Over Involvement

[Onlybygrace]

Why does it seem that Christians and churches equate busyness with spirituality. The more meetings you attend, the ministries you manage and the more positions you occupy the more highly you are regarded. What ever happened to doing one thing properly? Does the fact that you are gifted, trained and exeprienced in an area automatically mean that you have an unwritten obligation to morph into spiritual crackfiller and then to squeeze yourself into that gap? Why is it becoming increasingly difficult to say NO without being sent on an all expenses paid guilt trip? I had a friend who once said "NO PERSON IN THE CHURCH SHOULD BE GIVEN TWO THINGS TO DO UNTIL EVERONE IN THE CHURCH HAS BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST ONE THING TO DO!" I think there is much merit in that. Thoughts?

 

[HAMel]

.... on an all expenses paid guilt trip?

Guilt trips have replaced motivation. Guilt trips will make you sick at heart. No matter what you do it just "ain't" enough. If you hang around long enough you're gonna get beat into submission. You'll become a Sheeple. Guilt trips will drive you over the edge. Make you say and do stupid things.

It should not be a burden to be a Christian. Don't be had! When the grip trip sermons begin..., get up and walk out. Your mental health is more important. :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

[Crabtownboy]

Mary had a little lamb
It would have been a sheep
If it hadn't joined a Baptist church
And died of lack of sleep.


There is always tension, between doing something, action and quiet contemplation. Many hide behind business. Many are simply programed to be busy and expect others to be busy. Many of those programmed to be busy are pastors, SS teachers, deacons, etc. and enjoy being busy and believe everyone should be busy.

The person who is programmed for quiet contemplation is not understood by the busy people.

.... all above IMHO.

 

[MNJacob]

The hard part is that many times, it is the busy people who can get things done.

 

[Amy.G]

The sad truth is that most people in the church do nothing and then complain about the ones who do everything.

In answer to the OP, if you're asked to do something that is not your gift, just tell them that God didn't gift you in that area, then find something to do that does use your gift. I've been asked to sing in the choir a hundred times but God didn't gift me with song so I say no thanks.

 

[Squidward]

I've been in churches where they almost beg for volunteers to help with kids church just one Sunday a month or door greeting and various other menial tasks that could be done to ease up the workload of others and see people say things like "I can't because my duty to be an intercessary pray-er for the pastor and music team while the service is going on." Whatever that means, I don't know, but I'm sure they could pray for the pastor while doing at least one of these things.

 

[Onlybygrace]

I've been in churches where they almost beg for volunteers to help with kids church just one Sunday a month or door greeting and various other menial tasks that could be done to ease up the workload of others and see people say things like "I can't because my duty to be an intercessary pray-er for the pastor and music team while the service is going on." Whatever that means, I don't know, but I'm sure they could pray for the pastor while doing at least one of these things.

I agree with what you guys are saying. The thing is though that eph 2:10 indicates that we have good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. Are perhaps in danger of being manipulated into pursuing the agendas other people have prepared for us at the expense of what God wants us to do? Is there a practical way of telling the difference between what we want, other people want and ultimately what God wants?

 

[Amy.G]

Is there a practical way of telling the difference between what we want, other people want and ultimately what God wants?

Whatever God has gifted you with is something that you are good at. Would God give a bad gift? Your gift is something you feel compelled in your heart to do. I have a LOVE for the scriptures. I love bible study. I love learning about God. Not everyone is that way. So God has opened the door for me to teach.

I don't have a talent for singing, so I don't get up in front of the church and belt out a song. That would only be exalting myself and not God. (plus people would get up & leave :laugh

Sometimes we can find out what our gift is by listening to what others say about us. If people say what a beautiful voice you have, then you should sing. If they say you have great organizational skills then you should use that. If they say you are a natural leader, then do that.

Just don't ignore your gifts and keep your light hidden under a bushel.

 

[HAMel]

I've been in churches where they almost beg for volunteers to help with kids church just one Sunday a month or door greeting and various other menial tasks that could be done to ease up the workload of others and see people say things like "I can't because my duty to be an intercessary pray-er for the pastor and music team while the service is going on." Whatever that means, I don't know, but I'm sure they could pray for the pastor while doing at least one of these things.

Squidward, as things are in many churches for which you describe..., then the Pastor needs to take to the podium one Sunday morning and tell it like it is by calling a Spade a Spade.

"THIS CHURCH IS DEAD!!!" Even should it cost him his job. What good is there with teaching and begging and preaching and begging and on and on and on. Tell it like it is!

Should the folks become offended by his comments then so be it. A dead church is a dead church.

 

[abcgrad94]

The reason so many of us are so busy is because we're picking up the slack for those who refuse to do anything. If everyone would pull their fair share, the rest of us wouldn't be spread so thin.

I think what should happen is this: if people are too busy, they should STOP doing so much and just cut back to what they can do well. If this means something doesn't get done, then so be it.

 

[nodak]

I never let myself be guilted into doing things for which I have no talent.

And I never let myself be guilted into doing things I don't think should be done.

So, no, sorry, I won't be helping with "kids' church" as I think they should be in the regular service. But I will happily teach a SS class for them during the SS hour.

Some folks are lazy, yes, and some folks aren't happy until they've assigned everyone some busywork to do.

Most churches, it seems, manage to get what really needs doing done. The rest--yeah, folks run from it.

Rightfully so.

 

[Jon-Marc]

I believe that God gives us certain gifts and abilities to use for His honor and glory. For a person with a great singing voice to refuse to use it and claim "I can't sing", that is sin and disobedience. The same holds true for the ability to preach, teach, the gift of helping, or other gifts and abilities that God gives to His people. He doesn't give them for them to hidden and not used.

I was given the gift of singing and used it and improved it with voice lessons, directing lessons, and studying music in order to read it and have a better idea of what I was doing.

Like the parable of the talents: some of them doubled their talents and were blessed by God. Others hid their one talent and did nothing with it and was cursed by God. The choice is yours to be obedient or disobedient to God and use whatever talent(s) He gives you. You may have only one as I did, but use it to its fullest. My singing ability has become rather limited due to allergies, but I used it faithfully for 40 years.

 

[Squidward]

I've been in churches where they almost beg for volunteers to help with kids church just one Sunday a month or door greeting and various other menial tasks that could be done to ease up the workload of others and see people say things like "I can't because my duty to be an intercessary pray-er for the pastor and music team while the service is going on." Whatever that means, I don't know, but I'm sure they could pray for the pastor while doing at least one of these things.

Squidward, as things are in many churches for which you describe..., then the Pastor needs to take to the podium one Sunday morning and tell it like it is by calling a Spade a Spade.

"THIS CHURCH IS DEAD!!!" Even should it cost him his job. What good is there with teaching and begging and preaching and begging and on and on and on. Tell it like it is!

Should the folks become offended by his comments then so be it. A dead church is a dead church.

My pastor now does do a sermon a couple times a year about being active. We have a three hour seminar for those that desire to join the church and one thing the pastor says in there is "don't expect to join and just sit. If you plan to belong here you need to find and fill a need. There is plenty to do here and a lot of those details do not require much work."

 

[HAMel]

My pastor now does do a sermon a couple times a year about being active. We have a three hour seminar for those that desire to join the church and one thing the pastor sa....

Then what might be the problem?

 

[Squidward]

My pastor now does do a sermon a couple times a year about being active. We have a three hour seminar for those that desire to join the church and one thing the pastor sa....

Then what might be the problem?

The problem isn't as prevalent in my church now. Just past churches.

 

[ChristianLady1978]

When I was in my senior year of high school and freshman year of college I started going to the Mormon church (yeah, it was for a boy I was seeing at the time and it didn't work out). Mormon churches have three hour long Sunday services. There's an hour of Sunday School, an hour of Scripture Study (men in one room and women in another, also divided up by age group), and then an hour of worship service. I was 18 years old and had no plans for marriage or kids. When the bishop of the church found out that I had no intention of getting married and having kids right away, he assigned me a position in the nursery. I was absolutely miserable spending two hours every Sunday with a bunch of toddler-aged kids. I left the church a few weeks after that and never looked back. My talents do not lie in working with little kids.

At my current church, a sermon was preached two weeks ago on using your spiritual gifts. I know my gift is music. I can sing. I can play the piano (a little). I can play the flute. I actually majored in music education in college. So the next week I did a special song and everyone enjoyed it. Ever since, people have requested me to sing songs and I am joining the choir. I have found my niche in the church and am comfortable serving there.

Everyone needs to find their gift and use it in the church. With all working together, each position will be filled.

 

[HAMel]

The problem isn't as prevalent in my church now. Just past churches.

That's good. The last church we attended unless you were from the Parker or Marshburn clan about all you could do is sit on the pew and tithe.

 

[Onlybygrace]

I understand and agree with most of what is being said in terms of using our talents and gifts to serve God. I think that it is right and biblical that we do that. It is also commendable that we develop those gifts and improve ourselves so that we can increase both our effectivesness and usefulness.
However, we have to come to terms with the following:
1. Our relationship with God should not be perfomance based
God is interested first and foremost in relationship with us and He is concerned with transforming us into the image of Christ. That is his priority for us not what we do but who and what we are. Our usefullness to God lies not in our abilities but in our willingness to be changed from the inside out. The more we resemble Jesus the more God can do with us. Sometimes we pursue business at the expense of pursuing Christlikeness.
2. God sometimes does more through our weaknesses than he does our strengths.
We can be presumptious and think that God somehow needs us and our abilities to build his kingdom but Corinthians tells us the opposite. Doesn't often choose the gifted and the capable, many times he chooses those who seem to be and have nothing to work through so that the glory may rest on his abilities and not ours.
3. God loves a cheerful giver
Each one should give what he has determined in his heart to give not grudgingly or under compulsion. Even though this principle in 1 Corinthians 9 applies to money in its immediate context I believe it has merit in general when it comes to giving to the Lord. Sometimes we do things to please ourselves or to please other people but surely our only concern should be pleasing the Lord. And the Lord does not expect us to violate any other principles he has laid down for us in our effort to the one of working for his kingdom. For e.g. We are to. Manage our homes well, have control over our children and love and nurture our wives as Christian men. If we are failing to do that do we have the right to then take the time and enee should be investing in our families and busy ourselves with church ministry? Will God be pleased with us? Could that be why more and more pastoral families seem to exhibit weak marriages and ill disciplined rebellious children?

 

[nodak]

onlybygrace--amen and amen!

 

[abcgrad94]

the Lord does not expect us to violate any other principles he has laid down for us in our effort to the one of working for his kingdom. For e.g. We are to. Manage our homes well, have control over our children and love and nurture our wives as Christian men. If we are failing to do that do we have the right to then take the time and enee should be investing in our families and busy ourselves with church ministry? Will God be pleased with us? Could that be why more and more pastoral families seem to exhibit weak marriages and ill disciplined rebellious children?

Amen, and very well said. You've hit the nail on the head!

I would add that "being" the church is more important that always being in church meetings. I wish we would spend less time AT the church building and more time actually interacting with one another, helping each other. "Church" is more than sermon after sermon, revival after revival, class after class. It's about loving each other and serving each other, not just staying busy for the sake of business.