Sometimes I Don't Know Where to Start

Focusing on ME

I guess at times I do feel a bit overwhelmed. I'm sure that is why God gave me this book to start digging in to. I get so concerned with decisions other members or even leaders are doing in the church. But luckily this book gave me a sigh of relief. I'm barely through one chapter but it's already making me feel better.

From the book: No Perfect people allowed: creating a COME AS YOU ARE culture in the CHURCH by John Burke

"If the the thought of reaching our post-Christian culture scares you, take heart! God can use anyone, because it's not ultimately up to us---it's up to him. But we do have a responsibility. Paul reminds church leaders in his letter to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (English Standard Version)

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

As Christians in a post-Christian society, our job is to become cultural farmers. Church leaders, ministry leaders and small group leaders must come to trust the God who is already at work all around us, making things grow. Our responsibility is not to make people grow or change. Our task is to create the right soil, a rich healthy environment, in which people can grow up in faith until the invisible God is made visible through his Body, the church".

I realized through reading this that if I take care of myself, continue to strive for spiritual growth and follow through with the tasks God gives me pertaining to Church ministry, everything else will take care of itself.

I taught a class on unity in Sunday school. I really just wanted to share my heart and my vision for our church and how unity would take so much stress out of our lives if we all are there for each other, catching one another in times of failure or fatigue. But I like what Dean told me after that class when he told me that you can't make unity happen. Dean led me to this verse:

Romans 12:6-8

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, withthe one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, cheerfulness.


This helped me out because it was the seed plant that showed me if I use my talents (ones that not every person possesses) with zeal and is always generous and cheerful THEN it will begin to rub off on others in the church. That is how unity occurs...by example.