1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I guess you could call me a Hoosier cowgirl. I’m a transplanted Texan who loves serving God in Indiana. I grew up in Fort Worth, fell in love with my husband, Steve, at Dallas Baptist University. We have served as pastor and pastor’s wife in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas for over three decades. Then God miraculously moved us to Indianapolis!

My vocational and educational background has been in religion and marketing. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, a Texas Main Street Manager, a victim chaplain, a real estate broker, and a volunteer women’s ministry coordinator. I enjoy doting long-distance on my young-adult kids, eating chocolate, and traveling with Steve around our beautiful state and world. And I rarely wear cowboy boots in Indiana.

2. What inspired your Fresh Ideas book?
“Zeal for Your house has consumed me.” Those words from Psalm 69:9 describe exactly how I feel about my God’s church. I love big churches, small churches, new churches and old churches. I love contemporary churches and traditional churches and everything in between.
As we worship in dozens of different churches each year, I’ve noticed a consistent common denominator among growing, vibrant churches of every size: freshness.

I’ve written articles for Christian publications for several years, so when I was invited to write a monthly article, Fresh Ideas, for the Indiana Baptist state paper, I jumped at the chance. I had no idea that other state papers would pick it up, and I was thrilled to receive regular “it worked!” emails from pastors and laypeople across the states.

Those articles evolved into a whole book of Fresh Ideas! I hope that my “zeal for His house” is contagious, and that some of these ideas will help freshen up how your church does church.

3. Where do you come up with all your fresh ideas for churches?
They came from a variety of places. My husband and I have been privileged to serve as pastor and wife in growing, innovative churches over the past three decades, and most of the ideas in this book have been tested and proven in those settings. Now Steve is the Executive Director for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, so we worship in dozens of Indiana churches each year. I get to observe hundreds of wonderful examples of “fresh” across our state.

4. When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?
We live in a condo in downtown Indy, so I enjoy walking my sheltie, Prancer, on the canal, volunteering, reading a good book on the roof, and dragging my husband to parades, theatre and city events. How’s that for city living?

Hobbies? Oh, I have a new space-aged hobby! I feel like Wilma Jetson, from the old “Meet the Jetson’s” space-age cartoon. Several times a week, I sit at my computer, looking at my beautiful 25-year-old daughter, Autumn, who’s a missionary in Sheffield England. We use SKYPE to video-chat. It’s like seeing her in person, but without the hugs. I can show her our snow or meet her roommate or take a look at her new hair color. Last month, we spent dozens of hours co-conspiring on a book proposal--a gift book for high school graduates. I’ll let you know how that one works out. I feel so futuristic! (Humming the old cartoon theme song) …Meet Diana Jetson ☺

5. What is the main point that you want readers to understand from reading your Fresh Ideas book?
This is it: Freshen up how your church does church! There’s no excuse for a stale church. We serve a living, vibrant, relevant God, and it’s worth our effort to honor Him. This book is a reference tool for church leaders, divided into seventy-five topics. Each topic offers several simple ideas, designed to squeeze your creative juices. It’s a fun book, with many suggestions you can implement this Sunday. I’m praying this book will reignite Christian leaders’ enthusiasm for fresh, effective ministry in their local church, and that it will inspire them to “bring it up a notch!” for the glory of our great God.

6. Do you have a favorite part of the book or a favorite chapter?
I love the chapter about Pastor Appreciation Day. I often see churches that sincerely appreciate and love their pastors, but have no clue how to express it. You’ll find enough ideas to last a decade or two.

7. When will your next book release?
Whoa! This first book’s barely out! Actually, I’m excited to tell you that I’m working on two new books for 2008.

I’m with Him. I’m with him. (That’s the working title for a deacon wives’ book.) LifeWay has invited me to write their new book for deacons’ wives, and I’ll also get to write the teaching methods to make it a six-week class study. This topic is extremely dear to my heart, as I was reared in a deacon’s home, and served as the pastor’s wife with several hundred fabulous deacon’s wives over the years (and maybe a couple “not-so-fabulous” ones!) The book will be full of practical, insightful helps, ideas to enhance ministry opportunities, humorous stories and other delicious tidbits. If you know a deacon’s wife, this will be a perfect gift for her! If you want notification when it comes out, register for my email updates.

Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry (working title) - B&H Publishing plans to release this book in 2008, and it looks like it may have more ideas than the Fresh Ideas book! It’s a how-to book, perfect for churches with thriving women’s program looking for new ideas, or for struggling programs needing a boost, or for churches who are considering beginning a women’s ministry. I’ve been involved in every aspect of women’s ministry in our local church for decades, and had the privilege of leading our church’s women’s program for fifteen years. I’ll share ideas for intertwining fellowship, ministry, missions, and personal and Christian growth into a vibrant plan. You’re going to love this one.

8. How does the Fresh Ideas book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?
I’ve been involved in a wide variety of ministries in the local church, and as a long-time pastor’s wife, I get the “big picture.” Between traveling with my husband and speaking engagements, I get to attends lots of different churches. I firmly believe that God has called me to the ministry of encouragement. And this is a book full of encouragements! God has called me (and you) to use every big and small talent for His glory. To be quite honest, my talents are quite small. I can’t sing or play piano or play tennis. But I can come up with ideas. And I love writing them down. So this book perfectly intertwines with God’s call on my life! I have wonderful opportunities to speak for training conferences, pastors’ and deacons’ wives’ programs, and women’s events, and I love traveling with my husband to see God at work in churches across our state.

9. What other projects are you working on now?
Several things…

• Doc’s Mom. I’m very excited about attending the hooding ceremony for our son, Justin, when he receives his Ph.D. this summer. He teaches business strategy classes at Ohio University.
• Summer Conference. I’m preparing to lead a conference for deacons’ wives at Discipleship Week at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center in New Mexico July 16-20
• Mexico Missionaries. Steve and I get to lead the annual conference for International Mission Board missionaries across central Mexico this spring. What amazing men and women!
• Getting smarter. I’m working toward a masters’ degree in religious studies from Liberty University (www.liberty.edu). Deadlines, term papers, exams …I’d forgotten how much fun school can be!
• British Adventure. I’m planning a visit to Sheffield England in August to visit my daughter. Autumn’s serving as a missionary working with a new church plant. Her goal is to win every teenager in Sheffield to Jesus. Counting the days…

10. Describe your Fresh Ideas book in a statement, question or poem.
Okay. Summation:
It’s a church idea book, a resource book and a ministry book all squeezed inside one book cover.
Question:
Where else can you find a dictionary of idea-starters for a church?
Poem:
It’s simple to use,
Fun to peruse,
And sure to enthuse.

Okay. I’m no poet.

11. Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? What is it and why is it important to you?
Proverbs 3:5 & 6 is my life verse. I love it so much that I add it to the memory verses each year when I teach Vacation Bible School. Isn’t it a beautiful description of the Christian life? Just trust God, acknowledge that He’s the one in control, and He’ll take care of the details.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)

12. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Anything else you’d like to add?
Two words: “Go Colts!”
Oops. I meant, “Fresh Ideas!”

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