Getting Something Back

I have such a great staff at NLT, the church I pastor. Most all of them are volunteer and they just continually pour their heart and energy into the work of God. As most churches go, there is not enough money to pay folks, but oh how I wish I could. If they are not remunerated financially, then a very important question is raised. "Why do they do what they do?"

That is a great question and the answer will be the focus of this blog. There must be some reason people give themselves to the Kingdom of God in such amazing ways. At the end of the day there is some level of fulfillment inside us that says, "The efforts I gave are worth it." Following are some things I think which enlarge our capacity for this kind of fulfillment and work.

1. We are fulfilled because we a doing what Christ has called us to do. Over and over the Word of God speaks about the Kingdom being propelled by work. There's no bait and switch here. Work is the very thing that runs most folks away from the Kingdom. Americans are by and in large, lazy. We want push button, self-served, easy-greasy things that require little or nothing of us. In God's church, Jesus spoke of working to get things done. He often spoke in parables of the laborer, the farmer, the reaper, the fisherman, the merchant, etc. When a Christian catches hold of the idea that God is pleased when he/she has their sleeves rolled up in the work of God, there is a measure of fulfillment there. To know the approval of God as we work is one of the things that causes people to work long and hard at things few people will ever acknowledge on earth. Yet, we know and believe that the slightest deed done on behalf of God's church will be eternally rewarded when we get to the end of our road! I personally believe that much of the delinquency in our society is due to mis-spent energy. When we take the energy God gave us to work for Him and spend it totally on ourselves...it is no wonder folks are unhappy.

2. We are fulfilled because what we are doing makes a difference for others either directly or indirectly. It is impossible to place value on the life changes wrought by the efforts of Christian workers. How do you measure the value of giving a child Biblical values they will never get at home? How can we measure the importance of having a fellow believer to lean on, a ministry to participate in. When workers see that their efforts have made a difference, they are usually paid in full. From the front door to every ministry in the church, workers feel rewarded when lives are changed. Also, indirectly, the children of parents who are busy in the church learn to place a high priority on the things of God. One day you can say like Paul, "I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth." Part of that reward comes from paying your dues with work in the church. Even as I am writing this blog my wife and kids are working downstairs to put away Christmas decorations. I am a rich man.

3. We are fulfilled because we maintain a connection between the past and the future with our efforts. Every generation gives way to the next. Like the baton in a runners hand, the values of the past have to be handed to the next generation. As we work, we maintain that key connection which is gives meaning to the past, and hope to the future.

Let me encourage you to become fully involved in some ministry of the church. You will find there is no more rewarding work on earth, regardless of whether there is a paycheck or not. God bless you this day.