Have I Mentioned Lately…
…that church work can be horribly draining????
Everyone seems to know what is best for the church.
“We need better programming for children.”
“We need to buy a new organ!”
“We have to have a youth spaghetti dinner…we’ve always had one!”
Ok, none of these things are bad in and of themselves. But seriously, getting hit with this from all different sides at roughly the same time is crazy.
When you think your church is lacking in some way, how do you react? Do you just complain to anyone who will listen and then threaten to leave the church or do you actually engage in a process of trying to understand and possibly remedy the situation? Unfortunately, not many people choose to actively engage in a process of building up the church. They throw up their hands and stop off like a four year old who doesn’t like a game that they are losing.
Folks, church isn’t about winning and losing! It is about trying to be the body of Christ. That is true whether we are talking about the color of the paint used in the nursery or about human sexuality.
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“We need better programming for children.”
“We need to buy a new organ!”
“We have to have a youth spaghetti dinner…we’ve always had one!”
When confronted with demands like these, my old youth pastor (and very good friend) used to say:
“You’re right. You had better get started on the youth program/organ financing/spaghetti dinner right away.”
It was instructive because, as you’re well aware, Pastors just can’t POOF things into existence like some people think you can. Everybody wants their own thing, but nobody wants to spend their precious Tuesday nights making it happen…
What gb said. Such approaches are often filled with an infantile approach to Church that most wouldn’t deem of doing in other areas of their lives (work, family, etc.). It’s dangerous for pastors because it tempts them to do everything, and it’s dangerous for the laity because it tempts them to do nothing. In the end clericalism and anti-clericalism are reinforced by this type of behavior.
What a novel concept…we’re to build up the Body of Christ. That seems to be the furthest thing from people’s minds when we disagree. To often it is about winning and losing. In the end we all lose and we may do grave harm to another in the process.
Yeah, the whole “Body of Christ” thing sounds like a good idea…but how many points do you get for it? Somebody’s *gotta* win, right? ;-D
GB’s comments were perfect. Another variation: Would you like to head up the committee? Please bring a proposal to the next council meeting.
In any case, specific invitations to specific people usually garner a more positive response than a general announcement in the church’s news letter, such as, “We need somebody to head up a retreat for the youth.”
Yet, you get no response at all without the need being brought before God and then before the people.
Sometimes God has a way of bumping into me so that I have to pay attention. Last May, our youth director spoke in church. He wasn’t asking for anything specific; it was a sermon on the Lesson, but with themes related to the youth.
God somehow told me that I needed to volunteer to cook each week for the youth group meetings. I know that this “message” had to be from God since a) I’m not comfortable working with the youth and b) I don’t like to cook for groups and have no experience doing that. I knew that I had to tell the youth director right away because I knew I’d let this fall off my adgenda if I didn’t.
So, starting last Sept. I cooked every Wed. for about 30 or more youth and the leaders. I had a big learning curve to overcome. I did it. It was great. I improved my skills, and I got more comfortable with the kids. I had not one bit of trouble with the teens, and I could sure tell that those hungry boys appreciated the food, and by extension, that I provided it.
Well, the point is that somehow, while I was listening to the Youth Director speak, I was saying to myself, “I wish some of these people in this church who say we should do this and we should do that would get off their butts and volunteer.” And God somehow told me, “What about you, sister? You know, when you point that one finger at those people, there are three fingers pointing back at you.”
Pastors: Always keep in mind that when you ask and get others to pitch in, you are doing them a favor, the church a favor, and yourself a favor. You will all be blessed. The pastor’s yoke is already heavy with the things that need a pastor.