandy Grant (2 comments). Friends, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I opened up my computer on Thursday morning to read … more

Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 3): On giants’ shoulders by Scott Newling (26 comments). This is the third post in this series; you can read part one, and more

Bible reading with kids by Sandy Grant (0 comments). I was asked for recommendations for resources that would encourage parents to read the Bible with their kids, especially … more

Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 2): Stepping aside (not out) so others can step up (not in) by Scott Newling (3 comments). This is the second post in this series; you can read the first post, Unassuming … more

One more sip of the coffee by Tony Payne (8 comments). Sandy Grant is a man of integrity. Back in the early days of Sola Panel, I wrote a post … more

Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 1): Unassuming generations by Scott Newling (30 comments). There is a model of ‘intergenerational theological decline’ that has been doing the rounds of late, and perhaps you … more

Tony Payne

Tony Payne

Paul is one of the Staff Editors at Matthias Media. He is married to Cathy and has three fantastic kids. He loves student ministry, reading, writing music and playing the saxophone, and is looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.

Sola Panellists



Some other sites
we like  (Why these?)

Ministry partners