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Wisdom
for
Those
Getting
volunteers
is
a
major
problem
in
just
about
every
church.
Keeping
them
is
equally
difficult.
A
lot
of
people
simply
fee
that
they
are
too
busy.
And
for
the
most
part
we
do
minister
to
those
for
whom
time
is
a
more
precious
commodity
than
money.
But
somehow
most
of
us
do
the
things
we
really
want
to
do.
Often
unspoken,
but
none
the
less
lurking
in
the
background,
is
the
feeling
that
what
is
being
asked
is
not
worthy
of
their
commitment.
And
if
ware
honest,
sometimes
we
must
admit
that
is
true.
Most
of
us
in
some
way
want
to
make
our
lives
count.
So
if
a
person
is
asked
to
do
a
job,
we
need
to
be
sure
that
the
person
knows
just
how
important
that
job
is.
Most
people
do
not
take
on
a
responsibility
with
the
idea
that
they
will
do
a
lousy
job.
But
it
happens
all
the
time,
often
because
they
are
given
little
encouragement
or
guidance.
“I
don’t
know
how”
can
be
the
response
to
an
invitation
to
serve.
This
all
means
that
we
must
help
people
understand
what
is
involved
in
the
job
they
are
being
asked
to
do,
and
we
must
offer
the
training
and
support
necessary
to
do
it.
People
sometimes
say,
“I’ve
had
my
turn,”
or
“Can’t
you
find
somebody
younger?”
The
best
I
have
ever
heard
is,
“I’ve
done
my
time.”
Teaching
Sunday
school
is
a
little
like
being
in
jail.
When
you
get
out,
you
do
not
want
to
go
back.
At
their
core
such
responses
indicate
that
serving
in
the
church
is
just
a
chore—like
taking
out
the
garbage.
Lost
somewhere
is
the
idea
that
a
child
might
find
Christ—that
a
family
might
be
strengthened.
We
hear
a
great
deal
about
burn
out.
And
there
are
those
who
do
too
much
for
too
long.
When
they
crash,
they
are
sometimes
lost
to
the
church’s
ministry.
In
our
attempts
to
fill
the
slots
we
can
abuse
willing
workers.
As
a
general
rule,
do
not
ask
a
person
to
do
a
job
without
an
ending
point.
And
nurture
-
nurture
-
nurture
every
single
worker.
I
am
responsible
for
the
small
group
ministry
in
the
church
I
attend.
I
am
pleased
with
what
has
developed
over
the
last
four
years
or
so.
But
there
is
a
need
for
groups
we
do
not
offer
because
we
do
not
have
the
leaders.
So
we
pray.
We
talk
about
it.
We
continue
to
explore
possibilities.
But
we
must
wait.
On
the
other
hand,
sometimes
a
leader
emerges
with
a
burden
for
a
group
ministering
in
an
area
that
never
occurred
to
me.
So
we
take
that
as
an
indication
that
the
Lord
might
want
us
to
move
in
that
direction.
And
we
test
the
water.
The
bind
comes
when
we
offer
something—like
Sunday
school—and
then
must
continually
find
workers.
If
the
pressure
is
such
that
we
are
pleading
with
people
to
take
on
responsibility
for
a
program,
it
is
time
to
step
back
and
reassess
the
situation.
Jesus
said
to
Peter,
“Do
you
love
me?”
Peter
responded,
“Yes
Lord,
you
know
I
love
you.”
Jesus
said,
“I’ve
got
a
job
for
you.”
When
we
respond
to
his
love,
then
we
are
ready
to
answer
his
call
to
serve. Robert
Edmiston
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Copyright © 2000 PCA Christian Education & Publications. All rights reserved.
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