Dig in Deep

Tony Morgan is on staff at Granger Community Church in Indiana. He shared an interesting story recently, and his resulting questions are well worth reading.

One of the volunteer leaders yesterday was pretty much admitting, I’m burnt out. I’m tired. I need time to myself. I need a break. Obviously, when I hear that, I’m not only concerned for the individual involved, but as a ministry leader, it sends up a red flag. I wonder, “Am I really helping people take their next step toward Christ, or am I just loading people down with burdens?”

This may be the ultimate challenge I face in ministry. On the one hand, I want to “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” but on the other hand I want people to have a life-transforming relationship with Jesus who said:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This raises conflict in my mind because it feels like the Church (local church in general) needs to create opportunities for people to experience Bible teaching, Bible study, serving opportunities, relational connections with fellow Christ-followers, corporate worship, etc. so that people can jump on a discipleship track and take steps in their faith journey. But, on the other hand, every time we ask people to take another step, we may also be doing the following:

Adding to the already overwhelming pace of people’s lives.

Increasing the demand on volunteer ministry leaders who are also investing their precious time to serve others.

Encouraging people to rely on church programming to take spiritual steps rather than equipping them to grow in their own faith journey.

Adding burdens to people’s lives when Jesus said we were supposed to be helping people experience joy, peace and rest.

Communicating that busy is better.

Creating a works-based religion rather than offering a grace-filled relationship.

Encouraging people to be transformed into my likeness rather than encouraging people to become more like Christ and more of who God has created them to be. (Most times, thankfully, that will look very different than who God created me to be.)

When we put so much emphasis on programs, large gatherings, and high-quality productions, it will add “to the already overwhelming pace of people’s lives,” especially when those people are volunteers. One inevitably leads to the other.

One of the reasons why I’m enjoying my transition from presentational worship into house church is that is simply removes all of that. When I lead worship for house church, I do spend some time preparing. But it’s an entirely different level of preparation. I’m not coordinating multiple musicians, sound and video engineers, setting my equipment up, getting the stage cleaned up, etc.

The main difference is that instead of hoping to utilize a high quality production to impress and attract people to the gospel, you rely on the gospel itself, manifested through the love we show to one another as well as our compassion on unbelievers. So the pressure to perform is completely removed.