Why is it that some church people come early, stay late, and work hard in between-and in the same church others show up late, quit programs midstream, and leave in a huff over minor irritations? And why are the numbers committed to working in the nursery, teaching Sunday school, or sweating on church work days never seemingly sufficient?

In a day when, as one pastor put it, "Everyone I know is overextended financially, emotionally, and spiritually," how much can a pastor ask for? Especially from volunteers?

To find out, LEADERSHIP traveled to Tennessee, the land of the Volunteers, and talked with four experienced pastors:

-Maxie Dunnam, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis;

-Don Finto, pastor of Belmont Church in Nashville;

-Duane Litfin, pastor of First Evangelical Church on Memphis's growing east side;

-Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in downtown Memphis.

As you'll see, the discussion soon wrestled with the deeper issues-spiritual growth, discipleship, leadership, ...