For All Saints’ Day, let’s talk about heroes. This is an excerpt from Church Communication Heroes Volume 2: Saving the Day Without Superpowers, which you can download for free.
My favorite superhero is the church communicator.
I’m serious.
Mild-mannered, under-appreciated computer nerd by day, but a force to be reckoned with when deadlines are looming or the copier won’t cooperate.
Look at the challenges church communicators face:
- Last-minute changes that throw everything into turmoil.
- Ever-changing technology that’s supposed to make your life easier, but seems to get more complicated.
- Lackadaisical lay people who are more eager to point out typos than invite people to church.
It’s a tough gig. Some days it feels like you need superpowers to get through all that.
But we don’t have superpowers, do we?
Much like the historical heroes we’ve chronicled, church communicators have to make the most of what they have, draw on deep reserves of strength (and sanity), and somehow save the day.
I think the more compelling superhero stories are the ones that don’t have superpowers. Iron Man is just Tony Stark in a suit. Falcon, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all get to be Avengers and they don’t have any special powers.
So I find courage and inspiration by looking back at heroes who faced similar odds and had the same human limitations we do:
- Eleanor Roosevelt had to overcome her mistakes—and you know what, they didn’t define her.
- The actions of St. Nicholas sparked the spirit of giving that defines our modern notion of Christmas (even if we overdo it).
- Anne Frank used her pen. That’s it—yet her story is a shining testament against the forces of evil.
All of these heroes are people just like you and me. They don’t have superpowers. They’re not perfect. But they did the work, they overcame the odds, and they saved the day.
So be inspired. Be encouraged. And be the hero your church needs.
More:
- Get it: Download a free copy of Church Communication Heroes, Volume 2. It features stories of 15 incredible heroes, from a pirate queen to a tech visionary.
- Need more heroes? Check out Church Communication Heroes, Volume 1: Lessons From Those Who Have Gone Before.
- Don’t feel heroic? Maybe you need a pep talk. Grab a free sample of You’ve Got This: A Pep Talk for Church Communicators.
