MY House

With so many opportunities to serve, where do we begin? Perhaps in the children's ministry, hospitality, or prayer team. And even within those three major areas, there are many opportunities in which to serve, where your help is both needed and appreciated. You can smile, you can shake a hand, you can serve a parent, you can serve a child, and the list goes on and on. I've heard it said that no matter the size of the congregation, 20% of the people are doing 80% of the work. If you have a servant's heart or--like me--have to work extra hard at boundaries in saying "no," so as not to get overwhelmed, then perhaps God's words to me will help you, too.

It was around 2007, after we'd been coming to Bayside for a while, when a friend asked me to serve with her in a ministry area she was heading up. I didn't have a clue what it was I'd be doing, but I liked her, so I said yes. I began serving at what we called the CD table, where people could come and pick up CDs of past messages. Shortly after that, the opportunity came up for me to help with the creative team in the kids ministry. I've always liked creative things, so that seemed like a perfect fit.

It wasn't too long after I was serving in both areas, that God spoke to me and said, "Serve where ever you want. If you like, try out all the ministry areas to see what suits you best. But, do not turn My House of Worship into a house of work." God's words really surprised me and have always stuck with me. I use them as the measuring table for keeping my life in balance. God knows me all too well, which shouldn't surprise me, since He made me. It's really cool how He spoke right to the point of my personality and tendencies.

As it turned out, the kids ministry and I were not a good match. The CD ministry wasn't fulfilling my need for interaction and socialization. I tried out a couple more areas to see if those would be a match and have "found my place" through other ministry areas. I've experienced a lot of growth and stretching, but also joy, in helping with the Encouragers, and I've fulfilled my "socializing need" through small groups. God told me I could try out and try on whatever I wanted, but His House was not to be turned into work. His House is for Worship. He didn't want me to serve in so many areas that I would get overwhelmed, begin to resent it, and quit the whole thing. He doesn't want that for you, either. His words are what I use to balance my priorities. It's not always easy, but His words have been a big help to me and I pray they will help you, too.