15Oct 2015 by Nigel Ring

Any Questions?

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping
Since starting this blog I have sought to help equip the church in various ways, particularly in Administration and Ministry with the Poor. I have produced a series of booklets 'Administration in the Church' which may be of interest.                   These are available for £2 each or £5 for the set plus postage from feeding5000isnopicnic@gmail.com. Please put 'Book order' in topic line. Pause for reflection and Q/A Speaking recently to Sidney Nevis, a long-standing friend and church leader in Mumbai, India, he suggested that some would welcome the opportunity to pause for reflection and ask questions about their specific situations. I am happy to be available to help in this way. So if you feel there are issues related to church administration (I…
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24Sep 2015 by Nigel Ring

The life you never expected – Book Review

Books, Equipping, News
I find that many families carry significant burdens in their lives. Often we are ignorant of these as they appear OK when we see them among the church on Sundays. But dig a bit and you will find major issues. My wife and I faced this 23 years ago. One day I received a phone call in my office telling me that our son had been involved in a serious road accident. In that moment I thought ‘I think that life has just totally changed and we had no warning’. That proved to be true. Andrew and Rachel Wilson carry a particular life-changing situation in their home with two young children who have regressive autism. Andrew, an elder of Kings Church, Eastbourne, is well known across the Newfrontiers family for…
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09Sep 2015 by Nigel Ring

The word for word Bible comic

Books, Equipping, News
We live in an age where sustained reading is becoming less common, where people expect sound bites and a high level of graphics. Reaching people with the Bible in written form is becoming more and more challenging. With this in mind I was excited to learn of a project being carried out by a member of the City Church in Bristol (pen name Simon Amadeus Pillario) who is taking significant portions of the Bible and reproducing them word for word with comic illustrations of the highest quality. Comics are one of the most rapidly rising areas of popular communication, not, as might be expected, only among children, but among those in the 15-40 age groups. So this initiative is very timely, providing a resource to reach out to a section of…
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23Jul 2015 by Nigel Ring

Mobilising Volunteers pt 9 – Training

Administration in the Church, Equipping, Volunteers
We have been looking at ways of creating a fulfilling and positive experience for volunteers serving in the church. Personal affirmation As well as team activities there are things that can be done with only a little effort that will make a person feel appreciated. For instance, birthdays provide an annual opportunity to make someone feel special. A card gives the opportunity to express how much that person is appreciated not only for what they do but, even more important, for who they are. It is good to tell people that their lives have a positive effect on others; often people do not realise how others see them and they need commending. You can also add a box of chocolates or flowers to the card. Training Another way of showing…
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15Jul 2015 by Nigel Ring

Mobilising Volunteers pt 8 – Team Building

Administration in the Church, Equipping, Volunteers
Often people are invited to serve as part of a team. The individuals may well be more diverse than would be the case in an employed environment as the reasons for volunteering are not entirely based on skills and ambition. I remember, for instance, visiting one church overseas and finding that the Deputy High Commissioner for the UK and his family were members of the church. I then observed how he and his wife served faithfully among the children on a Sunday, not too proud to be scrabbling around on the ground with young children getting covered in paint and glue! They knew what it was to serve humbly without seeking any acclaim from man. I am sure the Lord was pleased. For such a couple to be led by…
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08Jul 2015 by Nigel Ring

Mobilising Volunteers pt 7 – Accountability and Feedback

Administration in the Church, Equipping, Volunteer
Last time we saw the importance of having clear definition of a role or task with agreed expectations. How do we ensure that these expectations are being met? Accountability A vital part of managing staff, whether paid or unpaid, is communication and support. There can be a tendency to ‘cast off’ a volunteer and let them ‘get on with it’, particularly in the midst of a busy schedule. But accountability is very important both for checking that progress is being made and to assure the individual of your commitment and interest. It also encourages reliability if someone knows that they are being monitored in a constructive way. I once led a Stewarding Team in our church, many years before I served on the welcome team mentioned in part 3. I…
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