I urged my seven-year-old daughter to paint me a masterpiece this summer, complete with my promise to frame and hang it on my office wall. The art enthusiast in her immediately embraced the challenge, meaning I had to invest in a new easel, acid paper, paints, and a dozen brushes that real artists use. After she commissioned me as her assistant, the work began.

My primary role was to clean brushes and hold vials of paint. Every time I gave suggestions, Erin reminded me that the artist determines what goes on the canvas, and my job was simply to hold the paint. She even warned me, "Don't even think about picking up a brush, dad!" So we filled a portion of our summer with treasured hours of conversation as work on the masterpiece progressed. And during that time, a valuable ministry insight also became clear.

Many times, I'm not satisfied to simply and quietly hold the paint for someone else. I wondered, "With volunteers and staff, do I set them up with an opportunity to win and then stand ...