This Sunday at Church: Thank someone who works behind the scene

The Lord’s Day is important.  The Church is important.  Those are things near to my heart.  They are things near to the heart of God.  Christ died for His church.  The church, imperfect as it is, is what God uses to reach the lost and mobilize missions at the grass root level.  It is where one generation imparts the Gospel to the next generation and the younger generations bury one generation, preaching that same precious Gospel as a reminder of the hope of the Gospel and also to convert sinners to Christ for them to go to heaven.

I love the church.  Not just my church.  But the universal church.  And the local church.  My local church.  And local churches.  Every time I guess speak at a church I always see something that I love about what God is doing there, as flawed as the people might be or problematic the dynamic is there.  If you read this blog long enough you know I have written posts to encourage people to invest in the church not with just money but time and love.  See “Serve All Out in Church, Knowing Christ is Building His Church.”  I also want to ensure people in church don’t burn out.  See “Help! I feel I gave to the church more than it has blessed me.”  I’ve exhorted with the post “Go To Church Today to Edify The Church!

To make it even more practical I thought I do a short mini-series on Sunday titled “This Sunday at Church.”  It will be some ideas of how to go beyond just being a spectator at church and to be intentional in small ways to live out your calling to be the church.

Today we begin with mission: Thank someone who works behind the scene.

Think about those in church.  Not Pastors.  But those who serve and might never get thanked.

Sometimes the best way to think about these servants is to think about ministry that people assume would just get done.  But nothing just get done unless someone does it!  Or think about ministry that people don’t notice at all is happening; unless that ministry messes up. Then you noticed them.  Some ministry the goal is not to bring attention to those serving but to magnify something else or someone else and you are not even conscious of them.

Think of the guy who does audio and sound.  Or the person who does power point.  Or the person who goes to church first to unlock everything.  Or stay late and lock everything up.  Do you know who they are?  Ask around.  Find out.  Look around.  Spot them. Then smile at them.  Say hi to them.  Reach out your hand to shake their hands.  Use your words.  Say thank you.  Find out their names.  Say “I appreciate it ____ when you do ___ for the church.”  They might be near burning out and might not ever read this blog’s post “”Help! I feel I gave to the church more than it has blessed me” but you can embody that post in your conduct, demeanor and speech.  To convey, “Brother, what you are doing is for His Kingdom.”  “Sister, I’m praying for you, hang in there, be faithful.”

Do you know who are the janitors in your church (volunteers or paid)?  The ones who keep the places clean and toilet paper stocked?  Do you know who cooked lunch if your church have lunch?  Do you know who plan your retreat, run the nursery, pick up the elderly, run the bus ministry, stack and un-stack chairs and help decorate for VBS at your church?

This Sunday at Church go up to someone and thank them who works behind the scenes.  And thank the Lord, praising God, for that brother or sister’s ministry.