Featured Over Involvement

Just some thoughts, for whatever they may be worth....

Guilt trips. IMHO, these only work, if (1) there's something to be guilty about, and (2) if there's nothing, yielding to the temptation to feel guilty. It's the same technique used by those showing small children with large sad eyes to solicite money for their particular cause. If, I know in my heart that I'm doing all I can to help the local needy, there's no reason why I should feel guility for not sending in x requested dollars in response to the commercial. Instead, ask if the thousands of dollars used for TV advertising came from those who are contributing to buy food, rather than air time?

"One thing properly" ..... I agree to do all that we do to be very best extent that we can for the Lord. But, in my humble opinion there are many thing we can do for the glory of God, both inside a physical building and in the body of Christ. Does "doing one thing properly" put a limit on God and what He's called us to do? Who decides whether it's better service to the Lord to be a greeter or help prepare meals for shut-ins? While an individual is equally prepared to do both without any sacrifice of other bibilcal responsibilities.

"Given things to do" ...... IMHO, we shouldn't be "given" anything to do, just as we shouldn't be told how much to put into the collection plate on Sunday morning. Doing things, whether 1 or 25, should come as freely from the heart as are the dollars in the offering plate. Instead of waiting for an "assignment" we should be at the front of the line of volunteers for whatever needs to be done. Then, we can decline, without guilt, to do anything that we aren't led to do by the Holy Spirit.

Another aspect.... Again, IMHO, there's more to church life than the music program and various worship/study opportunities during the week. There's the mundane things like replacing the toilet paper in the bathrooms and mopping the Fellowship Hall floor. Changing blown light bulbs, cleaning leaves from window wells, picking up broken animal crackers, and helping an elderly person to their vehicle.

Should I expect someone else to empty the nursery trashcan beside the changing table because I already have the job of keeping the thermostats adjusted? My answer is no. There's nothing that we should refuse to do, for the glory of God, simply because we have another job. Yes, there are times we should say no, with valid reasons, without any sense of guilt.

One question to ask ourselves when we are asked to do a second or even a third job is this. What am I giving up in order to do those jobs? Quality time from my family, a few extra hours of shut-eye or time in front of the TV? It doesn't matter what the person sitting beside me in the pew is or isn't doing with their time. Christ will judge them at the appropriate time, just like He will judge us. How will He judge you and I individually, with regards to service in/for the church, is all that matters, in the long run. Again, IMHO.

 

I grew up on a dairy farm. So in comparison most seem lazy to me.

 

Similar here. Tobacco, cotton, corn, etc. on our farm. Barning tobacco, 6 days a week from sunup to sundown in August heat & humidity teaches valuable lessons on work ethics.

 

:thumbs:

To the OP: it's the wresting of the Great Commission. They think there is no service except in the highways and byways. But God taught John Milton otherwise by denying his sight:

.............................But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait."

 

Similar here. Tobacco, cotton, corn, etc. on our farm. Barning tobacco, 6 days a week from sunup to sundown in August heat & humidity teaches valuable lessons on work ethics.

...you got that right! :thumbs:

 

No, I'm disagreeing with the premise that a person shouldn't have two jobs until everyone in a congregation is assigned one job. I'm disagreeing with the premise that a person can be made to feel guilty about not accepting a particular job. (Please see the (1) and (2) in my prior post.)

I believe, regardless of whether it's housekeeping tasks, or the most high ranking position in the church, that each person should do as the Holy Spirit leads them. Period. It doesn't matter if that's 1 "job" or a dozen, as long as we respond as the Lord leads. And, to do everything that's done for the glory of God.

We have people in our church with full time jobs and small children taking an active roll in several ministries of our church. We have others who are retired, healthy & active in their daily lives, who only come on Sunday for one or two hours. Depends on whether they attend both Sunday school and the worship service. We have young people in our church who've apparently never heard the term "work ethic".

When I'm asked to do something, I don't look at either of these three situations before determining if I say yes or no. It simply doesn't matter what others are or are not doing. What matters is if I'm doing all I can in service of the Lord, for His glory, while keeping biblical "balance" (for lack of a better term) with family and other aspects of my life.

In closing, in my hymble opinion, this has to be a personal and individual decision by each person. We can't weigh what's in another's heart as a criterior for how much fruit we bring forth. We are simply asked to bear fruit for the Lord. IMHO, our own work ethic, is a contributing factor (not the only one) -- ie the fertile ground where seed florishes.

 

Look around and notice who is working. It is not the lazy and those who make excuses. Those who sit in front of the TV and drink beer are not likely to be found among the workers who are doing ministry.

Every person seems to find time for what they believe is important.

 

In my 20 something yrs of pastoring----I get 2 ends of the spectrum

Folks come up to me and say----Preacher, we've got to give such and such somethin' to do around the church---or they'll leave--go to another church where they'll feel needed

Then the other end of the spectrum

Preacher---we just believe that so and so had too much to do around here---thats why they left!!!

Gracious---which one is it??????:tonofbricks:

 

Tell 'em what my dh says--They didn't offer "Mind Reading 101" in Bible College!:laugh:

 

The excuses are endless and the workers are few.

 

The way I see it.."asking" somemone to be a part of some project is fine. But "preshering", or "badgering" is completely inapropiate.

If I say "no" I expect them to honor that and not badger me. Now, if they say at some point "There is still time to get in on this if you want to" thats fine. But dont badger or lay on a guilt trip. The only person who I will allow to put me on a guilt trip is God.

 

If you are doing what God has given you a passion for then that is not dependent on a program led church. Program led churches have in place what they feel is important but too often ti does not make room for something they did not think about.

 

Why does anyone do anything - church related???
1 Peer pressure
2 Guilt
3 Desire
4 Led of God/HS
5 Nobody else will do it
6 Ad infinitum!!!!

Now the only unquestionable reason is #4, with #3 following second. #5 is legitimate, but basically only as a last resort.

I have been involved in several "jobs" because of 1 & 2 when I was much younger that were catastrophic.
The worst was as a young married my wife & I were "asked" to take a teen Training Union (age showing:smilewinkgrin group - D I S A S T E R !!!!! My talents were nowhere close to working with teens.

Conversely, I have always hated to speak before a group, but for some reason I felt God leading me to teach SS when I was about 40-45 YO, and I have been at it 'cept for a few months off for various reasons 3 or 4 times in 30+ years.

Still refuse to speak before groups except on this occasion.

I have also learned to bypass most of these "flash-in-the-pan seminar" type programs that continuously pop up as the answer to all "your spiritual problems", as well as say "NO" when requested to participate in some activity/program/job that is not in the scope of my gifts.

I have also gotten involved when I thought it was the right thing to do, asking God's blessing rather than His guidance - again D I S A S T E R!!!

Bottom line --- If God is leading, go for it!! If not, pray (hard & honestly) before committing.

 

Excellent post!

And we do need to remember that SOMETIMES God has called folks to a specific job OUTSIDE the church, and saying yes to a church job might kill that.

 

Being able to discern spirits comes close to that.