When I go to a movie or concert or sporting event, I take a program, find my seat, and enjoy the show. I play no part in the action. Sounds fun, right? What is not to love about admiring and enjoying those who devoted their life to developing their passions, gifts, and skills? Have you ever been part of a group or gathering in which you were a casual observer without any role or responsibility?
A lot of churches function like this. A majority of people show up to a Sunday worship service or a mid-week gathering, take a program, find a seat, and enjoy the show. A small number of pastors, staff, and leaders, meanwhile, are seen as the “up front” or “center stage” actors whose role is to play out the drama before the audience. When the show is over, the actors exit stage left and the audience heads home or out for a bite to eat.
At Christ Church, we are seeking to be different. Our community is one in which “everyone can play.” We believe that God has given everyone in our midst time, energy, gifts, passions, and skills to serve the church and the city. In this sense, God is the audience and the people in the church are the actors. St. Paul put it like this:
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up... From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph 4:11-16)
At Christ Church we believe in a “bottom up” rather than “top down” approach to church. When a church operates from the top down, the leaders decide what the church will do and then attempts to recruit, cajole or pressure people into doing it. The problem is that the leaders’ great ideas may not match up at all with the gifts and calling of the people. We would like to be a “bottom up” church in which the leaders provide vision and structure, and everyone in the church is equipped and released for what St. Paul calls “works of service.” We believe that the church is “the body of Christ” and each “limb and organ” has been given particular gifts. The best way to determine what God is calling a church to do is to discover what gifts he has given to the “limbs and organs” of that particular body and then encourage “each part to do its work.”. Ministry typically begins at Christ Church because someone sees a need and feels called to use their gifts in a particular way. The church then provides opportunity and support for that ministry to take place. When a ministry results from a use of a God-given gift, it inevitably bears fruit.
As we prepare to launch our Parishes over the course of the coming month, you will hear from Parish leaders about various roles and needs within the Parish. And as we prepare to launch our Ministry Teams for a new September to June cycle, you will be able to come to the Ministry Team Fair and hear about the various gaps and needs on our Ministry Teams. We hope that “everyone will play,” finding a role in the church, investing your time and energy, and exercising your gifts, passions, and skills because Christ Church is only as healthy as her Parishes and Ministry Teams.
A final thought. One of the catechisms of the Protestant Reformation asks the question, “What is the duty of all Christians?” Answer: “The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship; and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.” Let us know how we can serve you as you are “working, praying, and giving” for the sake of our King. Godspeed.