Heart or Appendix

I spent most of the hours after this past weekend’s services answering questions. Which is really my favorite way to pass the time, though there’s a good chance it’s not the best way. But it’s certainly the most tiring way – after a couple hours of that right after preaching, I’m ready to go on a Chinese language fast. The questions range from the theological to the practical, from the philosophical to the relational. Occasionally though, someone will spring a question that actually energizes, rather than drains you. This week, A., who became a Christian this summer and has been  more and more faithful to the church, wanted to talk to me before Sunday’s service.

Naturally, when someone tells you they want to talk to you, instead of just talking to you, that normally means they’ve got something horrible to blast you with. Pleasantly, A.’s questions was, “how can I serve our church?” She’s seen the leaders in our church and the students that come from the States in the summer. She’s curious what their jobs are and if she could do something like that. Said she’d like to dedicate the majority of her winter break to service, if it’d be useful. Lot of responsibility answering this question – a person willing to commit like this will likely unreservedly hurl themselves into whatever you say. But an awesome question to get, for sure.

One of the things that I like about our church services as they currently stand is that they are extremely low maintenance. We could always add in some more jobs and responsibilities, but they would just be appendages. On the other hand, there’s another job that we really need every member to do – making disciples. It’s infinitely harder than being a greeter, but it’s the point that every Christian should be growing towards, anyway. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’d rather have A. work her face off trying to make one disciple than to have her perform some task in the church and feel like she’s doing all the service she needs. Some people see through that anyway, I think. You tell them to do something menial, and they know it is, no matter how many times you tell them that it’s important. In contrast, there’s no way to describe the thrill that a Christian experiences in making disciples.

Obviously, A. is hardly ready to be teaching a class or leading some group. But she needs to stick with my wife for a couple months – really become a disciple herself. And the first parts of discipleship she’s very ready to do herself – make friends, show them the gracious love of the Gospel, and share her own testimony. I’d rather her having do those few things than anything else I can think of.