Sunday, March 04, 2007
Involvement versus Pew-warmers
Doesn't it sometimes seem that the same people do the same "jobs" in church much of the time? The same people do special music, the same people keep doing women's ministries or social committee, the same people keep teaching the kids departments, the same people keep to themselves, etc.
I began thinking about it because of the pitiful response to my request for "mature" volunteer in my Sabbath school class today. Why was it that I only had one person volunteer, and not 20? Here was a painless, free, and simplistic way for someone to get involved by hugging 12 kids as thy enter Sabbath School, then going back to their regular group meeting. But yet, no one wants to hug cheerful, grateful little kids? How odd. This led me to thinking about involvement, and willingness to step out of our "boxes" and comfort areas.
Maybe that is why the same people are involved and the same non-participants, keep not participating. Is it because some people are not afraid to commit to a "job" and other people don't ever want to want the commitment? Maybe not.
Is it because many people don't enjoy responsibility? Is it because people don't have "time"? Maybe it is because they don't feel adequate? Is it because non-participating is easier, more painless, less emotional?
My sister-in-laws church recently decided to scratch the traditional nominating commitee, and instead use the spiritual gifts assessments. Church members were encouraged to take the gift assessment tests which were then evaluated by another group/committee which then decided where members could serve based on the results. It sounded like a great idea to me! There are times when I feel trapped in certain areas because those are the only ones I keep getting nominated for, and I do feel I should be involved. I'm sure others feel the same at times also.
Well, the spiritual gifts assessments at her church have not gone as planned. The results committee has made some blunders in "reassigning" people to different tasks in a somewhat arbitrary way, feelings have been hurt, and some people have felt slighted. Maybe it was the implementation that failed, maybe the nominating committee wasn't such a bad method after all, or maybe changes needed to be made and people would have been hurt no matter what. I don't know the details. But it seemed to me (an outside viewer) that it was an interesting experiment at the least.
I found a blog on the subject that's worth reading.
http://www.challies.com/archives/002197.php
The article didn't help me figure out why some people are involved in the church, while others continue to just warm pews, but it was insightful.
It seems that if everyone used their spiritual gifts (and I truly do believe that everyone has one God given gift or more) the word"church", community, the term "Christian", ministry, would all carry beautiful connotations, and our church as a whole would be a powerful force for good in the community & the world. (much more powerful than it is.)
Even if spiritual gifts are not well defined, it got me thinking about what my "spiritual" gifts are. What are the gifts God has given me, and am I using them for Him? Am I willing to use them fully? Do I think I have a certain gift but I really don't? How can I be involved in my church and bring Glory to God more effectively?
What do you think? Are we stretching ourselves enough? Are we trusting that God will give us the resources we need? Do we believe we have spiritual gifts that need to be "activated"?
I began thinking about it because of the pitiful response to my request for "mature" volunteer in my Sabbath school class today. Why was it that I only had one person volunteer, and not 20? Here was a painless, free, and simplistic way for someone to get involved by hugging 12 kids as thy enter Sabbath School, then going back to their regular group meeting. But yet, no one wants to hug cheerful, grateful little kids? How odd. This led me to thinking about involvement, and willingness to step out of our "boxes" and comfort areas.
Maybe that is why the same people are involved and the same non-participants, keep not participating. Is it because some people are not afraid to commit to a "job" and other people don't ever want to want the commitment? Maybe not.
Is it because many people don't enjoy responsibility? Is it because people don't have "time"? Maybe it is because they don't feel adequate? Is it because non-participating is easier, more painless, less emotional?
My sister-in-laws church recently decided to scratch the traditional nominating commitee, and instead use the spiritual gifts assessments. Church members were encouraged to take the gift assessment tests which were then evaluated by another group/committee which then decided where members could serve based on the results. It sounded like a great idea to me! There are times when I feel trapped in certain areas because those are the only ones I keep getting nominated for, and I do feel I should be involved. I'm sure others feel the same at times also.
Well, the spiritual gifts assessments at her church have not gone as planned. The results committee has made some blunders in "reassigning" people to different tasks in a somewhat arbitrary way, feelings have been hurt, and some people have felt slighted. Maybe it was the implementation that failed, maybe the nominating committee wasn't such a bad method after all, or maybe changes needed to be made and people would have been hurt no matter what. I don't know the details. But it seemed to me (an outside viewer) that it was an interesting experiment at the least.
I found a blog on the subject that's worth reading.
http://www.challies.com/archives/002197.php
The article didn't help me figure out why some people are involved in the church, while others continue to just warm pews, but it was insightful.
It seems that if everyone used their spiritual gifts (and I truly do believe that everyone has one God given gift or more) the word"church", community, the term "Christian", ministry, would all carry beautiful connotations, and our church as a whole would be a powerful force for good in the community & the world. (much more powerful than it is.)
Even if spiritual gifts are not well defined, it got me thinking about what my "spiritual" gifts are. What are the gifts God has given me, and am I using them for Him? Am I willing to use them fully? Do I think I have a certain gift but I really don't? How can I be involved in my church and bring Glory to God more effectively?
What do you think? Are we stretching ourselves enough? Are we trusting that God will give us the resources we need? Do we believe we have spiritual gifts that need to be "activated"?
Labels: spiritual_gifts, warm_seats
Comments:
<< Home
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I resonate with your frustration with the spectator mentality in Christianity. Perhaps it is easier to watch. Change is always painful and so we resist new things. Other than offering platitudes, I'm not sure what the answers are. However, in my own experience I have found a direct correlation between the authenticity of my experience with Christ and active involvement in various ministries. I don't know which comes first. In fact, it probably doesn't matter, they just go together. Let the gifts flow!
I took a spiritual gifts survey a few years ago. At the time, my wife and I were very involved in a small group ministry in which we had many discussions regarding the differences between the gifts of the Spirit and our natural talents and abilities. I agree with the post you linked to that there is little difference between the two from the perspective of the spiritual gifts surveys.
However, I really disagree with the author's assumed dichotomy between the source of secular personality/abilities versus Christian gifts. This black and white type of thinking with the assumption that people are either totally secular or completely Christian does not correspond with reality or agree with Biblical author's such as Paul. The spiritually arrogant assumption that God is only at work in my community severely stunts our view of God and causes others to view us with suspicion or even fear. God is much bigger than Christianity and therefore the abilities of 'secular' people might just correspond to the gifts of 'Christians' because the same Spirit is striving with both of us.
I am not trying to say that they are identical. Paul seems to think that spiritual gifts may be specifically given to members of a Christ centered community to edify that community and if a person is living a 'secular' life detached from a God centered community they may have abilities but no gifts. Yet, I really bristle at the idea that God is with all of us but with none of them. God led the Israelites out of slavery both from their oppressors and eventually from the burden of a system of tribal deities. Often, it seems to me that Christians are determined to take us back to both.
I took a spiritual gifts survey a few years ago. At the time, my wife and I were very involved in a small group ministry in which we had many discussions regarding the differences between the gifts of the Spirit and our natural talents and abilities. I agree with the post you linked to that there is little difference between the two from the perspective of the spiritual gifts surveys.
However, I really disagree with the author's assumed dichotomy between the source of secular personality/abilities versus Christian gifts. This black and white type of thinking with the assumption that people are either totally secular or completely Christian does not correspond with reality or agree with Biblical author's such as Paul. The spiritually arrogant assumption that God is only at work in my community severely stunts our view of God and causes others to view us with suspicion or even fear. God is much bigger than Christianity and therefore the abilities of 'secular' people might just correspond to the gifts of 'Christians' because the same Spirit is striving with both of us.
I am not trying to say that they are identical. Paul seems to think that spiritual gifts may be specifically given to members of a Christ centered community to edify that community and if a person is living a 'secular' life detached from a God centered community they may have abilities but no gifts. Yet, I really bristle at the idea that God is with all of us but with none of them. God led the Israelites out of slavery both from their oppressors and eventually from the burden of a system of tribal deities. Often, it seems to me that Christians are determined to take us back to both.
Hello,
I am an elder at Capital Spanish SDA Church. My reason for writing to you is that; we have created a blogspot for the Adult Sabbath School Lesson and wish to be added to your blogroll, and at the same time we would add your blog to ours. With this blog we are able to bring the lesson to people in a more visual and interactive way. That way people are more likely to read and be filled with the fruits that the lesson brings by interacting through comments.
Please let us know if this is to your interest and if we are added to your Blog Roll.
The link to our blog is www.capitalthinks.blogspot.com/
Thanks and may the Lord Bless your works
Post a Comment
I am an elder at Capital Spanish SDA Church. My reason for writing to you is that; we have created a blogspot for the Adult Sabbath School Lesson and wish to be added to your blogroll, and at the same time we would add your blog to ours. With this blog we are able to bring the lesson to people in a more visual and interactive way. That way people are more likely to read and be filled with the fruits that the lesson brings by interacting through comments.
Please let us know if this is to your interest and if we are added to your Blog Roll.
The link to our blog is www.capitalthinks.blogspot.com/
Thanks and may the Lord Bless your works
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]