I've been thinkin'...
[Pause]
Hello? Where did everybody go?

Oh I get it. Every time I start thinking, everybody runs. That's why I love Spanky, my bulldog. He never runs from me and my ideas. He runs towards me. But here's my thinkin' and it comes on the cusp of changes in church life that can serve as cues for more effective kingdom thinking. Let's start with the typical comments made from frustration/disappointment:

"I wish I could have done so much more".
"I have so much more to give".
"It's so frustrating not being able to see my gifts and abilities in full swing at my church".
"If only my church would discover how much I have to offer it, especially in the area of creativity".

These are a few that I get as pastor of Crossroads, a local Bronx congregation. Tough to receive. I could send these people to the sign up stations at the ministry fair. But I could see their jaws drop in complete bafflement that typically stems from a level of entitlement, seniority or dissatisfaction from not being recognized/esteemed as much as others are (We really need to be careful that we don't think more of ourselves than we should. God is gonna lift up the low-lies, not the high-lies).

Keep in mind these other scenarios. Some don't get involved because they picked up on the lack of space for their hidden agendas . Others didn't count the cost, especially in youth ministry. Some just don't serve unless there is a level of glamour included in the deal. i.e. Why aren't I recognized/elevated as much as others are?

But shouldn't we [the Church] be a place that prepares, empowers, and encourages us to serve, with the largest amount of output, in the workplace?

Having a job not only means making a salary, but also includes becoming a responsible member of society/community. We graduate from high school, go on to college, get an education in something we're passionate about, so we can work "doing what we love". That's the way its supposed to be. Que no? And if we're doing what we love in the workplace, shouldn't that be what fills our cup more than anything else? I'm starting to feel that people who really complain about "not being able to get involved, do more, or be more used" are people who are, in fact, very unfulfilled in the workplace. "PJ...you're changing your tune from the old days". So you noticed. I used to say that since people are very unfulfilled in the workplace, they need another outlet that the church can provide through ministry opportunity. I changed my mind. That was the real beginning of my problems. Instead we built a database of unfulfilled church folk who are, you guessed it, looking for other churches where they can do more and be more involved.

But where is our gifting, abilities, talents and creativity most needed? In the church? Not sure. Those kinds of attributes are best on display in the world where the visible manifestation of the kingdom of God is desperately needed. Not in our churches. There is no real impact in that environment. Real impact comes when the Spirit of life within us comes into contact with unregenerate people. That collision of the living and the dead is explosive.

Maybe the one little thing you do in your church is enough, or should be enough. Maybe the very best that you have to offer is to be on display at other places.

There's something happening. In a recent conversation with a brother in Christ, he said the following: "The Holy Spirit keeps refreshing us and reminding us that He loves us (him and his wife) and is pleased with our service not only in CT but in the workplace." He said some other things too but we won't go there :-) We're onto something here folks. I really think this is the way to go. We've got to direct all of this creative energy and involvement to the workplace/marketplace because the reality is your church may not be where all of that involvement fits.

And what about that crazy stuff that God does....where he uses someone else to do what you think you should be doing. There's the E-headed monster again called entitlement. Oh no! Could it be? Absolutely. So go pick your fight with God. But please don't take it out on us pastors anymore :-) He is building His church and the gates of hell or a pastor cannot prevail against it.

Recap!: Serve where the need is. You may end up doing what you love. Maybe not. Can you handle that? But don't put all of your eggs of servitude in one basket called the church. The Body can be wonderfully edified by just one of our gifts. It doesn't have to house all of them. And if anything, give the workplace, the marketplace, where the kingdom is most needed, your best stuff.

Case study, then I'm done.

My brother in law and sister in law don't do as much as they used to at Crossroads. They serve a little here and there but not a whole lot. And boy were they once involved. Why not? Because they are very involved in their workplace where they serve passionately, creatively, with conviction. They don't have to do a whole lot at Crossroads. That's not the only place where they serve. And they're very low maintenance, a pastor's dream :-) I've had to come to terms with this. Acceptance. They are both content and productive. And they're workplace knows that they're both employees and servants. Ask their bosses.

I'm just sayin'. Thanks for listening.