Let me just cut to the chase. I've attended several different churches throughout my life. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to running and organizing a church and its various ministries. Sometimes it feels like the church's ministry machine is constantly seeking more and more fuel (i.e. volunteers), just so it can keep running. It often doesn't feel like there's much thought put into why a certain ministry/program exists or why the local church exists, for that matter. Sometimes it just feels like there are programs to be run, and we need people to run them. Period.One area in churches where I feel this mindless assignment of tasks often occurs is in preschool ministry - i.e. nursery duty. [ Cringe ] Before I go any further, let me say I love the preschool director at my church. She's a joy! She also only takes volunteers for service in our preschool ministry. And lest I be prematurely judged, let me clarify I do not have an axe to grind when it comes to serving in the church nursery. In fact, for the past year and a half my husband and I have been the caregivers in our church's infant nursery every Sunday at 9 AM. (Okay, got that out of the way.)
My previous church had a nursery policy where everyone who had children in the preschool program had to serve one (sometimes two) Sundays per month. I remember feeling like an indentured servant with the birth of each child, which meant another 5 years of obligation to the church nursery. Basically, the church was assigning people to serve in the preschool ministry based purely on demographics - not on giftedness or calling. That's akin to asking all the men who use the church restrooms to rotate duties once a month to clean them, or it's like asking all the families who park cars in the parking lot to serve once a month as parking attendants. Sounds absurd, doesn't it? That, unfortunately, is the rationale behind many church preschool programs. Consequently, serving in the church nursery for many is an obligation - not a blessing.
So, this begs the question: why do we need a church nursery in the first place? Well, the answer is obvious. The parents and the children both need a place where they can learn and be fed spiritually. Now, what is the ultimate purpose of your local church? Is it to have lots and lots of ministries and find people to fill them, just so they can keep running? I submit the primary purpose of the local church is to strengthen and equip the body of believers, so that they can, in turn, go out into the rest of world and shine the Light of Jesus for all to see. That means the church doesn't exist just to keep a multitude of programs afloat. It means that in addition to teaching, the church must assist believers in discovering their God-given gifts and their unique callings, so they can be effective ministers everywhere they go.
That kind of ministry is a blessing to everyone who is touched by it.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NASB)
Boy you certainly struck a chord here with me. As part of our previous church's leadership team, my wife and I have seen a nasty side to the human aspect of the church. There's a level of commitment that is seriously lacking in many churches today. The "congregants" of the church in Ephesus gave where there was abundance need, not where there was calling. Today, it's "how are my emotional needs and social desires met?"
ReplyDeleteI was leading worship and my wife was running the nursery AND the flag/dance team. The most common phrase she heard when asking for help in the nursery was "Well, let me pray about it. If I FEEL God lead me in that direction then I'll help you out."
On the dance team it was WORSE. She would prepare for a special song for weeks. People would say, "Well, I don't feel God leading me to participate in this song." My question is, "are you part of this team?" If the answer is yes, then you're participating in this song, as this is the song we will be dancing to.
My worship pastor would have a heart attack if I said, "Hey man. I'm going to play the first song and the fourth and fifth songs, but I don't feel God leading me to play the second and third songs. I'll just sit down or something." I can guarantee you I'd have been instantly "asked to step down" from serving.
It's gotten progressively worse as time goes on. Where the early church understood service as a lifestyle, today we can't get people to offer 2 hours a week without some type of compensation or constant pat on the back.
Pastors are veering away from the Kingdom mentality that God designed and preaching God as a democratic being, where the people have a choice and vote, etc. etc. God called us to serve, to do, to go, to be...those are all verbs. Christianity is not a spectator sport, nor is it a resort where we are here to cater to you.
I apologize if I seem legalistic, or dogmatic in this, but I've seen the "downside" to service; I've seen the selfishness and it's sad.
On the flip side of this coin, you have others that are "feeling" their way through church wondering what their gifts are. People with highly charismatic and positively infectious personalities who want to work in the office all day rather than evangelize. And the quiet shy guy who sits in the corner, but feels God has called them to evangelize. "It's not conducive to the personality God gave you, buddy!"
One of the biggest heartaches I experienced in Florida was a struggling worship team with talented musicians sitting in the congregation "waiting for God to reveal His plan" to them. Let's not make this too hard...you play an instrument...we need/desire/want that instrument...there's a need. Fill it.
I recognize the process too, don't get me wrong. Let's not just put anybody up on the platform, or in the pulpit, or over a ministry, just because they have a skill-set. However we tend to make it too difficult when we begin looking outside of our skill-sets for our avocation. It wasn't until I was at the church you and I used to attend that I realized..."Hey...maybe God gave me this gift of music for a reason. I should stop looking outside of that FOR my calling and begin to embrace it AS my calling."
...so when are we gonna cook some steaks together? ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you've encountered a few pinheads in church! (Joking, joking...) It is true that some people lean on emotion and sentiment and call that "God's calling", but that doesn't mean that people aren't called to specific work. I too have often wondered if the phrase "the Lord's leading/not leading me" gets used as a way out of serving by some. Can we say, "Thou shalt not lie" and "Thou shalt not misuse the Name of the Lord thy God"? There are plenty of people who will sit on the sidelines in church, but they will also miss out on the personal blessing and fulfillment and growth that comes from using their gifts and talents for the Lord.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm talking more about coercion here. No one should be serving in a ministry because they felt coerced or obligated in a guilt-driven way. In preschool ministry, specifically, when people are coerced into working, that creates much bitterness, and the children are not receiving the best, as a result. A big by-product of serving in ministry is that the individual who serves grows in their love for God and others. If God has called and gifted you for a certain ministry, it won't feel like a burden, and you are more apt to give the best of yourself. Coercion doesn't produce the same results in a person's life. When a ministry leader coerces people into serving in that ministry, then the focus has shifted from helping people grow in their love for God and others to simply keeping the ministry-machine running.
Doesn't that seem to miss the bigger picture?
I suppose you are right. Let me play 'devils advocate' for a moment. I ask you this: What is the alternative; and what are the potential consequences of that?
ReplyDeleteThat is, the alternative to not "coercing" people (to use your term) is what exactly? To answer my own question, I think it's the 80/20 rule. If that is the right answer (if there is one), what are the consequences of that? The 20% burns out.
Personally, I sympathize with you. At one church I attended I was serving on the worship team (not leading) and was also expected to work in the nursery simply because my children were in the nursery. I hated it. I don't know how to deal with other peoples kids! But I had to suck it up and realize that "it's not about me." It was for the greater good. Granted, not everyone takes that approach...
I had a friend who started two churches in Spain. Both grew quickly and were healthy, etc. He told me how he picked his leaders, i.e. his teachers, evangelists, etc. If someone came to him and said "Pastor, I believe God has called me to *teach* or *preach* or *fill-in-the-blank*. How can I serve in this church in that capacity?" The response was ALWAYS the same, "Well, I don't have anyone to clean our restrooms right now..."
The way the individual responded to that comment showed him who he wanted to be teaching and preaching the Word of God. If they were not willing to serve in the smallest and least visible of jobs, why should he put them in a visible leadership position? The request itself will show what's in the persons heart. The response will show the level of maturity. God can take care of the quality.
...so when are we gonna cook some steaks together? ;-)
ReplyDeleteBy the way...you want some good discussions? Come visit here, and more specifically here or here!
ReplyDeleteCome, reason with us!