We all know the enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy (see John 10:10). He will continually throw temptations onto our paths in an attempt to bring down everything God has allowed us to build—our ministries, our families and our relationships. It would be wise for each of us to continue to heed the words from 1 Peter 5:1-11. Keep them near you at all times, especially when dangerous situations arise:

Shepherd the Flock

“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (vv. 1-4).

Submit to God, Resist the Devil

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (v. 5).

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (v. 6)

“Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (v. 8).

“Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (v. 9).

“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (v. 10).

“To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (v. 11).

A former senior editorial adviser of Ministry Today, Jack Hayford is the founding pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, Calif., and founder of The King’s University.

Have you ever been asked to volunteer for something? If you’re breathing and go to a church, you probably have.

A while back, the Center for Church Communications asked if I’d volunteer to serve on their board and to help create their exciting new Certification Lab for church communicators.

The usual “before I answer” questions went through my mind:

• What will I have to do?
• How much time will it take?
• Is this a worthy cause that fulfills what I want to do?
• The first two are logistical; the last is more strategic. Time is a limited resource. I want to use it effectively and strategically, with results. When it’s gone, it can’t be reused.

The church runs on volunteers. Perhaps your job is a volunteer position (or feels like it). Or maybe you rely on volunteers to get the work done. It’s critical to consider the strategic before the tactical. Here are some questions to clarify:

What are the benefits to be enjoyed? Every task has an outcome. And if a job needs doing, you need to know why someone would want to do it. If the outcome isn’t quickly evident (or seems negative), make sure you can find a positive you can emphasize. Living longer is nice, but you probably want something more tangible.

What kind of person is needed? Every person is known for something. Does the volunteer need to be known for something specific in order to fulfill this job effectively? If you require someone who’s meticulous, you don’t want to push a person who’s free-spirited. Allowing volunteers to use a task to fulfill what they want to do with their lives is much easier than pushing the proverbial square peg into the round hole.

What are the actual costs for doing this? This is huge. Marketing, at its core, is getting someone to do something for a “cost.” The higher the cost, the more benefit needs to come from it. So consider the perceived cost. Is it a lot of time, or is it a long drive? Does it force you to do what you don’t want to? You need to weigh the benefits or results.

It’s always important for you and your volunteers to go through this decision process because everyone needs to be reminded of the job’s benefits in order for them to do the tactical work (the perceived price). It’s important to keep people focused on the positive rewards: ultimately, ministry!? —Mark McDonald

Your initial steps into the world of the multisite church can be intimidating—not because you're unwilling to take them but because you don't know where to begin. The concept of launching your first multisite location is not difficult; it is simply replicating what you currently do at another location. However, the process itself can be incredibly complex—particularly for children's ministry.