“Give me a project.
I’ll do a project for you. I’ll set up for your meeting or make sandwiches or cupcakes or lasagna. I’ll come in and help do cleanup. I’ll be a ticket taker or a money counter or a change roller.
I’ll do a bigger project if you need me. I’ll organize the spring cleanup, or the fall painting bee. I’ll clear out the basement or wash all the windows. I’ll load up my van and take the remains of the rummage sale to Value Village. Why I’ll even organize the fund-raising dinner. I have a friend who has a friend who’ll do the cooking or entertain or bring his band to play for the kids' picnic.
Let me put the teams together for the renovation. I know how to manage a construction crew. I’ll be happy to let the contracts and manage the whole project. Just give me the go-ahead and I’ll handle it all.
You want a retreat? I’ll do it. I’ll book the location, handle the publicity, put the team together. I know how to delegate and I can pull off a big project like that. You want a week-long camp? A three-year commitment? A five-year plan? OK. I’ll do that too.
It’s a big celebration year, and you want to invite celebrity guests? You need to bring back everyone who’s ever attended. Your wish list of invited guests is more than two hundred, four hundred, five? That’s fine with me. Just give me the budget and I’ll take on your project.
Hey, I’ll even put the budget together. I can project costs, offer progress reports, create a high-profile fund-raiser, recruit dozens of helpers and keep them motivated right through to the sweep-up. I love a project.
But don’t ask me to commit my life. Don’t force me to come out every Sunday. Don’t expect me to sign on forever. Keep me out of the petty politics I see in your congregation. Spare me the traditions or the declarations of “we don’t do things that way around here” or “we tried that and it won’t work.”
Give me my project. Tell we what you want and when, then let me go on my way when it’s done—until you have another project I could tackle. Hey, I’m no “disciple”; I’m a project guy. Have you got a project for me?"
Posted by Marion
Posts
Ouch. Sort of kicked us in the butt at the end, Marion.
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of a story I heard delivered from the pulpit many times growing up. A particular church was told in advance that Jesus himself was coming to worship with them on a specific Sunday. Only he was running a little late because he ran into a hungry fellow on the way to work, and he wanted to make sure he had a warm meal to start his day. That done, he kept walking to church, but discovered someone with a flat tire, so he stopped to help. Then he was waylaid talking to the crying lonely woman he'd met as he through the park.
To use a bit of business jargon, I think Jesus might have been a project-oriented guy.
Thanks for thinking about it Dave.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really mean to "kick" anyone, just putting some "food for thought" out there, as we've been thinking about "congregations" these days.