COMMITMENT: HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
In a world of competing demands, how much should the church expect of its lay people? A Leadership Forum
July 1, 1989
Why is it that some church people come early, stay late, and work hard in between-and in the same church others show up late, quit programs midstream, and leave in a huff over minor irritations? And why are the numbers committed to working in the nursery, teaching Sunday school, or sweating on church work days never seemingly sufficient?
In a day when, as one pastor put it, "Everyone I know is overextended financially, emotionally, and spiritually," how much can a pastor ask for? Especially from volunteers?
To find out, LEADERSHIP traveled to Tennessee, the land of the Volunteers, and talked with four experienced pastors:
-Maxie Dunnam, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis;
-Don Finto, pastor of Belmont Church in Nashville;
-Duane Litfin, pastor of First Evangelical Church on Memphis's growing east side;
-Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in downtown Memphis.
As you'll see, the discussion soon wrestled with the deeper issues-spiritual growth, discipleship, leadership, and church structure.
Leadership: When you think of committed people in your church, who comes to mind?
Duane Litfin: An elder who has had opportunities to expand his business responsibilities and income, but he has chosen not to do that in order to retain maximum time for the Lord's work. He chairs our missions board, which is a massive task.
Adrian Rogers: I thought of a man I greatly admire-Marvin Nelli. He operates a service station. He's not a gifted speaker, but Marvin is perhaps the best personal witness I've ever met. He gets off work and visits in the hospitals-listening and sharing. Hardly a Sunday goes by that he doesn't come forward with somebody he has led to a commitment to Christ. Sometimes it will be a whole family.
His commitment ...
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