"Church Work"

Over the weekend my buddy, Josh Super, got married. I had the privilege of ushering at the wedding which also allowed me to attend rehearsal, dinner, and bachelor party on Friday night before the wedding.

The week had been a frenzy as I joined many from our church at a local trailer court every evening for outreach ministry. Many people showed up to help lead a VBS for kids, a women's Bible study, car repairs, home repairs, and painting in order to proclaim Jesus through our words and deeds. I ended up spending a few days working in the home of a single mom of 3 kids: tearing out a water-damaged closet, replacing joists, insulation, and subfloor, and putting in a new water heater with new plumbing and gas lines. B&B Plumbing here in Sioux Center generously donated parts and labor to carve some new iron pipe for the gas line but I couldn't pick up the correct sized pipe until 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon and the city office (which closes by 4:00 on Fridays) had to inspect the line before they could turn on the gas. All this meant that I needed to pick up the pipe at 2:00 and have the plumbing and gas lines fully assembled within an hour with zero margin for error in order for the family to have water for the weekend. (Hang with me...this is going somewhere, I promise)! Long story short, after a lot of sweat, elbow grease, prayers, and my dad's handyman instructions the city came and there were no leaks in any lines and the family had hot water again!

So I was telling Josh about my day when Rachel (his fiance, now wife) overheard some of our conversation and interrupted saying, "Tyler, I thought you worked for the church....what are you doing now?" I grinned and explained what our church had been up to throughout the week. But Rachel's question penetrated my mind. It forced me to consider, "What is church work?"

Why is the work of church so rarely associated with things like plumbing, painting, or repairs? What pictures pop into your mind when you think of what a pastor's week looks like? Certainly we should be studying and teaching the Bible, we should be praying, preaching, organizing, counseling, and visiting with people--shepherding and overseeing. Yet, should we who are the church not also be laboring, caring, and repairing our communities? How would you answer the question, "What is Church work?"

I am grateful to serve in a gospel-centered community that is seeking to be the church without walls here at CCC!

If you are a follower of Jesus check out this video about living missionally as the Church. CCC is not an Acts 29 church but Jeff Vanderstelt's words are a call for all followers of Jesus!

Please pray for Sofia (the single mother) and her three kids. I had the privilege of clearly sharing the gospel with her on Thursday evening and though she was not yet ready to surrender her life to Jesus as Lord and accept him as Savior she was very emotional. She said she had never before heard of a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. After hearing the gospel she said she feels humble and thankful. Please pray that God would draw her to himself.