Someone once said, ‘Frustration and Vision are exactly the same thing.’ They’re right, but it doesn’t feel like it when you’re frustrated! being a church leader is a frustrating thing, partly because at times you don’t know how, when, where, or with whom you should discuss your frustrations. At home? With Leaders? With Friends? With God?
That said, the truth is we only have frustration because we have vision. Our frustration is telling us something isn’t right, something could be better, this needs to change.
My greatest frustration is this…(coughs awkwardly)… When the church doesn’t believe its the church. When the community of God’s people think that the professional clergy, the paid staff, the systems, the administration, the processes will do the work. It’s not right and it’s not biblical.
Ephesians 4:12 clearly states that it is God’s people who will be equipped for works of service. I think we have a problem and here it is. We’ve heard that so many times we have tricked ourselves into thinking we’ve got it. As God’s people we have to rise and BE the church. Who’s gonna pray? Not the system, not just the staff it has to be us. Who’s going to invite the new people? That would be me, oh yes, and you because the administration can’t grow the church.
Occasionally people will say something like, ‘I’ve noticed lots of new visitors in church recently. Where are they all?’ The thing is they are asking the wrong person. I should be asking them (I include myself in the them). When I’m asked, people can be saying, ‘What’s the system done with them, did they get lost in administration or follow-up?’ It’s an expectation that systems, processes etc. will do the work of the church. I should be saying, ‘I’ve noticed lots of new visitors in church recently. Where are they all?’ ‘Where were you when…?’ WE are the church and WE just need to recognise it and BE the church.
Frustrated? I don’t think so, just packed full of vision!
Paul Benger 