Where do you find your service ideas?We've asked that question a lot over the past couple of months, and it seems that we're developing sort of a pattern when it comes to the answers we've been giving.
Basically we hear;
First I go the sites that I know of and see if they have posted anything new. Sometimes I find something, but most of the time not. (Notice this is done alone and who knows how long it takes?)
Then if I still haven't found what I'm looking for, I'm on to Google and the surfing begins. (This is definitely alone and you can spend hours!)
The reason I've served, over 17 years in the Ministry now (wow I'm getting old!) is because I truly felt, like I know all of you have, a calling on my life. I believed God was calling me to use the gifts and abilities that He had given me, to reach people with the love of Christ. It's funny, but nowhere in that statement, did I think that would include many many hours on the internet searching for service ideas. Well it did, many many frustrating hours!
What an age we live in for Ministry! Just the other day I sat in my office working on an upcoming service with three websites open when it struck me, with these three sites, I now have everything I need to effectively do my job. First, of course,
MinistryHub.com, a way to network with other pastors and those within my home church, to find the ideas that I need. Second,
Planning Center Online, a great web tool to help you effectively communicate and schedule your ministry volunteers. And then finally,
Song Select, the largest site of song data I've seen when it comes to Worship music. Because of sites like these, we can now, find the ideas we need and plan our services more effectively, and in a shorter amount of time than ever, giving us more time to actually be with people and minister, instead of sitting in an office or coffee shop surfing the web. More ministry, less google!
What do you think?
