Author: Meggan Jacobus

About Meggan Jacobus

Co-Founder & Staffing Manager at Froot Group Recruiter | Consultant | Connector | Wife | Mom | Friend @frootgroup @ministryjobs

Things to Think About When Looking for a Job

 

Looking for a new position and trying to figure out if a job is right for you?  While salary is important, it doesn’t always spell happiness. Here are a few things to consider while weighing the pros and cons of that position you have your eyes on. 

*******************************************************************

Why are you looking for a new job

Responsibilities

Benefits

Working hours

Room to grow

Company reputation

Location

Getting names wrong

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

What’s Your Elevator Pitch?

Have an interview coming up? Time to get your “elevator pitch” ready.

Here are some tips to get you ready:

*******************************************************************

Introduce yourself!

What makes you unique?

What is your goal?

What do you know about the church/organization?

Make a strong conclusion.

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position. We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

10 Guidelines for Paying and Hosting Guest Speakers and Musicians

Money can be an awkward issue for churches and guest speakers.

It’s the issue both parties consider; but it’s often the issue around which both parties tiptoe.

It should not be that way. It’s really a matter of biblical stewardship and hospitality. Over the years, I have worked with many churches and speakers (and a few musicians) to establish some guidelines for hosting and paying guest speakers. Keep in mind, these are guidelines, not rigid rules. There will always be reasons for exceptions.

    1. Pay with a generous spirit. 

      As your church is able, try to abound in generosity to the guest speakers and musicians. Art Rainer actually developed a formula for paying guest preachers specifically. I think his approach is a good starting point for guest preachers. There will be differences for conference leaders, musicians, and others.

  1. Ask the guest speaker for expectations for pay. 

    Don’t be shy to ask guest speakers if they have specific fees or payment guidelines. There is no need to tiptoe around this matter.

  2. Pay promptly.

     Your church should have the check waiting when the speaker arrives. Get the W-9 form and travel expense reimbursement form completed ahead of time as often as possible. You should never tell a speaker you will get a check to him later after he has completed his engagement with you.

  3. Cover all travel expenses.

     Those expenses would include airfare or mileage reimbursement, rental car, meals, and lodging. There is nothing wrong with being clear about what level of expenses you will reimburse, such as coach fare instead of first-class.

  4. Provide reasonable accommodations.

     Most speakers do not like to stay in homes. They are often on the road a good bit and prefer the freedom of being in a hotel and not making up their own beds or engaging the hosts in long conversations.

  5. Inform the speaker ahead of time.

     Tell them clearly what the honorarium or fee and travel reimbursement will be on the front end of conversations with them. Outlining these details in writing is also helpful for both parties. Don’t leave the speaker wondering about it after he or she has accepted the invitation.

  6. Consider the implications of the engagement from the perspective of the speaker.

     From the church’s perspective, the engagement could be as brief as a 45-minute speaking assignment. But from the speaker’s perspective, he may have to be gone two days from his family due to travel time. Be generous from that perspective.

  7. Avoid scope creep and add-ons. 

    Scope creep means you ask the speaker for additional speaking spots after your initial invitation. The church or host often says, “Since you are going to be here anyway . . .” Add-ons refer to other groups trying to get the speaker to do engagements for them since the original host is paying the travel costs. The host church or host should ask for the specific commitment on the front-end and not add to it.

  8. Provide a specific point person as their contact and host.

     The speaker needs one person as the contact person for all aspects of the engagement, from travel arrangements to payments to sound checks to meeting them at the site of the engagement.

  9. Protect your church’s reputation.

     It does not take long for a church to get a bad reputation for how it treats speakers. Travel can be a wearying experience. The speaker needs to know the host has his or her best interests at heart.

Granted, these guidelines are written largely from the perspective of looking after the speaker. In a future post, I will address specific guidelines speakers and musicians should consider. In the meantime, let me hear your thoughts.

Article taken from ThomRainer.com  and written by Thom Rainer. Thom is the founder and CEO of Church Answers, and online community and resource for church leaders. 

Redemption Hill Church

Each week, we feature a new church and introduce you to some of the new and exciting things that’s taking place within it’s doors and within their community. All of our churches have the same mission, however, and it’s to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. We’re all engaged in the same kind of work!

Let’s use this opportunity above all to encourage and pray for each other. If you would like your church to be featured and for us to pray for your church, please comment below with the name and location of the church.

Church Name: Redemption Hill Church

Senior Pastor: Tanner Turley

Location: Medford, MA

Website: redemptionhillchurch.com

Redemption Hill Church is ready for a full summer as they’re diving deep as they serve within their community. Pastor Turley leads Redemption Hill with his passion rooted in connecting people within the community and helping them discover God’s design for their lives. When you visit Redemption Hill, you can expect reverence and relevance.  They exist to glorify God by living out His mission as a community transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pray for their summer outreach and service within their community. We ask that they would shine and be a light to the people they come in contact with. Pray that they would point people to Christ in all they do. Also, for new leaders that are coming on board to serve. Pray that the on-boarding and training up of these leaders is God ordained. We ask that God would increase their harvest season and that more people would come to Christ thru what is being taught within the walls of the church. Pray for the leaders and teachers that are training up and discipling these new believers.

May their words and actions be of God and that these new believers would want to know more about Christ because of what they’ve seen or heard.

“Churches Praying for Churches” is a blog series at MinistryJobs.com. Come along side of us to pray for these churches. Let us know that you’re praying with us by commenting below.

If you would like your church featured in the “Churches Praying for Churches” series, comment below with the churches name and location. 

If I Only Knew

Have you ever had an, “If I only knew,” moment? The kind of moment that you look back at something wishing you would have known ahead of time so you could have done something different.

If I only knew that buying furniture on credit as a young couple would spiral into a mess of credit card debt, I would have….

If I only knew that the company I worked for was going to downsize this year, I would have….

If I only knew that my friend would be shot and killed today, I would have…..

If I only knew that the children in that neighborhood didn’t have shoes, I would have….

If I only knew that there was a need in ministry for this, I would have….

If I only knew that God was leading me in this direction, I would have…

If I only knew my kids were feeling this way, I would have….

Life would look different if we had some crystal ball or mirror we could look into and see the future, but that’s just a Disney movie. But God can see what is, was, and will be, for each of us.
Have I not commanded you?
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” Isaiah 43:1-3, 13 NLT
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel, and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!” Psalms 139:1-6 NLT

God knows our struggles, the struggles of others, and also what each of us needs. He sent his son, Jesus to the earth to live a life as human, yet as God, to reconcile us to his purpose for eternity. Jesus told the woman at the well, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10 NLT) When the woman at the well discovered that she was in the presence of the Son of God, the Messiah, she and many in her village became believers.

13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15 NIV)

It is my responsibility as a Christian, (and of every Christian) to make sure others ‘know’ the story of Jesus. To listen to the life stories of others so I know what is going on in their life, how/what to pray for, how I might help them and how to connect God’s story with them. It’s my responsibility to know what’s going on in my neighborhood, what’s going on in the schools, what’s going on in the ministries and the lives of my friends by asking critical questions often.

We must put aside the excuses of saying…
IF WE ONLY KNEW

Written by Jeff Shicks, Executive Director at Youth for Christ, Nashville, TN. To find out more about Jeff or Youth for Christ, visit www.nashvilleyfc.org.

First Free Church

Each week, we feature a new church and introduce you to some of the new and exciting things that’s taking place within it’s doors and within their community. All of our churches have the same mission, however, and it’s to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. We’re all engaged in the same kind of work!

Let’s use this opportunity above all to encourage and pray for each other. If you would like your church to be featured and for us to pray for your church, please comment below with the name and location of the church.

Church Name: First Free Church

Senior Pastor: Adam Bowers

Location: Manchester, MO

Website: efree.org

First Free Church is in a season of change and rejuvenation. Pastor Adam Bowers leads First Free Church with relevant preaching and a focus on discipleship and community. He believes the church should be a place where families thrive, individuals grow, and lives are changed forever. Pray for wisdom and discernment for their pastors and elders as they seek God’s will for direction in the weeks and months to come. They have some open ministry positions within their church so pray for their search teams as they’re advertising and interviewing. Ask that the church would continue to impact their community and always be on the lookout for new and creative ways to grow and further the Kingdom.

*Do you have a need in your church that you would like us to pray for? Comment below. We would love to add you to our prayer list!


“Churches Praying for Churches” is a blog series at MinistryJobs.com. Come along side of us to pray for these churches. Let us know that you’re praying with us by commenting below.

If you would like your church featured in the “Churches Praying for Churches” series, comment below with the churches name and location. 

Pinelake Church

Each week, we feature a new church and introduce you to some of the new and exciting things that’s taking place within it’s doors and within their community. All of our churches have the same mission and it’s to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. We’re all engaged in the same kind of work! Let’s use this opportunity to encourage and pray for each other. If you would like your church to be featured and for us to pray for your church, please comment below with the name and location of the church.

 

Church Name: Pinelake Church

Senior Pastor: Chip Henderson

Location: Mississippi (with five locations in Clinton, Madison, Oxford, The Reservoir & Starkville)

Website: www.pinelake.org

The story of Pinelake Church began in February of 1971 in Brandon, Mississippi in a mobile chapel in a rural area near The Reservoir. By God’s grace and power, our faith family has grown into a dynamic church spanning five cities throughout our state — Clinton, Madison, Oxford, the Reservoir, and Starkville. Weekly, we serve over 11,000 people, but we celebrate stories of life change one person at a time. Pinelake recently celebrated LoveFirst Sunday (http://pinelake.org/lovefirst/) where we are mobilizing our church to share love with 10,000 of Mississippi’s incarcerated. Also, we’re also turning into the final stretch of Making Room (http://www.makingroom.in) a 24-month initiative in response to God’s vision for Pinelake to make room in our hearts and our campuses. Our prayer is that this will become a way of life for all of our campuses! Finally, we anticipate that we’ll launch our sixth campus in 2019!

Please pray for the favor of the Lord to lead us and guide is in all these respects.


“Churches Praying for Churches” is a blog series at MinistryJobs.com. Come along side of us to pray for these churches. Let us know that you’re praying with us by commenting below.

If you would like your church featured in the “Churches Praying for Churches” series, comment below with the churches name and location. 

7 New Albums That Will Make You Want to Worship Jesus This Advent

You might not enjoy hearing Christmas music, say, every time you go out shopping. But if you’re like many of us, you probably still have some favorite Christmas albums you’ll listen to while decorating your house. Maybe those even include some of our recommendations from 2017! Or perhaps you enjoy the opportunity to worship God with songs you don’t get to sing during any other time of the year.

Even if you have a set of favorite Christmas tunes, it’s fun to find something fresh now and then.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a short list of Christmas albums released this year that we think you might enjoy.

Lauren Daigle, Behold (Deluxe)

Daigle has been in the news quite a bit lately and has re-released her 2016 Christmas album in a deluxe version. It contains a mix of traditional songs done in a soulful, jazzy style.

Featuring: Jingle Bells, Silent Night, O Holy Night, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Listen to Lauren perform “Away in a Manger

Hillsong Worship, Christmas: The Peace Project (Deluxe)

Another deluxe version re-release comes from Hillsong Worship. The album includes two new live recordings, as well as instrumental versions of the songs.

Featuring: Joy to the World, Hark, Prince of Heaven, When I Think Upon Christmas

Hark Lyric Video

Darlene Zschech & HopeUC, The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering

Speaking of which, Darlene Zschech, whom you might recognize as formerly being with Hillsong, has released a new Christmas album with Hope Unlimited Church.

Featuring: The Mystery (feat. Luke Taylor), Do You Hear What I Hear (feat. Katie Smith), Away in a Manger (He Is Here) (feat. Coco Gleeson & Piper Rorke), Emmanuel (Glory to God) (feat. Laura Robertson)

Away in a Manger (He Is Here) (Official Audio)

Caleb and Kelsey, Christmas Together  

Another artist we recommend is husband and wife duo Caleb and Kelsey. Their Christmas album is distinguished by its beautiful piano music and the couple’s harmonies.

Featuring: Christmas Hallelujah, Snow Medley, What Child Is This? / O Come Emmanuel, This Christmas / Last Christmas

What Child Is This? / O Come Emmanuel

Matt Maher, The Advent of Christmas

Grammy nominee and Dove Award winner Matt Maher anticipates the coming of Christ with a creative album focused on Advent.

Featuring: Gabriel’s Message, He Shall Reign Forevermore, The First Noel, When I Think of Christmas

Gabriel’s Message (Official Audio)

116, The Gift: A Christmas Compilation

Are you looking for hip hop music to jam to while you’re making Christmas cookies? If so, this is the album for you!

Featuring: O’ Come (feat. Tedashii, CASS, nobigdyl.), Joy (feat. Trip Lee, Lecrae, Abe Parker), Noel (feat. Trip Lee, Dave James), We Three Kings (feat. Paul Russell, Lecrae, Abe Parker)

“Joy” (feat. Trip Lee, Lecrae, Abe Parker)

David Phelps, It Must Be Christmas

David Phelps used to sing with the Gaithers and is now a solo artist. Here are some of the tracks we enjoyed most from his new Christmas album.

Featuring: Go Tell It on the Mountain, Fall on Your Knees (feat. Charlotte Ritchie), Catching Santa, In the Bleak Midwinter

Watch David perform “Go Tell It on the Mountain” live!

 

Written by: Jessica Mouser – Jessica Mouser is a writer for ChurchLeaders.com.

Branchline Church

Welcome to our first ever “Churches Praying for Churches” blog series. Each week, we’ll feature a new church and introduce you to some of the new and exciting things that’s taking place within it’s doors and within their community. All of our churches have the same mission and it’s to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. We’re all engaged in the same kind of work! Let’s use this opportunity to encourage and pray for each other. If you would like your church to be featured and for us to pray for your church, please comment below with the name and location of the church.

Church Name: Branchline Church

Pastor: Joe Hannah

Location: Hastings, MN

Website: branchlinechurch.com

Branchline Church, led by Pastor Joe Hannah, is a Converge church that exists to connect people to a growing relationship with Jesus. Their atmosphere is laid-back, warm and friendly. They want people to come as they are and to feel at home. They recently went thru a complete brand redesign and it looks amazing! What’s the story behind their name? In railroad terms, the branch line is a rail line that branches off from the main line into the small towns. In the same way, you and I are like this branch line, created to produce life by connecting with our main life line—Jesus Christ.

We love this! Have a look at their website and social media to learn more.

We’re so excited for what’s to come in 2019 for Branchline Church!


“Churches Praying for Churches” is a blog series at MinistryJobs.com. Come along side of us to pray for these churches. Let us know that you’re praying with us by commenting below.

If you would like your church featured in the “Churches Praying for Churches” series, comment below with the churches name and location. 

5 Ways To Show Your Staff Appreciation During the Holidays

One of my favorite times of year being on staff at my church was always Christmas. The excitement of the season and the busyness of what needed to be done always made me look forward to the holidays. Despite all of the excitement, there was a lot of sleepless nights and tired energy for an entire month – or more!

What are you doing to show your staff that they’re appreciated during this time of year? What are you doing to thank them for the countless hours they’ve put into children’s productions, worship rehearsal, decorating, or putting together a message? Be sure to support your staff during the holidays. Here are a few ideas:

Pray.

Set aside time to pray with your church staff. Pray for God to provide the resources and volunteers to keep up with regular church attendance and for special events this time of year. Pray that God would use your staff to reach out to new guests. Pray against stress and frustrations because let’s be real, we all have it! Prayer brings your requests to God and closer as a staff.

Give them some encouragement.

Write an encouraging note or thank you card to let them know that you appreciate the work they’re doing and the time they’re putting forth to create a memory. Let your staff know that you value their work.

Lend a hand.

I know I’m not alone in this but sometimes I hate to ask for help, especially this time of year when everyone is busy. The best thing to hear during times like this is, “What can I do to help you out?” Asking this simple question will go far in showing someone that you care and support them.

Rest.

Although this may seem like an impossible feat, it’s nonetheless important. Be intentional about creating time for your staff to rest and spend time with their own friends and family during the season. Whether it’s a day off, coming into work later, or leaving earlier – make sure you take care of the physical and emotional health of your staff by allowing them to rest.

Bless them.

If your budget allows, set aside some money to bless your staff with a bonus. Whether it’s a monetary gift, a gift card or something special, giving an end-of-year gift honors their commitment to the church and the sacrifices they have made during the year.

Your church staff is essential for running your programs and services within your church. Don’t rush through the next few weeks and look back and regret not thanking your staff or showing some kind of appreciation. What are you doing to honor some of your staff this Christmas?

Written by Meggan Jacobus. Meggan is the staffing manager at Froot Group, a worship staffing and consulting company.