Dolly Mink: Years of experience in Christian leadership and service have given Dolly Mink a unique perspective, and she is eager to share her observations, insights, and words of encouragement to the women of Virginia. Dolly seeks to accomplish this through teaching, training, and writing. In addition to her role with the SBCV, she leads women’s Bible study at River Oak Church in Chesapeake, where she and her husband are members, and she writes short stories and blogs at 
Last December my life changed in an instant. One minute I was putting away laundry, and the next I was writhing in pain as my knee felt like it exploded. The diagnosis: torn meniscus, torn MCL, and a variety of other ailments stemming from the injury. I had a brand-new granddaughter, a few work obligations, and the remainder of the holidays ahead of me. I didn’t have time for this. But here we were.
Ordered to elevate and ice, and pray for healing, I did everything I could to do my part. Weeks turned into months as I watched my calendar pages fly and deadlines creep up. My first event of the year was scheduled for April 12, and I received word that my surgery would be on April 3rd. Even though my surgeon could make no promises, she predicted that I would be “up and around” in just a few days.
The Holy Spirit ministered to me and gave me a sense of peace and calm about the procedure, and I was confident that, even if things didn’t go as planned and I had to miss the event, everything would be fine. You see, I have an amazing team.
Every good ministry leader needs a team that can be counted on to stand in the gap when the unexpected occurs. A good leader should be able to remove herself from the equation and still have the very best end result. How can you accomplish that? Here’s my take:
- Assemble a diverse group of women who have one common goal: to serve Jesus with humility.
When the unexpected occurs and the team leader has to be absent, the last thing you need is for someone to be “jockeying for position.” Now is not the time for egos. Instead, everyone should be willing to celebrate and utilize each others’ gifts and to use them for the advance of the kingdom. Making these strengths known to your team in advance will help them be able to decide which parts of the event they will be able to contribute to.
- Meet regularly.
We meet as a state team once a month, on the third Monday, from 6:30-7:30. (We also meet in person once or twice a year) Our monthly meetings help us to stay on top of what’s going on regarding the overall calendar, but also to know monthly details and updates on all of our upcoming events. We try to work out most of the issues as they arise, and keep everyone informed and prepared.
- Keep good records.
I have developed a spreadsheet that acts like a “brain dump.” It starts with the concept of the event and goes through each area. It’s organized like a timeline, from “Name of Speaker” to “Clean-up Detail,” and everything in between. For the really large events, I have it available as a Google Doc so key members can see the details in real time, for example, once the water is delivered to the venue, I mark it as delivered. If you don’t see the water there, you better look to make sure it’s been done. The spreadsheet works really well as I plan with our event planner/ministry assistant so we can both monitor follow-through.
In addition, I love to record as much information as possible about every event. I always learn something that I can use in the future. What did we have for lunch? How much did the tablecloths cost? Which breakout session was the most well-attended? This information can be helpful, even if it seems trivial at the time.
As you continue to lead your team, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see ways to prepare them now for the unexpected. You will find peace in knowing that the women you invest in will be able to serve the Lord with confidence and joy. If you have any questions about planning events and team building, please reach out to me. I would love to help. dmink@sbcv.org
