Want to see 95% of people squirm out of their seats in church? Or for them to start scanning the landscape of the foyer for the closest exit? Ask them if they would consider being a volunteer Youth Leader.
Now maybe this is just my youth ministry experience coming out... (or bias) but why does that question cause so much angst and anxiety? (Curious what I mean, you can read an article I wrote that The Banner published here)
Lets be honest though. Very rarely does anyone have an issue with volunteering in the nursery and holding a baby or two, and sometimes the adults have just as much fun (if not more) building the cardboard block fort as the 1 year old has knocking it down so you can do it all over again.
Why does this kid that we know and have seen grow up in church for a dozen and a half years cause us such angst and anxiety? Actually it comes long before that. Does it start at 13 years old? 8 years old??? (Well that is a rhetorical question anyway)
Now before I get people up in arms (especially those who have been volunteering in programs for 5, 10, maybe even 20+ years) I'm asking this as a broad question for the church, not necessarily just for individuals. I also know that sometimes yes, volunteers need breaks (I mean you can only fill someone elses bucket as full as yours currently is.) but in talking to many of my peers in ministry in other churches, our needs are the same across the board. A lack of "volunteers"
However, as I've contemplated this issues about the need from volunteers, it was from a conversation I had today in a morning committee meeting about our need for more volunteers where I got hit over the head by God's bricks (and not the same ones we have in the nursery) I've started to really think about the word "Volunteer" How did it get into the church vernacular today?
Do you know what word you only come across maybe half a dozen times in scripture; and never in the new testament?
Yup, Volunteer (Unless you count the one time use of "voluntarily in the book of Philemon)
Why is that? Because honestly, I think it's because of Matthew 28:20 and Eph. 2:10
In there Jesus calls us to "Make Disciples" (Matthew) and that we have "work that God prepared in advance to do" (Ephesians)
God didn't call people to "volunteer" He called them to make disciples in whatever ways were presented to them. Sometimes it was running alongside a guy in a chariot, sometimes it was while they were in prison... They didn't volunteer for those positions, God presented them and they responded. They never even thought about saying "no" or coming back with saying "I'm just not equipped for that" God had all of them equipped through the Power of the Holy Spirit and it is no different today.
Maybe we need to stop asking people to Volunteer and instead need to start asking people to "fulfill their calling"
Is that too bold a statement?
Recently I asked a congregation if they thought "The Youth were the future of the church" and I was met with numerous "Amens" Honestly, it pained me a little bit. (Not because I have an issue with that phrase... which I can get into another time) but more so because if the church agrees so much with it, then why are we scared of it? (Not to mention when is the "magic time" that they become the "church of today??")
Honestly, I believe everyone is called to "youth ministry" because everyone is called to "ministry". I'm not saying everyone needs to rush out to Seminary and get their MDiv. because well I haven't done that.... yet.... and not everyone is called to "Preaching" but everyone is called to "teaching"
God is providing us the opportunities to minister and he has provided us the power to do it through his Holy Spirit (which scripture tells us we all have) but I'm not saying that from this day forward you are committed to teaching a Sunday school class for the rest of your life (Lets be honest, even Jesus had to get away to be "filled by his Father")
For many, they have found their current calling and you have my appreciation, respect and prayers
If you haven't yet, I'd love to help you discover what it may be.
God already has given us the calling... When are we going to heed it?
No comments:
Post a Comment