For 20+ years I’ve watched as the same people in church get asked to do just about everything. They serve as teachers… on committees… on search teams… sing in the choir… go on mission trips… chaperon youth trips… ad infinitum. One day they quit… abruptly… because they are burned out.
As a Christian, what is God’s call for your life? Consider this from Romans 12:4-8…
In one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
As a Christian, which should you devote your life to: International , Home, or Local Missions? What should you give your energy toward: Missions activities or teaching? Which should be most important on your priority list: Missions activities, teaching, or outreach and evangelism? Which should you make the priority of your life: Missions, teaching, outreach/evangelism, or visiting the sick… homebound… widows & orphans? What should be your #1 priority: Missions, teaching, outreach/evangelism, visiting, OR something I haven’t named.
If you listen to some messages on any given Sunday, you’d think that a “good” Christian would be involved in ALL those activities. And some well meaning church members try to… and shouldn’t.
God adds people to a local congregation so that… as a whole… every need is filled by a person who is called and gifted to serve well. The problem are dead weight and gold bricks in the church (People not serving) and others doing things they aren’t called to do (Usually out of guilt)! Some church members need to resign some things and many others need to sign up!
The way to discern who is to do what is according to: Gift… Call… Passion. Sitting in a pew and/or Sunday School for decades without serving is NOT a call OR a gift from God! If/when a high percentage of a church’s members is involved in serving… no one will get burned out AND every need will be met.
Are you burned out? You need to more narrowly define God’s call and fulfill THAT. Are you letting others shoulder all the load? You need to get off your duff and answer God’s call. Are you doing exactly what God’s called you to do? There is no greater blessing!