01/14/2020
Thought provoking article by a fellow pastor:
Stop blaming the body of Christ and the Pastor...
How do you connect to the other brothers and sisters in the congregation? Do you go through a list of names and really pray and think about them? How did you serve 3 brothers this week or minister? How did you stay connected to what the body is doing outside of your comfort zone?
Recently someone said to me, "I just feel left out?" I looked at them and said, "That is a convenient statement."
They said, "What do you mean?" I said, "You said you feel left out. That means that "somebody" has forgotten you, overlooked you, isn't considerate of you. You are placing blame on someone else. You are the victim of the body of Christ."
Then I asked them, “Who was the last person you offered to help? The last time you took 20.00 and said I am going to bless someone today so Lord show me where to put this? When was the last time someone was sick and you just went by the store and picked up sick people food and hung it on their door k**b, or offered to take an elder ladies' car to get the oil changed?”
Don't forget that when you blame the body, YOU ARE THE BODY. The fact is, no one is purposefully neglecting you, overlooking you, or leaving you out... IF YOU ARE LONELY AND DISCONNECTED, it's because you have isolated and disconnected yourself.
Once I overheard someone say “I was sick for 2 weeks and pastor didn't even call to pray for me." Really? James says "If you're sick, you call on the elders." Does your Pastor have ESP? Do you?
I have had others say, "there's just no place for me here." And isn't a coincidence that there just isn't a place for “poor little you” anywhere you go?
"Well no one ever asks me to be a part." You can't pick up a broom and sweep, ask where you can serve, step into the kids ministry?
"I just feel so alone."
Well...Sister, we have had 3 ladies events, a ladies conference, a secret sister exchange and ladies prayer meetings every Wednesday morning; all the ladies serve together in the nursery, cook meals for staff meetings, host baby showers, distribute from the food bank, clean the house of worship etc. and you NEVER come to any of that or ask to help at all....". And somehow the CHURCH IS COLD, you feel disconnected, and you just feel left out??
Jesus said, "I come to serve, not be served." You’re wanting the body to serve you by begging your gifts, and God is wanting you to serve the body by making time, room, and energy to give your servanthood and gifts away freely!
Brother, people are not forgotten. People forget.
People aren't left out, they have their own schedules, their own agendas; they get caught up in building their little world, and all of it leads to emptiness, then they turn around and blame the church for their feeling of disconnection.
I guess my whole point is this.... YOU CONNECT. YOU SERVE. If you see a brother in need, meet it. If you hear of a burden, pray. When someone seems to need encouragement, be ready to give a word of exhortation. Slow down, shake the weights that keep you distracted from the body, and plug in. Make your calendar and agenda as close to what the whole body is doing together; and encourage others to do the same.
It will be amazing how CONNECTED you become; but legos don’t just come together by themselves - CONNECTION happens on purpose. You are not the victim of the body.
