Steve Higgs sent me a great email when I was giving my church manifestos.
Here it is:
My problem with most discussions on Christian activity is that it
focuses heavily on church volunteerism. To me, this is small minded and
trite. Don't get me wrong, I care deeply that the nursery is staffed,
the greeters and in place, and that youth ministry has a healthy team
of adults committed to discipleship. It's just not what I care about
the most. What I care the most about is that we are rising up a team of
people that take God's kingdom to where they live. I hope they
volunteer; it helps when the give, and church attendance never hurt
anyone, but the dominant question I have is, "Are they bringing God's
kingdom to work, family, and life?" I have zero interest is raising up
a group of mega volunteers, that basically live their lives as unpaid
and full-time church pastors/ministers. Pay my co-workers and me; allow
us to do the laborious work of organizing, planning, and preparing.
Leave that to paid staff, but allow your people the freedom and
flexibility to go! To go into their workplace and families and take a
kingdom that has never been seen or experienced before....that's the
life!
Just a thought....Steve
**
I agree almost completely with Steve. I believe that if all we do in creating an active body is create an army of volunteers we are doing a disservice to the kingdom. Too often we think that putting someone on the worship team or giving them a Sunday School class to teach is plugging them into ministry. What we are doing is just plugging them into maintenance. I agree that we need to train people to bring God's kingdom to work, family, and life. That was some great thoughts.
But what I am proposing is church-lite. I was not proposing an army of volunteers but a priesthood of believers. I want to see a church that has people striving to do the will of God in all aspects of their lives and the church gathering is just a time for mutal encouragement. I would get rid of most programs and focus only on the things of the kingdom. That way if someone gets involved in church, he is directly getting involved in the work of the kingdom. I want a simple church, a simple church focused on being the kingdom of God. Maybe, it won't happen again in my life. But that is what I pray for.
