Willingly Obliged!

Let me express this one thought up front: I don't get people who complain about ministry opportunities. 

Now don't jump to the conclusion that this is a "if life deals you lemons then make lemonade" because that is not a rational thought either.  Yes, I said it, "People who complain about ministry opportunites are not rational."  The basis of their irrationality is found in either: 1) a lack of understanding of their Lord; or, 2) a lack of passion.  In either case it is irrational for the Christian leader to complain about ministry opportunities since that is specifically what God has called us to do.  Adding to the irrationality of the Christian leader (and quite frankly, most Christians that I know) is that nowhere else in life do people expect free passes.  Better should I say, nowhere else in life do people get free passes.

If your boss gets married and you want to be part of the promotion pool, a gift or more likely attendance is required.  How about the Christmas party?  How many lunches can you turn down before you alienate your boss and coworkers?  And beyond the social obligations, if the boss tells you to pitch in and cover for Sally, do you have a choice?  Do we choose when to attend, what time to show up, what to wear and then act surprised if it doesn't meet the companies standards and then get disciplined?

Nowhere other than church (or perhaps at home) can someone expect to show up half of the time and criticize full time.  Pastors and leaders are indignant.  Aren't these people committed?  Don't they care?  Aren't they a part?  Why does everything come before worship, learning, encountering and service?  Why is Sunday School attendance so low a percentage of worship?  Why don't we have more volunteers?  Why do people drop off their kids?

All of these are valid questions but I would suggest that we remember the verse that instructs us to not "look at the speck in the eye of another (followers) when we (leaders) have a log in ours."  How can the people be expected to follow leaders who do not eat, sleep and fellowship with them?  Don't the leaders need to be examples above reproach and practicing the Christianity they teach?  Don't leaders need to be successful at the life?  How does a teacher lead without being in worship service the next day?  How does a ministry leader encourage volunteers to help his ministry without supporting another's with their volunteer time?  How can an Elder or Deacon expect others to attend classes and church if they don't?  Paul says, "How will they know unless someone tells them?" and James says, "Faith without works is dead."

Leaders need to start living the life that they say they desire for others.  Funerals - a critical time - need to be attended.  Weddings open to the church should be an important opportunity for ministry and attendance.  Births should be important, celebrated and leaders should learn to cook and send a card.  Leaders need to stop making excuses and do the obligations.  Being on time, being present, being at the church-wide function, being there for the people, being at worship, participating in dialogues, being prepared, being among the people, being at weddings, being in classes, being involved in missions, being a giver, being a Bible reader, being a reconciler, being a peacemaker, being silent, being a prayer warrior - these should all be things that are natural to the mature leader.

As demanding as the life is - we need to stop whining, excusing and rationalizing and simply accept the truth that obligations increase with leadership because leaders lead people and they cannot lead people if: 1) they are not there with people; and, 2) if they do not do first what they expect people to do.

If all of the demands of ministry are just too much for you, then you may not be a leader.  A real leader has to learn to cut back from "all the ministry he or she wants to do" rather than trying to find excuses to get out of things."  Even when we are tired, even when we are growing - we should live the life that all those that we lead are living.  It is a life of constant expectation and obligations to things they would love and things they simply must do.

We are obligated to see it first, embrace it first and do it first.  We are obligated to be with the people we lead: perhaps most importantly during the times we are not leading.  If leadership is "just too much for us and we don't get enough time off", we may want to consider not being leaders until we learn self denial and realize that we have everything we need and those we serve deserve everthing we have, are and can be.  We are Christian leaders and we should be over the hump of "what we need" because we should have surrendered to the call of the Great Leader who said, "these are my mothers and brothers...all those who love God," and, "the time is short and much work needs to be done."

P.S. - don't panic - I haven't forgotten the family.  Remember, they are your first ministry and if done well they will find great joy in serving their Lord with you.  I am living proof that there is enough time for family, time for all the other leadership, time for sleep, time to eat, time to laugh - but more on that later.  I had to learn to stop saying, "It can't be done" and learn that I simply didn't know how to do it.  Then and only then did God show me how to make it work.