The Perils of Being on Church Staff

I missed 5-Minute Friday this week, and while I am a little sad, my reason for missing was a really good one. I was at a marriage retreat - a marriage mentor retreat to be exact. The care ministries department at PCC sponsored the retreat as a training session for current marriage mentors as well as an introduction for those who might be interested in becoming part of the team. They also invited a few couples to come and just evaluate the format of the retreat for a potential church-wide marriage retreat next year. We were one of those couples.

As we discussed whether or not to accept the invitation, Jay told me that he had been wondering why we were not already marriage mentors. I can't say that his question came completely out of the blue, but I was a little surprised. He had never mentioned it before. I also was wondering if we should we consider getting involved, especially since we were going to be taking advantage of the retreat.

As I thought about the commitment though, I realized that I was in danger of falling into what I think is one of the biggest perils of being part of a church staff. You see, as a member of the staff, you get to hear about all the really cool things that are going on in every ministry of the church. You get to hear the stories of people who are touched by what is offered, and you get to hear the passion and heart of those who are leading those ministries. I think it is sometimes easy to get swept into adding "just one more thing" to an already full plate. Maybe that is a generalization. Maybe it is just me, but I don't think so.

I sat and watched today as couples came alive as they shared about mentoring. There was a spark. A definite calling. It was an excitement about ministry that is fueled by a love for what they do and those whom they serve. And while I hate to say it, I think it is something that sometimes gets lost among those of us whose are lucky enough to get paid to serve in the church. It's not that we aren't passionate, or that we do not love our church or our God, but I think we sometimes get so caught up in "git 'er done" mode that we lose some of the joy of working from a place of passion. We fall into the mentality that we don't do it, it won't happen - which in all honesty sells God a little short. It's like we don't believe that God can provide someone who IS passionate about it, so we have to do it ourselves.

Would Jay and I make good mentors? I don't know. Possibly. But, are we called to it? I don't think so. At least not right now. And that is okay. It's not that we are uninvolved or not committed, actually it is just the opposite. I am very passionate about my job as a ministry assistant, and supporting the ministries that I serve. Jay and I are both involved in small groups and other ministries of the church, and I think for right now, that is enough.

I am so blessed to have been part of this weekend. We had a ton of laughs, made some new friends, reconnected with some old friends and learned a little bit about ourselves and God. So, although I missed 5-Minute Friday, I can tell you that I am grateful that I was able to spend the weekend with such a amazing group of people whose hearts beat to strengthen marriages at PCC. And, I am grateful for the courage to say "no" to something good so that I will have something better - passion and energy for those ministries that I currently serve. I love what I do, and I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful church staff - perils and all.