A challenge for communicators is to continually tackle the work we do, regardless of how fun and exciting it is. Sometimes, it’s downright boring. This five-part series tackles boring vs. fun in church communication. Read Part 1, Embrace Them Together.
There are times when we simply have to suck it up and deal with the “boring” to be able to do the “fun” parts of church communication. But grunting through what we don’t like or are not wired to do is not smart for the organization, sustainable for our team or healthy for us personally… even if we have positive attitudes about it.
As leaders in the local church, we all have a pastoral calling that is incumbent upon us regardless of our job titles or ordination status. We are called to equip the saints (Ephesians 4:11-12). What we are not good at or passionate about are opportunities for us to live out this biblical mandate.
What’s boring to us can be the most fun and fulfilling thing ever to someone else. Some people are gifted and passionate about proofing. Some are very excited about making sure the dates for recurring events are always current on the website and in the bulletins. Some people love printing, folding, stuffing and preparing the bulletin (ugh). Those are all great volunteer opportunities. If the thought of finding and plugging people into volunteer roles drains you, rest assured that there is someone in your church who loves that kind of stuff and is very good at it. You just have to do it once.
Building this army is not only biblical it sets you up to do more fun stuff—things we are called to do, good at and passionate about.
How do you activate people in your church to do what they are gifted and passionate to do?
Photo by aagius & hodgers
Joel Zehring
November 7, 2012
I’ve read through the five posts in this series, so I get what you’re aiming for with this post. Leaders need to tune in to the strengths of their people to increase engagement and advance the Kingdom through the efforts of all believers, not just a few. That said, there’s some nuance to this concept that I feel is sorely lacking in this post.
Specifically, I think all believers are “wired” to make disciples. That may look vastly different for each individual, but the fundamental truth and Christ’s great commission remain.
This post states “Some people are gifted and passionate about proofing. Some are very excited about making sure the dates for recurring events are always current on the website and in the bulletins. Some people love printing, folding, stuffing and preparing the bulletin (ugh).”
This might be true, but frequently church leaders settle for engaging their congregants in busyness and fail to engage their congregants in the Kingdom work at hand. In my estimation, this trend is widespread enough to effectively cripple the body.
Here’s my suggestion for leaders on the ground trying to resource their ministries and engage other believers: invite someone to stuff envelopes with you, and use that time to talk with that person about how God is leading them and how God is working. The grunt work moves faster, and God might use your time together to spur that believer on toward other good works that he’s prepared for them.
The Believer
November 11, 2012
Joel,
I can’t agree more, you hit the nail right!
While effectively delegating various types of church works to congregants, indeed we should never miss mentoring and teaching them of what’s most important, and that is fulfilling the Great Commission, of making disciples of Christ.