Wednesday, May 23, 2001
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Wednesday, May 23, 2001 |
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Church 'chores' vs. church 'work' ... both essential parts of church ministry By REV JOHN HATCHER With the advent of grass cutting season, watering, and all those extra chores, I thought it would be a good time to point out the differences between church chores and church work. They are often confused. At home we understand. The son goes to work called school, does more work called homework; then, Mom calls out, "Sammy, dear, come do your chores: take out the garbage, sweep the front walkway, and clean up your room." Of course, "cleaning one's room" is an eternal chore for all of us. Mom comes home from work where she puts in 40 hours a week; it's work. She is able to "bring home the bacon" because she works. She helps pay the mortgage so the whole family can have a roof, plumbing, and all those wonderful necessities. Dad comes home from work and on this day, his wife presents him with a "list of chores" that have to be tended: repair a light switch, stop the leak in the toilet, and cut the grass so the neighbors won't start talking. Webster says a chore is "the regular or daily light work of a household or farm." Mind you, doing chores does not pay the electric bill. Doing chores won't let you pass World History. A daughter can be the best "chorester" in her class, but if she fails in her schoolwork, one day she might not be able to pay her rent. Work pays the bills. For the farmers of yesteryear, work was pulling stumps, breaking up the soil, planting the crops, and reaping the harvest. In fact, I believe the positive derivation of the word "redneck" has to do with hard work. The farmer, in working with the rich, red soil, would get his hands dirty; in wiping the sweat off his neck, he would color his neck with a little red pigment from the soil. Thus, he had a redneck. It didn't mean he was dumb, but a hard worker. All that to talk a bit about work and chores in the church. Far too many church members confuse church chores with church work. Church chores include cleaning bathrooms, mopping the kitchen after socials, cutting the grass, cleaning carpets, giving a room a fresh coat of paint, pulling weeds, opening the door for guests, passing out bulletins, and all those "chores" necessary just to keep the church running. If someone in my household never took out the garbage, we would have a stinky house and nobody would ever want to visit us and in fact, we who live there would not want to hang around very long. Very important household chore: take out the garbage. The doing of chores in a church is of no less important. Just let a toilet go unattended for about a week especially after a visit or two you,ve got a high level problem. No one to give out bulletins? Problem! No one to cut the grass? What kinds of folks go to that church anyway? Don't they care? Point: every member of every church should assume responsibility for doing the chores. But getting the chores done won't get the work of the church done. The work of the church involves tough, caring ministry to families in crisis, reaching out to neighbors to invite them to church, accepting a ministry to bed babies and children, doing the work of an evangelist, visiting the hospitals and jails, taking food to the poor. That's the work of the church. Handing out bulletins is a chore not a work of ministry. So, as summer fast approaches, don't just assume the chores will get done. Pitch in and help. Don't make your pastor do all the chores. I am sure he's cleaned a few dirty diapers in his day, maybe one on you. But also, during the summer, don't neglect the work of the church. It's a great time for planting seeds of the Gospel; inviting pre-Christians over for a cookout, and then so some harvesting in the fall. Chores and work! Hope this sheds a little insight. By the way, thank you for faithfully reading my column. Many of you stop me and tell me you look forward to what my brain cooks up week after week. Keep reading and I hope my brains keep cooking.
The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
