Life's like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Staffing is something like that too. The people and ministry are the best chocolates. I enjoy meeting with people. It taxes me but I love it. If any of y'all are reading this and want to meet up, please let me know!
Have you guys noticed that our helpless tendency to gauge other Christians by how much they serve or come out? It's like a Christian that doesn't serve is less Christian. It's like God must be some score keeper with a chart of holiness points. 15 points for making it out to Bible study. Double, if you come on time. -10 If you miss a prayer meeting and/or church. I know it may not happen intentionally but it bothers me that it happens. You can go to church, surround yourself with ministry, and everything else that's godly and still not be a Christian. I'm not implying that we can be a Christian and never go to church. We need community. We form the church together, not separately. We have been saved by faith and not by works.
It bothers me when I see people leave a ministry or a church because they felt condemned and shamed by the members. It makes my chest hurt. We notice someone stops coming out as much and we jump to the conclusion that they've gone astray. Well, maybe they're just tired. No, I'm serious. There are days when I'm tired and I've felt the pressure around me in ministry, to go and "perform" my tasks as a leader. We're not robots, we're human. The worst is when someone leaves a ministry because others know or find out about their "terrible" (these are really sarcastic quotations by the way, reader) sins. Their names pass through tingling lips with no uplifting spirits and we place silly labels on them. It's like we slapped a scarlet letter on them. We're missing the point. It's saddening when they feel "judged" and awkward coming out to ministry events. You know what though? I can't blame them. It makes sense. For all of that, for those of you guys struggling, I'm sorry we showed you the wrong view of Christ.
Jesus paid for all of our sins and He paid for every person. No one is excluded, everyone is included. We're all broken people yet sometimes, I think we unintentionally withhold Jesus as if it's deserved. The church, the body of Christ, is not meant for people who have their lives perfectly together. The church is meant to be a community of broken people in need of GRACE! If Jesus told us to hand out chocolates to everyone, it's not our decision to see who gets that amazingly dark 86% cacao chocolate. Do you fully believe that Jesus paid it all?
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Now in terms of my blog, I'm still trying to think of the photos and whatnot. I might start posting up the people without a spiel. Zah. I assure you, I haven't met with only two people. HAHA. More are coming!