Business Meeting

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Tonight, I attended a church business meeting. I make no secret that I hate meetings. Give me a job, turn me loose and let me do it, but please don’t make me go to a meeting. I am a doer, not one to sit around and talk about doing. This goes for any organization or job I am involved with, not just my church. In times past, I didn’t attend business meetings. I usually avoided them at all costs. However, I went tonight even though there was nothing controversial or extraordinary about it. It was just routine. Our church has been through some rough times recently, and I learned that business meetings are important to its health. As a congregation, we need to be involved in its operations. We need to hear the reports on stewardship, the activities of the committees, and the list of new members. If we stay involved, we hold our leaders accountable. If we pay attention, we gain important information and can keep conflicts from escalating. Yes, even in a group of Christians, sometimes, we don’t agree. It happens anytime you get humans together. With Jesus as our head, it shouldn’t happen often, but it still does occur. I also went because if people don’t show up to the Wednesday meetings, they move them to Sunday mornings and it bugs me to substitute a business meeting for worship service. So, I went and listened to all the reports of the stewardship committee on the budget and where the money comes from and how it is spent. We voted on several items and listened to plans for the future. I started to get restless until the chairman of the missions committee spoke about the activities of the missionaries our church supports. I remembered the young couple in Italy that minister to a small church there even though they make so little they can hardly afford diapers for their two babies. I thought about the father of five children who has served in Africa for many years. A month ago, he was taken captive by rebel forces. His fate is unknown. His wife asked us to pray not for his safety, but that God will be glorified. It made me think. Recently, I was asked to serve on a church committee. I hesitated to say yes. It is not the job I would like to do. It will be a stretch for me. Remember, how I hate meetings. Committees have meetings. Lots of meetings. I think of the missionaries again. Put into perspective of how they are suffering for the cause of Christ, can I really complain about having to give up an evening to sit in a comfortable chair in the air conditioning and listen to reports? I don’t think so. In fact, I feel like a real whiner. I’ll serve. I will try not to squirm and complain. It could be a lot worse. After all, no one has a gun to my head.