Mentoring is quite the buzzword these days. It seems everyone has a mentor and isn’t limited to an office setting. Since it is so pervasive today, we need to discern between good and bad mentoring.
This cartoon shows what happens when it turns into a bad excuse for a gopher role.
I’m not sure which came first; my idea or the Geico commercial. But both make me laugh after all this time. Now after playing the commercial, I have a voice to go with the little critter.
I’ve heard it said that it takes a leader to motivate paid staff, but it takes a real leader to motivate volunteers. That’s why I believe one of the best leaders I’ve seen is my wife. I have seen her cast vision, inspire and motivate children’s ministry volunteer staff at three churches.
At none of the churches have I seen a guy like the burglar in this cartoon. He would not be allowed to rock babies or make crafts with the preschoolers. Besides, he wouldn’t pass the background check!
I drew this for the October 2017 Church of God e-newsletter.
There are some traditions that shouldn’t be messed with. In a church, it’s probably okay to allow coffee in a sanctuary. (I know I’m biased on this one). If you are in the middle of the deep southern United States, and the church can afford air conditioning, it’s probably a good idea to allow that change to happen. But one needs to be prudent when making changes.
Often, churches and church people get a reputation for being resistant to change. “Worship Wars” continue as those who love traditional hymns duke it out with lovers of contemporary styles of worship. Changing an old chair in the lobby can be controversial if it was dedicated in memory of a dearly departed saint during the Eisenhower Administration. Adding a little fresh paint and new carpet to a classroom can cause consternation along with a little weeping and gnashing of teeth.