becoming

Yes I am frustrated at times, and no I don’t think “professional” is the right word neither.

I think Michael Jensen got it right when he says:

In church on Sunday the PA was not turned on as the pastor stood up to welcome us AGAIN. It happens every week: and we kind of laugh it off. After all, church is a voluntary society, and we couldn’t possibily criticise; people are not professionals, and are offering their time for no payment, and presumably are doing their best etc. We bumble through. (It’s a very English way to be!)

You may be able to tell that I am increasingly frustrated with this. And my immediate response is to say ‘we need a more professional (American) attitude!’. But then I caught myself: is this word what we want? Do we want ‘professionalism?’ The production of our church services would be cleaner and tighter and less distracting…after all.

But I don’t think ‘professional’ is right either, and I think we need to expunge all talk of professionalism from our midst! It sends the wrong message. What we need is: nurture of our gifts, and a determination to give the people of God nothing but the best you can possibly do for the sheer love of them and God. What we need is a taking seriously of the need to nurture and perfect and practice our gifts as a way of honouring them as God-given for the purpose of up-building his church.