Survival Skills for Wives in Ministry

Support and Training for Wives in Ministry

Over the past 30 years we have ministered to dozens of ministers and their wives on issues of burn out, church conflict, dealing with aggressive members, gossip, rearing children, etc. Leading a ministry is perhaps the most daunting career in life. Now, help is on the way.

Steve Griebling, Family Therapist and international training expert, will provide four Mondays for “Survival Skills for Wives in Ministry”. February 11, 18, 25 and March 3.

The sessions will be from 7:00-8:15 at the Life Way Counseling Center Conference Room in Blue Ash. Directions after sign up.

The enrollment is limited to ten women so each can receive personal attention.

Cost $20.00 per session.

Topics
1. How to love people without taking their problems
2. How to minister to distressed minds without losing your own
3. Boundaries as a Minister’s wife
4. Leisure, fun and be relaxation
5. Developing a support system that you can trust
6.

Each attendee will get a copy of Dr. Gary Sweeten’s DVD on the importance of becoming a “Committed Couple”. It can be used as a guide for personal growth or teaching small groups or classes. For questions, contact Steve @ 984-827 or stevegriebling@hotmail.com

Steve is a senior trainer with Sweeten Life Systems. He has taught leaders in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, China, Russia, Zimbabwe and Singapore. Steve has been a Pastor, a Clinical Counselor and head of a Counseling Program so he is well qualified to train wives how to overcome the problems of ministry.

So Many People Retiring!!

And what about these soon-to-retire workers?

The Social Security Administration reports that 52 percent of Americans has no private pension coverage.

This evidently means that these folks think that the small income they receive from Social Security will be adequate for them to live on. However, because the politicians in Washington, D. C. have refused to improve Social Security, it will be insolvent by 2012.

Even more shocking, 31 percent of the workforce has no savings set aside specifically for retirement.

In the Winter of 2008, Republicans and Democrats are running for President. Yet none of them is talking about these issues. That is, unless you count the fact that they lie spending even more money the Federal Government does no have on free universal health insurance.

The life expectancy for a 65-year-old has grown from 12 1/2 years in 1935 to 17 years today. So as this generation moves into its retirement years, it will stay around longer than past generations.

DEEE-Nial ain't a river in Egypt!

Are You Ready to Retire?

Plant seeds for the future!

If you read this blog much you know that one of my little sayings is:

Don't Retire

Refire!

However, by using this proverb I am not suggesting that you refuse to save money and prepare for a time when your earning power has been reduced. In fact, those of us who "REFIRE" will need more financial resources than those who continue to work for money.

Because so many Boomers and Silents are retiring and leaving the work force, a crisis looms on the horizon for churches, companies and schools. Now is the time for Christians to down size their appetites and slow their spending to build a good nest egg that will allow you to REFIRE with freedom.

Find a financial planner and let them guide you so that whatever you have will be put to work for you.

Intergenerational Ministry and Worship

Planning worship, preaching and programs for the modern church is a huge and growing challenge. Very few people seem to be writing or talking about it. That is unfortunate because the health and vitality of every church and business in the world rests on successfully navigating the waters of inter generational groups.

The Alban Institute is a resource organization for leaders and churches. It is a group that usually covers cutting edge or rapidly changing topics of interest. They have recently published three books on the topic of healthy planning for inter generational ministries.

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=5544

The books seems to tackle the major issues facing us all as we try to lead in the 21st Century. Planning is the key to success.

Planning for the Financial Future

This money belonged to crooks. It would be much better if it belonged to Christians.

I am a strong believer in helping people avoid or escape poverty. God has a lot to say about poverty and most of it is bad. He is consistent in demanding that His people help the truly poor.


To me, this is a matter of common sense as well as biblical mandate. If churches want to thrive spiritually, they must have temporal resources as well as spiritual ones. If all churches helped their people do a better job of financial planning they would also reap the benefits from the tithes and offerings they receive from the congregation.


Every church needs resources. Nobody can evangelize, hire staff or support missions if there is no money. One of the reasons we support ministry in Russia is because they have so little. However, we are doing everything we can to enhance their economic condition.


Every church could and should have classes and regular preaching on ways to save money, get good jobs and make a bigger salary. I wish every church had several millionaires in them so their tithes and offerings would bless others.


Go to the Willow Creek Association and look for the materials by Dick Towner. Buy them and use them in your church.

Ready to Retire?

Probably not! Very few of us are ready to retire.

Many of the people in the Boomer and Silent/Pioneer Demographic Groups are definitely not ready to retire. One of the many crises of our nation's so called Social Security plan is the fact that it seems to lull most people into thinking that they do nto have to have a personal savings plan to provide the greater part of their retirement.

Look at these data:

The Ohio Department of Development projects an 8.5 pe rcent growth in population between 2000 and 2030. Consider this: Between 2012 and
2030, more than 3 million Ohioans will reach retirement age!

And what about these soon-to-retire workers? Social Security reports that 52 percent of Americans has no private pension coverage and 31 percent of the workforce has no savings set aside specifically for retirement.

Additionally, the life expectancy for a 65-year-old has grown from 12 1/2 years in 1935 to 17 years today. So as this generation moves into its retirement years, it will stay around longer than past generations.

Alarming!
U.S. Controller General David Walker was quoted as saying,“The most serious threat to the United States is not hiding in a cave in Afghanistan or Pakistan but (is) our own fiscal responsibility.”

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told lawmakers earlier this year, The rising costs of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, “will drive government spending to unprecedented levels, consume nearly all projected federal revenues and threaten America’s future prosperity!

Gadgets for Seasoned Citizens

I received an e mail from Michael Cristiani. Take a look.

Check out all 6 pages/mini-stories. For me the challenge is how to put all this stuff to the service of the Gospel and the loving/caring/relationships/healing stuff you have been blogging about.

Seems there must be some ministry/church-healing/unifying opportunities here somewhere, or even just some business ideas.
http://www.news.com/2300-1041_3-6212355-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg