 |
|||||
Reviewed by Patricia Farris, Senior Minister, Santa Monica First United Methodist Church Recruiting Volunteers by Dan Entwistle. (The Abingdon Press and The Church of the Resurrection Ministry Guides) This little guide, another in the series out of The Church of the Resurrection in Leawood Kansas, will be helpful to churches large, medium and small desiring to develop and expand lay participation in all aspects of congregational life and work. Dan Entwistle, managing executive director for programs and ministries at The Church of the Resurrection, writes out of years of experience in recruiting, training and deploying laypeople for ministry. His book will be no less valuable to UMM and UMW units, campus ministries, conference and district staff and church-related non-profits. As with all the volumes in this helpful series, this how-to guide is designed to be an inexpensive, easily read and readily accessible resource to assist ministry in a variety of settings. Its four chapters cover the ground necessary to Invite, Equip, Connect, and Sustain volunteers in ministry, with helpful questions, charts and checklists. It’s a book not so much designed for reading as for doing. The whole idea is to make it easy for pastors, staff and lay leadership to jump in and move forward towards their dreams for greater involvement and shared ministry. Lay Leadership Committees could use this guide to direct their work all through the year. While certain recommendations may apply more readily in larger congregations, there is plenty of good material here for everyone: ways to get started; pitfalls to avoid; helpful tips; and, examples that have worked for others. And most importantly, Entwistle grounds his guide in clear biblical theology. “Whether you are a staff member, lay leader, or a faithful volunteer, you have a mandate to equip the people of the church for ministry [Eph. 4:11-13]. Not because the church must fill volunteer positions, but because on its best day the church is a movement of people following God into an adventure of ministry. And enrolling Christians in the mission of the church is imperative.” (p.7) Anyone looking for inspiration, encouragement, practical suggestions, or a revitalized enthusiasm about why and how to develop your church’s work with and through God’s people, will find it in Recruiting Volunteers.
|
