Changing Our Language

May 14, 2010

Churches operate through volunteers. That is a fact! If a church doesn't have a good base of volunteers to run its every day and weekly activities/ministries the church will not function well. This isn't simply true of the church, but also true of any non-profit organization, polictical campaign and para-church organizations.

Here is a question to ponder. While volunteerism is imporrtant, is it accomplishing what we intend for it to accomplish in the church? We ask people in the church to become volunteers so they can become servants in the church. In every organization of this kind th volunteer serves the organization. I know that some of you are wanting to push back here and say; "No! They serve God by serving the church." I'm not sure this is true.

We all believe in the giftedness of believers. We all understadn that the church is to help our people discover how God has created them to serve. We all believe that becoming a servant is crucial to the Christian life. But is serving the pinnacle of our calling as Christians? 1 Peter 2:5 "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Our volunteers are used to serve the church and help it's ministries function. That is not a bad thing, but is serving the church, the right direction to help our people find meaning? It is a means, but not the end.

Let me explain before I am crucified or burned at the stake. Our calling, as leaders, is to call our people to become missionaries, not volunteers. You may think; "That is just splitting hairs." But is it? Or use of language can be profound. Helping our people understand that the high calling of the Christian life is to become missionaries in their culture encompasses volunteerism, than vice-versa.

Bottom line is this. We need to call people to volunteer in the church, but within the framework of being a missionary in their community. Calling your people ministers or missionaries has much more meaning than calling someone a volunteer. Any organization cn have volunteers. We have missionaries. I think that the change of name can aid the change of our philosophy of ministry and release our people to become more than mere volunteers, serving the church. Rather, they become missionaries, serving their community.

Posted 5/14/2010 in Stephen Gray | 1 Comment - Add Comment

Comments:

     Stephen, this is good. Perhaps if more of us included "margins" in our life, we would not get burned out. After 25 years of preaching, the last 18 of those being non-stop pastoring, I was truly at a breaking point. Planting Graceway was no easy task, and I now believe that God allowed it to break up to allow me a "time of refreshing." Acts 3:19 is a passage that is often overlooked: "Repent (oops, God, I lost my focus) and be converted (change directions) that your sins may be blotted out (not taking time off is a sin), SO THAT TIMES (seasons) OF REFRESHING MAY COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD." Oh, man, that's good! When Graceway closed, it was a huge blow to me. I went through the stages: 1. Bewilderment - how did this happen?; 2. Hurt - almost to the point of depression; 3. Anger - how can I get even with the ones who hurt me?; 4. Self-examination - maybe there's something wrong with me; 5. Restoration - God, what are you trying to teach me? Now, in hindsight, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am so much closer to God than I have ever been. My purpose has been redefined, and my aim has be refocused. I am now preparing myself to pastor a church that will be truly in tune with God's plan... and it will have the margins built in!