4 years into our marriage, we moved to Kalamazoo, and became part of a new church family. It was my first time being part of a church without my parents! We chose this church because we felt God could use us, and there were plenty of ways we could get busy.
I wanted to try so many things! I love working with children, everything to do with music, and organizing fellowship events. And there were so many opportunities! I had some good teachers as I grew up, and was ready to try my wings!
Fortunately, our minister's wife was much wiser than myself, and taught me a valuable lesson about ministry. You can't do it all, and you shouldn't try. And, Don't hog the ministry!
After teaching children's classes for a few years, she thought I would be good at directing the Wednesday night children's program. Now this had been her baby--or so I thought! It was a very successful program! (She just got the ball rolling because childrens education was so important to her.) I spent an entire year as her apprentice. I didn't teach a class. I learned how to plan lessons, recruit teachers, order material, make sure class sizes were appropriate, organize healthy snacks, how to delegate, how to lead, when to allow another person the freedom to express an idea outside of your schedule, how to discipline, how to say no, how to put your foot down, and how to back out. She was an amazing teacher. After my apprentice year, I led the program, and brought along another apprentice. Gayleen was always close by, and willing to help.
At the end of my year I was free to try other things, or I could sign up for another year with the kids program, and have a whole year to plan, because I'd have to wait until the current leader's year was up.
Gayleen later thought I would be good at leading the women's ministry. I really wasn't so sure about that! I could at least fool the kids into thinking I was smarter than them! But there were women in the group who were such wonderful Christians! How could I lead them?! Gayleen assured me it was not a contest. And she assured me that God loved me, and she had faith that I could do this. Since leading this program was new to me, again I spent a year as an apprentice, then led the program the next year. Obviously Gayleen prayed, asking God to lead her to the person to train next. Now I know that He honored me by sending me to her! How blessed am I?!!
Our elders supported the idea, feeling that workers should be careful about leading big programs or projects, not taking on more than one at a time.
What an awesome growth experience I had as a young Christian woman! I have had the pleasure (and it truly was a pleasure) of leading the children's programs several times, directing children's choir and Christmas musicals, leading women's ministry a couple of years, serving on the worship ministry team, organizing lots and lots of fellowship events and parties, and while I may have had times of stress (especially the nights leading up to a children's musical!), I have never felt burnt out. I've kept Gayleen's model with me, and I don't have any plans to give it up!
Have you been in a church where a few people do all the work? Of course! It's common. Have you led the same ministry for lots of years? Why? Are you the only one capable of doing it? (I know, in our current techno world, that's sometimes true.) Excluding professionally trained ministries, think about your own ministry. You may not think you're hogging the ministry, but if you've been doing it for quite some time, you probably are. Start praying for an apprentice! Or look around--there may be others who already know your job! And when God puts names into your head, approach them about the idea, and have them pray with you. Just see what God has in store for you next!
I have a church directory in front of me now. There are roughly 70 women listed. There are 13 ministries listed with women leading. 5 of those have more than one ministry listed as ones they lead. I know there have been some changes since the directory was printed, some additions, some subtractions. Even some ministry changes. And, not everyone wants to lead a ministry. My advice, which of course you can take or leave, is to pick one and let someone else do the others! Teach someone else how to plan and organize food and fellowship, if there isn't one who already knows! Let someone else plan the wedding and baby showers, direct a play, plan fellowships, organize workers! You're not the only one who can do the work and do it well! And I say that in the very most loving and respectful way! I would not recommend just quitting, but teaching another to do your job. You may only need to train someone for a couple of months. Then find another job! Next year try something new! Are you 'leading' a ministry that is spinning it's wheels? Ditch it! Are people still listed as leading ministries even though they're no longer with your church? I think it's time to replace them. Breathe some new life into that ministry! Don't think I'm hinting that any of you aren't doing a good job. That's not the case at all!
I attended a very small church for a few years. I thought that since it was so small, there would be plenty of opportunities for me. Not so much. When it was time to plan a dinner, I'd raise my hand to volunteer, and quickly someone said, 'Oh ________ will handle that. She always does such a good job. And she always does it." When buying food for a large event, I thought well, at least I can do that! Nope. _________ knew how to buy food in large quantities. Okay........ Maybe I can organize the food gathering for the annual Thanksgiving basket. Nope. ___________ has always done it, and will do it again. So many times, a thing would come up, and someone had already been doing this forever, so it was their job!
Gayleen did not teach me to push someone out of a job! But I knew how great it was to share. I knew the value of bringing someone along, of mentoring another to the greatness of serving Christ!
I had an idea last year. I wanted to lead a children's musical at Christmas. It expanded a little into a children's choir. Cool! My new church home had not been blessed by a children's choir ministry in several years, and they missed it! People were excited to see this ministry revived! I was excited to be part of it. I Thank God for the opportunity! I love the kids! I love Christmas musicals! But do I want to do this forever? I know better than that. Not wise. Not good for the ministry, not good for me, not good for the growth of the church. I'm praying for an apprentice. I know God will send the right person.
I have other ministries, other ideas I would love to try! Thanks to Gayleens wisdom, I never feel that I can only do one thing, and I must do it forever. I have freedom!
