The blazing summer sun, knee-high cotton socks, shouting rhymes for the sake of annoyance, these are the days I remember standing in far right field waiting for a baseball to roll passed a few defenders and into my glove. On a good day, I might have gotten to field the ball once or twice a game, that is, when I wasn’t distracted by picking dandelions in the outfield.
Finally, it was my turn to bat! Marching up to home-plate was where all the action was! Although I loved the rare feeling of hitting a homerun, my swing was never all that good. Instead, I was known on the team as the speedster, the one that could make it to first base in the blink of an eye. So, nearly every time I went up to bat, no matter the situation, I went for the bunt. Needless to say, Billy Hamilton is my favorite Redleg! Bunting was my gift. Most often, my team didn’t need me to bunt, but it gave me a sense of identity and purpose. In fact, using my gift of bunting, especially when the team didn’t need it, was when I thrived the most. It was incredibly freeing to bunt when the pressure of succeeding wasn’t on the line.
Much like any team, it is easy for any church to slip into a needs-based mindset for ministry. There are always vacancies that need to be filled and duties that need to be done. As we look toward restarting many of our ministries at Lord of Life for another meaningful year, we can become overly focused on what is needed. Certainly, the church needs volunteers, teachers, musicians, Ministry Area Coordinators (MACs), Stephen Ministers, communion assistants, council members, tutors, worship leaders, organizers, choir members, Family Promise hosts, gardeners, visionaries, cooks, acolytes, and ushers; but God invites us see things a bit differently. Rather than need, God calls us by our gifts.
The apostle Paul reminds us that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Cor 12:4). This is the same Spirit that will sustain the church until the end of time. As opportunities to serve begin to increase, you are encouraged to live into your gifts; whether that is bunting, swinging for the fences, or strategically waiting for the right pitch. Now is the perfect time to get involved and dive-into wherever your gifts are calling you to serve.
When it was my turn up to bunt there was no anxiety or pressure to get on base. Bunting brought joy to the game. So too, you can rest assured that God will care for the church. God will provide the church with exactly what it needs. Our mission is to live into the gifts God has given us, to rally around those gifts, and to lift one another up because of the gifts we offer. Serving where we are led by the Spirit is what brings joy and abundant life. Whether you are up to bat, in the outfield, on the mound, in the dugout, or managing the equipment, you are an important part of the team. You play an invaluable role in the Body of Christ!
With a Serving Spirit,
Intern Lucas McSurley