PUT UP OR SHUT UP

                                                                                                                                     ¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.                                                                                    (1 Corinthians 12:12, 21-26)

All too often we resort to complaining, magnifying and focusing on the negatives of an individual, church, business or organization if it is not operating or functioning to our personal satisfaction.  Instead of shifting the blame, making accusations or getting upset & frustrated with the way things are “not” going, do your part to bring improvement & change to the situation.  Many congregations have the misconception that the pastor is not only to be the leader/overseer but to do everything that pertains to the church, while the people complain, make negative remarks or make excuses not to assist in the ministry.  A pastor is only 1 person and cannot do it all, just like we are individuals and cannot fulfill every demand & task that is placed on us by family, friends, coworkers, bosses or ministry leaders.  As a result of most people not “putting up”- assisting in helping the ministry run smoothly- but rather “talk” from the sidelines 46% of leaders of ministries suffer burn out and/or depression, 40% have considered leaving the ministry in the last 3 months and about 1500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to spiritual burnout, moral failures or division/strife/confusion in the church.

What if God’s people spent more time “Shutting Up?”  That means we stop complaining and focusing on the negative and “Put Up” by assisting, the best way we can, those in pastoral leadership and others serving as heads of ministries. 

A person can experience joy in serving and doing ministry for the Lord; but, the people of God need to know how incredibly difficult it is at times to handle the complexities and stress of being a minister and/or a leader of a ministry within the church (i.e. Sunday School, Youth Dept., Choir, Class Leader, etc).

 Eugene Cho wrote in his article, Death By Ministry: Why Is Being A Pastor So Unhealthy?  “Pastors are often under-appreciated, underpaid and undermined.  My viewpoint tends to be more organizational, so my take on being a pastor is that it is an impossible job. Here you are asked to be the lead preacher and teacher, available for counseling sessions, leading a staff of people that can span such responsibilities as missions and janitorial, serving as the public face for your organization in the community, networking with other leaders at Christian conferences and denominational gatherings. That’s a lot of hats!”

The sad fact is that a lot of people in the congregation do not see a need or feel an urgency to help lighten the load of those in ministry.  Or, we have the other extreme that leadership is so desperate for help that they keep using the same 3-5 people all the time to do the work because other members will not contribute.  Even Jesus had 12 disciples that assisted him with the work of ministry and he is the Son of God.  

 The bottom line is that everybody needs to “Put Up or Shut Up.”  Ministry is a team effort.  Stop discouraging people and tearing down ministries and leaders with the words that come out of your mouth.  Speak life and contribute with your time and talents to help the ministry grow and move forward!  Please care, pray and love your pastors, ministry leaders, church staff, volunteers and fellow church members.  When the people of God do this more then they build a healthy atmosphere, relationships and ministries to ensure the care of the members, leadership and those who come to be ministered to.  This will also minimize and keep out how Satan can infiltrate the church and people of God with division, disunity, confusion, anger and no love. 

While serving in any ministry capacity can be at times exhausting, draining, depressing and overwhelming, it can also be meaningful and fulfilling.  May God grant us the grace, courage and strength to let our contributions and assistance increase and our negative, complaining talk & attitudes decrease.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (The Message Bible) “It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth.  And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there's no one to help, tough! “

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.   A cord of three strands is not quickly (easily) broken.”