Moving people from spiritual consumers to active participants
I remember receiving the news. Our church had raised a large sum of money to help provide food to students at the school where we worship. We were going to be able to feed over 200 students every weekend through a "backpack program" we had piloted the year before.
It was incredible to see God bring all the pieces together: permission from the school district, partnership with the school, volunteer energy from the church, and finally, the financial support. It was one of those moments where you clearly see God at work and your faith is strengthened.
As I began sharing the good news with other people, something struck me. No one was more excited about this than me. Don't get me wrong—other people were amazed at what had happened, but they didn't have the same response to it I did.
Why?
Well, as a paid staff person in our church, I had poured significant time and energy into developing the initiative. I had researched "backpack" programs around the country. I had prayed for God to open up possibilities for food sources and funding. I knew some of the students at the school who would benefit from the program. I heard the stories straight from the principal's mouth about kids stealing food on Friday's so they'd have something to eat at home on the weekends.
No one had invested more in the development of this than I had, and my faith grew because of it. It got me thinking. If I want to see my people grow, I have to find ways to help them participate. And by participate, I don't just mean just slotting them into existing church ministries. I need to equip them to discern what God is doing around them and encourage them to join God in that work, day in and day out. Read more
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