Don't Like This About Your Church? Fix it.

Have you downloaded your 2017 Calendar? It includes all the important feasts and has each quarter on a page for a quick overview of the whole year! Happy Feast of the Nativity! Happy New Year!

Church Gripes

It happens to all of us. We're sitting around at church on a Sunday, and we discover something to gripe about. We don't like this; we don't like that. Why do they do it that way; it should be done this way.It can be so frustrating to look around your home church and feel like it doesn't measure up.Let me tell you, from an insider's perspective, how things get done in the church.I promise you--there is a simple way to improve your church.

The Secret

Lean in because this is a HUGE secret.In order for things to get done in the church...Someone has to actually do it!*and the crowd goes wild*What a startling realization!!

With God Nothing Is Impossible

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Nativity. Tomorrow the Divine becomes Emmanuel.

"For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:37

I know you have a long list of excuses why YOU can't fix things, but the surprising thing is that you can.Like the Little Drummer Boy who thinks he has nothing to offer, you too are probably underestimating yourself!Does the church need a bigger coffee machine? It took one proactive person to secure us one.Does the bathroom need a new mirror? Surprise! Someone fixed it without a fuss.Why can't this blessing be YOURS? Seriously, nothing is stopping you.Not everything takes a committee.

Is This Worth Fixing

If it bothers you enough to think about it three times, then you should fix it.If it bothers you three times, then it is bothering someone else, too! You will be their hero!Fix it.Your website is from the 90s? Fix it.You want an Arabic choir? Start one.You don't like the iconstasis? Gather funds to replace it.There is no committee to visit the sick? Chair one.Need to replace the busted speaker in the crying room? Hire someone.*Reach out your hand to Christ's Church. Put your hand to the plow and WORK.I've seen teens revamp the church site, girls make the deacons step up their game, and the retired re-energize a whole group of servants.

FAQs

Okay -- PAUSE. Questions from the audience:"But someone is already doing it; I just don't like how they're doing it."Go be a humble assistant. Swallow your pride and assist. Build a relationship first; be helpful second; make demands fifth."Whenever I try to do x, Mr. Y stands in my way."This is a situation that needs careful handling. Be proactive -- talk the situation out with your priest."But I'm not on the Church Board."The board doesn't have to do everything for you. If it's a big purchase or decision, then you need to talk to the right person and help make it happen. Let me repeat that last part: help make it happen. Just because something takes a board decision doesn't mean you aren't able to be useful."But what if I repaint the sanctuary and everybody hates it."Please don't repaint the whole sanctuary without running it by your priest! Anything that affects everyone in a big way should be run by everyone (in one way or another). And anything that requires a professional should be done by a professional. If you don't get paid to do it in your day job or aren't talented and experienced in this particular field, please hire the right person to do it for the church.

Today's Takeaway

If you want to change or fix something in the church, ask your priest for permission, making it clear that YOU are going to take care of it yourself.He'll say,"Thank you!"or "Someone is already on that"or "We need to run that by the board."You respond appropriately from there.Too often we take our talents outside the church and complain that the church is devoid of talent.Yes, it's scary to start something. It's scary to be first. It's scary to actually DO something.That's what leadership is! Be a leader in the church. Or find a good leader to assist. Make that your gift to Christ this Christmas.Be a good drummer boy!"I am a poor boy too / I have no gift to bring / That's fit to give our King / Shall I play for you / On my drum"I'm sure you all have a lot of experience and responses. I'm looking forward to hearing the situations I may have missed!Have a blessed Nativity!

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*Ahem, if this problem seems very specific, it's because this is what I need to get on... hence why I wrote this post.