When I was growing up, April showers brought May flowers. It was a nice rhyme to memorize, but it was also the truth of my Southern-California spring climate. Here in Phoenix, April hot brings May hotter. But, we do have April Fool’s here, just like everywhere else. And to honor the unofficial holiday, I’ve included a picture of myself wearing fake glasses. April Fool’s!

I’m glad I could get that out of the way, because we’ve got a great issue for you this month – no joke.

Our Sound-Off topic was sparked by a blog series by Ken Godevenos, our Staff Management column writer. He has been writing about the growth of small churches, urging them to examine all aspects of their operation to ensure they are headed toward the growth they desire. Our counter opinion comes from Pastor Dave Smith, who asserts that small churches may not follow in the footsteps of megachurches, but that doesn’t mean they’re struggling.

You’ll also want to check out our guide to automated payroll software. We gathered some information about various systems so that you can compare companies and weigh the features.

We’ve profiled a few women in ministry this month – women whose jobs range from senior pastor to pastor’s wife. The stories reveal a bit about these women’s journeys, jobs and general outlook on the ministry. The notion of women in leadership is not new. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign for president this year is evidence of how far our nation has come in liberating women. But the ability of women to lead is still debated in the Church. America’s largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, states in its Faith and Message that "while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture." This interpretation isn’t common to every church, however. Rev. M. Frances Manning, senior pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Hackensack, N.J., believes that, in order for God to be fully seen, both men and women need to have visible leadership roles. Check out her story on page 32, and feel free to share any ideas or thoughts with us.

We always love to hear from you.

Lacey Nadeau
Managing Editor
lnadeau@vpico.com