Illustration: Skill, Talent

Morris, the loudmouth mechanic, was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted a famous heart surgeon who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his Mercedes.

Do We Emphasize the Huddle or the Playing Field

Ken Hemphill recalls his college football days and remembers the team was great in the huddle. It just didn't perform when it came time to play. Hemphill used that as an analogy for the church as he presented the Layne Lectures at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, according to a Sept. 30, 2003, Baptist Press story.

Put the Cookies on the Lower Shelf

In a recent issue of his Leadership Wired newsletter (Vol. 6, Issue 17), John Maxwell explains, "The ability to make the complex seem simple is a mark of a good communicator. Some people do this naturally--they have an innate capacity to explain complex concepts in ways that evoke understanding instead of vacant looks. As I often say, they know how to put the cookies on the lower shelf so everybody can have some.

Multicultural Ministry Handbook

With the growing need for churches that reach across cultures, Multicultural Ministry Handbook: Connecting Creatively to a Diverse World (IVP) will be a valuable resource for many church leaders. Edited by David Anderson and Margarita Cabellon, the book covers a variety of topics on ministry within a multicultural setting, including arts and worship, ministry to children and students and community outreach.

A Primer on Christian Worship

The topic of worship continues to be a source of conversation and conflict. William Dyrness offers a helpful resource to aid in that conversation with his book A Primer on Christian Worship (Wm. B. Eerdmans). The book offers a useful analysis of the current issues regarding worship and provides historical context to see how we have arrived at this point. Pastors and church leaders will find it a helpful tool.