Unintentional Growth Hindrance

I've seen a phenomenon occur in every church I have been a part of.  The latest program comes up, and the person leading the program asks the "old standbys" to fill all the leadership and service roles.  Then disappointment sets in as the new folks don't participate as fully as expected.  It's not that the program was bad, or even that the desire was to exclude anyone.  Really, the positions were filled because the leader knew people who had done it before or they had such a relationship that the leader knew they would do it again.

However...

This unintentionally hinders the growth of a church because it excludes people from becoming fully functioning members of the community.  It says, "We've already got someone who does that, sorry."  In a church, roles need to change and be filled by new people on a regular basis.  This not only keeps things fresh, but it also keeps those who have done it before from getting burned out (a major problem among church volunteers).

Additionally, it allows folks who have been involved for awhile to continue to grow and stretch as they gain new skills.  Just because someone is trained as an accountant doesn't mean they want to serve on the finance team.  Likewise, a trained educator might not be best to teach Sunday School.  I know a man who has been practicing as a physician for over 30 years who is the best 4th Grade Sunday School teacher you'll ever find.  A logistics manager I know has an incredible heart for pastoral care.  The owner of a large HVAC business rocks electric guitar on his church's praise band.  I could go on.

It's what distinguishes growing churches from plateaued churches.  The fancy word is "assimilation."  If that's too Borgian, think of it as "getting involveded-ness." 

It can be in official capacities for big projects and events (like running VBS or the annual Christmas Program) or in small ways (cooking hotdogs, passing collection plates, leading Children's time, organizing where food goes for potlucks).

The difficulty is in letting someone else do the work.  And trusting them to take care of it.  Empowering folks is difficult for many of us, but it is a skill that can be learned.  Next time you have the opportunity to fill a role, skip over the people who immediately come to mind.  Dig a little deeper and see who has never done this before but who might be good at it.  Ask them to take the lead, but let them know if they have any questions, you're right there for them.  Don't be obtrusive or nagging, but take a step back and let them see you present and supportive.  That will work wonders for getting people involved and committed to the program.

You already love your church, and you serve in a myriad of ways.  It's time to open opportunities for others to love and serve in a similar fashion.  Not only will they be blessed, but God's Kingdom will be enriched.