ON USING PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH
Russ Reid
October 1, 1985
Some years ago, I went through the most excruciating crisis of my life. A sudden, wrenching divorce, after twenty-three years of marriage and four children, left me angry, guilty, lonely, and confused. In the midst of this, I found a new church in which to worship and asked the pastor for anonymity. I just wanted to sit and listen for a while. This caring pastor and his people honored my request, accepted me, ministered to me, and asked for nothing in return. For years I had worked with media, marketing, and fund raising. From the church's point of view, I was a prime candidate to become a committee workhorse. Instead, I became an object of the love and care of a group of God's people. Finally, as healing progressed I joined the church and gradually became more actively involved. Today, I have a part in the daily life of that church. But each Sunday as I enter that sanctuary, I realize my value to that group of people is based on who I am, not what I can do. This experience confirmed a suspicion I've held for a long time: The best Christian service is a by-product of being loved, accepted, and cared for by a fellowship of believers. Church involvement that grows spontaneously from the balm of healing has a more durable foundation than any programmed activity. Many churches, formally or informally, conduct a sort of "skills inventory" of each new member. When a carpenter joins the church, he is automatically slated for the building committee. An educator is asked to teach Sunday school. An accountant is invited to get involved in the financial planning. Some churches even approach this systematically—with questionnaires, forms, and so forth. Now, with the microcomputer, any church can easily compile a talent data base and ...
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