I found myself humming and singing the lyrics to the refrain from the well-known song from Fiddler on the Roof as I reflected on the life of a ministry developer working with more than a half a dozen churches. It also is where my heart lies--connecting people and resources, connecting people with people, and locating resources and information. It is the detective in me and perhaps in any effective ministry developer. We assist churches and people in getting "connected"; we make "matches." And it does not violate any canon on improper relationships!
Seems like learning how to make these connections is one of the most important skills (gifts?) that a ministry developer needs to be effective. No one expects the ministry developer to have all of the information or even be good at all things, but an effective developer does need to know how to research, locate, and pass along information. It also does not hurt if the ministry developer also loves being this matchmaker, which I do! Perhaps that is the reason I also found myself also humming part of the tune from The Sound of Music--"these are a few of my favorite things."
Theresa
