Pastor Powell's Column

July/August 2010

The Privilege of Volunteering

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

A new attendee notes, “The Fellowship is certainly an active church!” It’s a comment I hear repeatedly in one form or another. Often enough the next question, whether subtle or explicit, is along the lines of, “How do you do it?”

On one level, we don’t do it at all. It’s God who is doing this, mobilizing His church.

On the other hand, I recognize where this question is coming from. People from many church backgrounds have experienced the 10-90 principle: ten percent of the people do ninety percent of the work. And then they burn out!

We avoid that at The Fellowship. We aim to spread the work around. That’s why so much ministry is being accomplished. We are not satisfied until we reach the 60% goal. That’s sixty percent of our attenders who have an identifiable role or task in ministry.

How could such a miracle happen? There are many factors. Here’s a few:

Building People. We try not to rush people into ministry. Our goal is to build people not merely to use people. Part of that building is helping each individual to identify his own spiritual gifts, and then to become excited about exploring ministry opportunities and finding a fit.

Staffing. We avoid centering ministry in paid staff. When we look for staff, it’s not ministry superstars we are after. We look for those skilled in equipping others for ministry. coaches, not quarterbacks.

Menu. It’s tragic if Christians get the message: “If you can’t teach a Sunday School class or hand out bulletins, then there’s nothing for you to do here.” What happens? People either settle into the inactive 90%, where they fossilize; or they move on to another church, or a civic organization, where their talents can be used. What’s the problem? The menu is too narrow! We encourage people to count it a great privilege to be “co-workers with God,” (1 Corinthians 3:9; I Thessalonians 3:2) finding their place in a broad array of ministries:

Children & Youth: What a privilege to shape the lives of the young, to introduce them to God’s truth and to vital faith, to be able to watch the work of the Holy Spirit as they grow and blossom! We recognize the primary responsibility of parents and the Christian home in these areas. But it’s a privilege to reinforce and supplement that through our Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry.

Discipleship: Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and it’s a privilege to help adults discover how to live that out. The formation of Christians in their devotion, doctrine, and duty is a high calling.

Worship: Our musicians, preachers, worship leaders, ushers, technicians, and others involved in the worship setting know what a privilege it is to lead God’s people in the celebration of His grandeur and in prayer for His grace.

Mission: Several who have served at The Fellowship have had the privilege of graduation to service as career missionaries in locations across Asia. In addition, short term workers – from one week to six months – are sent where they can connect sensitively and make a solid contribution (not just to have their own “moving experience” of poverty!) One worker in South Africa since February, another commissioned in June to India, a couple to Turkey in July, a team to Uganda in August, and a larger team now in training for Haiti this fall – a broad menu!

Hope and Help: When there are people in our own neighborhoods struggling with life’s challenges, it’s a privilege for believers to reach out with the love and truth of Jesus. When you can use your own experience of a trial or a hurt to encourage someone else, it’s a privilege to say “Here’s how God helped me get through it.” Cancer. Divorce. Bereavement. Elder care. Job loss. Parenting grandchildren. Families affected by disabilities. One recent magazine article mentioned churches filled with “self-help groups.” No. The writer’s identifying supportive ministries with secular trends is a forgivable oversight. At The Fellowship, anyway, it’s “Grace-help” groups, not self-help. What self has to contribute is the mess. Solutions come from God.

Unseen Ministries: Not everyone’s ministry is visible in the church bulletin. In scores of ways outside the church structure (e.g., Wheels for Avery Family Fun Day), Fellowship people are serving in living out their faith as nursing home volunteers, in parachurch ministries, in service occupations, through civic organizations, and in personal initiatives. Some of these were recognized in our services a few weeks ago.

Does this mean everyone is bustling about as busy, bug-eyed burn-outs? Quite the opposite. We discourage people from being church-aholics, eight nights a week at church. A balanced church involvement is three fold: (1) Start with regular worship. (2) Then find the small group where your faith can grow in the mutual support of other believers. (3) Then find the one place of ministry where you can pour your heart into God’s calling for you.