There is a term used now in church planting called being "fluid". The original word was "flexible". They mean the same thing - adaptable. I am quickly finding myself having to be fluid. Yesterday, Steve and I made a trip to the Lifeway Bookstore in Orlando to hunt down a couple of things. One was a music DVD, which we did not find. The other was some kind of children's program for C@TL.
Let me just say - my spiritual gifting is not in the children's department. Don't assume that to mean that I don't like children. I do, in fact, I love kids. I will be the first to step up for a babysitting job. That; however, does not translate into Children's Director. As I sat on the floor in Lifeway, I tried to figure out what would be the most simple yet worthwhile way to have the kids spend their time. I also wanted something that was easy to prepare and did not require we have a ton of craft materials in holding somewhere. Then it occured to me a 12 year old is not going to want to do the same thing a 4 year old will want to do. Now, I am looking at two different books trying to find something that was the most simple, yet worthwhile and age appropriate.
Steve and I finally settled on two books, one for each age group. During the car ride home I thought about how quickly my areas of service have changed in the last month. At Oasis, I was heavy into hospitality. As a side note, that is not actually my spiritual gifting either. But, I love hospitality. I love to make people feel welcomed, love for the place they come to look nice and smell nice, and love for them to leave feeling like they were treated well. I was raised in a hospitable home. With my parents working for the Diplomatic Corp, we were forever having people into our home or going into someone else's. My mother taught me well how to be a great hostess. So I tend to excel in that area. Now, my areas of service are changing again.
With Steve and I as the only staff members, we will need to rely heavily on church attenders to fill in the gaps. We want them to serve in areas within their gifting as that will make them the most successful. As we pray for people to come to our church, we are also praying for them to have a heart for service. We know all too well the struggles that come with a group suffering from burnout. Those in service must be fed spiritually as well.
It amazes me how God puts you in circumstances that stretch your current knowledge base and capabilities. It never fails you end up where you didn't want or expect to be. I am learning to be fluid. We are told in the bible, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and the teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullnes of Christ." (Eph 4: 11-13)
In His service
Mally
Let me just say - my spiritual gifting is not in the children's department. Don't assume that to mean that I don't like children. I do, in fact, I love kids. I will be the first to step up for a babysitting job. That; however, does not translate into Children's Director. As I sat on the floor in Lifeway, I tried to figure out what would be the most simple yet worthwhile way to have the kids spend their time. I also wanted something that was easy to prepare and did not require we have a ton of craft materials in holding somewhere. Then it occured to me a 12 year old is not going to want to do the same thing a 4 year old will want to do. Now, I am looking at two different books trying to find something that was the most simple, yet worthwhile and age appropriate.
Steve and I finally settled on two books, one for each age group. During the car ride home I thought about how quickly my areas of service have changed in the last month. At Oasis, I was heavy into hospitality. As a side note, that is not actually my spiritual gifting either. But, I love hospitality. I love to make people feel welcomed, love for the place they come to look nice and smell nice, and love for them to leave feeling like they were treated well. I was raised in a hospitable home. With my parents working for the Diplomatic Corp, we were forever having people into our home or going into someone else's. My mother taught me well how to be a great hostess. So I tend to excel in that area. Now, my areas of service are changing again.
With Steve and I as the only staff members, we will need to rely heavily on church attenders to fill in the gaps. We want them to serve in areas within their gifting as that will make them the most successful. As we pray for people to come to our church, we are also praying for them to have a heart for service. We know all too well the struggles that come with a group suffering from burnout. Those in service must be fed spiritually as well.
It amazes me how God puts you in circumstances that stretch your current knowledge base and capabilities. It never fails you end up where you didn't want or expect to be. I am learning to be fluid. We are told in the bible, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and the teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullnes of Christ." (Eph 4: 11-13)
In His service
Mally
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