End of a season?

[rksylves]

How does one know if the season of a particular ministry is over?

My services in the audio department appear to be not needed any longer. This is especially frustrating as I spent many hundreds of hours designing, building, installing, and operating the system. I was relevant when they needed a volunteer to get something going on an extremely shoestring budget. I was relevant when they needed someone to recruit and teach a team of board operators. I was relevant when they wanted to improve the audio quality and were looking for proposals. I was relevant when they wanted someone to design and spec out a new lighting system.

Now that the church is growing and adding to the paid staff, I seem to have become irrelevant. I show up at the church for a rehersal or service to see that large changes have been made without my knowledge. When I ask I get told that 'Oh yeah, we meant to call you about it but we forgot' or 'We didn't think you'd mind'.

I have no problem accepting that a new ministry might await me. No matter what it is I will take it on with a glad heart. I just find being belittled somewhat bitter to take. I have written and deleted this post so many times as I don't want to come across as a whiner. I just wondered if anyone else has been at this juncture and how did you know it was time to move on?

[MediaGuy]

I have.

In times past, the indicator that it was time to move on was not when I was pushed out of my ministry, but when my God-centered vision of ministry exceeded the capability of my surroundings.

When you've done the job God sent you to do, He will move you on to another task at His pleasure. I have moved on to another church, and I have transitioned into other duties at the same church. But God was always one step ahead, preparing my pathway.

I might add, that every time this has happened, it has been a time of painful, personal chastisement and growing on the part of me: Pride is the reason I was so upset, pure and simple. Once I learned that lesson (and for me it has to be learned each and every stinkin' time - you'd think I would learn), my pathway always seemed to become apparent.

This is how I have gotten over it (and it has taken a lot of time to convince myself): I am not lost to God, He knows I'm here. I am still effective in what I do. Just let things go and look to God for direction. Besides: He's much better at vengeance than I am.

If it has been a plan that man has done against you, they will pay a price for subverting God's will, that you need to have confidence in. But if it's God talking to you, and you're having a hard time hearing, then it's you that will suffer. In either case, my advice: Forget your past importance, and begin to look and see what God's got in store for you in the future - in that church first, and then somewhere else if necessary.

[Esoteric]

I am not sure exactly how to say this in a "diplomatic" way, so I will just say it.

Many times people who "volunteer" to fill ministry roles in a church become attached too much to the role. The ministry becomes "theirs" and they often become upset about changes or about churches moving on.

Now part of this is because of my background and the industry I work in, but things are going to change, progress, and advance. For example, at my church in the last year they added a supervisory position "producer" that caused a lot of problems. Video, lighting, etc had all become very attached to their ministries, they "knew what they were doing" and did not need any help. They bristled under suggestions. They hated being told what colors or graphics to use, etc (we are still having problems with the sound people taking suggestions on the mix), and did not like anyone helping them troubleshoot problems. I am sure they felt the church was moving on. But in the end you really have to put your ego aside and look at the issues.

Are the changes they are making bad? Or are they just different? Are you upset because the changes are ruining something (a bad mix or overpowering equipment and risking breaking something)? Or are you just upset because they are interfering in "your" ministry that "you established". Some of these are legitimate concerns that need to be expressed to someone in power, the others are just pride and need to be dealt with.

In my industry my client's satisfaction is the most important thing. Often I get to be creative and do my own thing and they love it. But if they have specific ideas that they want, then I give them those. In the end all that matters is that they are happy. My art comes second to their happiness. Often times setups that I have slaved for months over designing and installing are in ruins when I return to the space. But my involvement ended at the end of the testing.

I know it is harder when you have spent months or years investing in something, but ultimately it is the churches decision to make.

Does it suck that they "needed" you when there was no budget and they have decided to go a different direction now? Well sure it does. But you have to be prepared for things like this. Often as the paid professional being brought in, I have had to deal with volunteers who had done a great job, but church leadership had decided it was time to bring in a professional. These could either go well (as in when the volunteer was able to share their knowledge with me about the current system) or badly (which sometimes ended up in confrontation between the volunteer and church leadership).

I guess what I am saying is take an inventory, make sure your pride is not getting in the way, and know that God is in control.

Mike

[Steven]

I agree with what Mike said, though that's not always the case. There's also something I like to call "hijacking" where one party begins to make changes in another person's area without getting permission or talking to them. Even if the person is a volunteer, they've invested time and resources to get the job done for (usually) years. That earns them the right to be included in decisions - or at least informed about them ahead of time.

The person making the change might even be in charge of that area (as in this case), but it's still proper to consult or inform those who are actually going to be carried out. Otherwise, as in this case, people are hurt and offended.

It's poor leadership to make changes without first consulting, or at least informing, those that will be affected by the change. You can't walk through someone else's area with getting permission first - we learn that from Nehemiah, a great book on leadership.

[Esoteric]

I agree on informing Steven. Consulting I don't agree, but you are right, they should at least be informed that the church is moving in another direction and someone else will be in charge.

Mike

[wmmsaved]

I can understand rk's feelings because I've had similar experiences and treatment. I've had to allow God to cast out my ego and pride, too and that's what he should do. Letting go of his feelings will be very hard but necessary. We can hear God and determine His direction for us much more easily when our heart is humble.

But... there are two sides to this. Many church staffs have a tendency to "run it like a business." While there is a need for this approach when it comes to church resources, it ALWAYS has to be tempered with a Christ-like love when dealing with those affected by changes. Remember that dedicated volunteers are rare and, therefore, a precious resource as well. Don't forget them when you make plans. It can be very beneficial to both.

[bladeaudio]

From a very practical standpoint, I think you need to get clarity on what your role is. You seem to have a view of how you want your role in what happens to be played out, and the leadership/paid staff may have a different view.

Why is there a disconnect in how your role is viewed?

[tedanderson]

Volunteering, although a good thing, does not earn you the right to have a say in the decision making process. We all have areas where we can contribute but at some point someone else will take the torch and keep running. That doesn't change your level of relevance. You are just as important to the picture now as you ever were.

It all comes down to who is charge.

If you are the official department head/leader/overseer of that department, and you are held accountable by a person of higher authority in this regard, then any changes made without your knowledge is out of order on their part.

You really have to seek God to see if he is moving you to another area of ministry more so than allowing the actions of the people to move you.

[rkresge]

Not sure this will help, but I find I can relate to your feelings.

For nearly 20 years I've been the volunteer responsible for almost all technical stuff at our church, including computers and multimedia. Periodically the paid staff looks at outsourcing various responsibilities, and I usually find that I need to force myself not to get frustrated, angry or resentful. Then I make the following suggestion to the 'powers that be':

"If you would like to have someone else take care of these technical responsibilties, it's totally and completely fine with me. However, in order to avoid potential accountability issues such as fingerpointing, "he said/she said", or having too many fingers in the pie, I will gladly step aside. These areas are far too complex for any shared responsibility. One person or team clearly must be accountable, and responsible for direction and implementation. Mixed responsibility is a formula for disaster. If that's the direction in which the church wishes to go, I have absolutely no problem with it; however, at that point I must step aside completely and will no longer be able to take any responsibility in that area."

And I mean it.

Each time it has come up, those same 'powers that be' have realized that they will spend many thousands of dollars every year to replace the my volunteer work. Having said that, if that turns out to be the direction they choose to go, it's also fine with me. I'll be happy that they were happy to accept my volunteer efforts for all these years.

Blessings,

Roger

[jonack]

I have been on both sides of the fence on this very subject. I think what it comes down to is intent. God cares more about where your heart is on this subject than the actions that are taking place. I would encourage you to schedule a one on one meeting to have an honest and clarifying conversation with who ever oversees your role as a volunteer (tech director or worship pastor). Ask them what their intent was and lovingly tell them that their actions have hurt your feelings. Explain that you want to serve and that you have been faithful to their requests, changes and submitted to their authority in all of these situations. Make sure you note that it is not about personality but about decisions that have been made.

A friend once told me that working for the Lord is like having your hand in a bucket of water, that when someone leaves there is never a void. To be honest, every single one of us needs to remind ourselves that God doesn't need us, nor does any church "need" our volunteering/working for them. We get the honor and the pleasure to serve the body of Christ during the services, not the pastor, or any other staff person.

As hard as that is to accept, it's the truth and often it gets lost in the "doing" of ministry. I know it's difficult to understand, but search your heart and make sure that your commitment is to God first, and maybe you will find what he is trying to teach you through this difficult time. Some of the best times of learning for me about who God created me to be has been through this "what is going on God!?" times in my life.

Stay encouraged, don't throw away everything in the past for a moment in the present....

A brother in Christ,

Jon

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by rksylves

How does one know if the season of a particular ministry is over? .... I just wondered if anyone else has been at this juncture and how did you know it was time to move on?

Rksylves,

I am one who feels more comfortable discussing technical matters but I feel compelled to offer this response to your post. I can only offer advice as someone who has done everything the “wrong way.” Maybe you can learn from my mistakes. Use what you can and leave the rest …


Within a few years of becoming a Christian some in leadership at the church I was attending asked if I wanted to volunteer with the media ministry. As my primary interest was music and at that time and place the type of music they were performing just wasn’t my taste for performance I thought that the media ministry would be a good place. A few years later I was on staff full-time in a Media Director capacity.


Unfortunately, I thought I knew more than the leadership about media ministry and that attitude came out every so often. In hind site I see now that even if I disagreed with certain decisions and even if I was right from time to time, or even all the time, I was telling men with ten, twenty, thirty years in the ministry more than me “how to butter their toast.” No doubt, this came off as disrespectful.


Add to this the normal pressures that a church tech director is under, unrealistic expectations, low budgets, apparent disregard for personal “off-time,” etc. To make matters worse the era in which I was employed in media ministry were the hay-days of Pat Robertson/CBN, Jerry Falwell, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart. Seeing these personalities at NRB conventions, etc., and then living through their own personal failures discouraged me and ultimately I took my eyes off Christ and instead looked at the failures of men both far and near.


Shortly thereafter I wanted to go back to college and told my supervisor that I would be offering my notice of resignation at the church. I was begged to stay on as the church was about to go into a major building program and the media needs for the fund-raising campaign needed attention. I agreed to stay on AND go back to school again adding to my pressures resulting all the more in taking my eyes off Christ.


As soon as the fund-raising campaign was complete I was told I was being fired as the “church could no longer afford my salary.” This, just as the Senior Pastors’ son was graduating college and coming on staff full time at the church as the pastor in charge of worship and media. I did not take this well. Harsh words were said on both sides. Some of the words have stuck with me twenty-five years later. I can still hear the pastor telling me that “I would never be a leader.” Or that I shouldn’t continue or go further into the ministry as “his son grew up in a Christian home and I was a (relatively) new believer and my family was un-churched.” No surprise, again I continued to take to heart the words of men and stopped listening to God.


The end result was that I began a relationship with a young lady which became physical. A pregnancy resulted. My girlfriend was still attending that church at this point and upon revelation of the news a major upheaval resulted in the church. The church leadership wanted both my girlfriend and I to enter counseling at the church, which we agreed to. When I indicated my intention to marry I was told that it would not be my decision as the counseling would take many months and I would not be allowed to make any decisions until after the counseling was completed in a unspecified amount of time. Both my girlfriend and I wanted to marry and when we advised the leadership of our intention we were told that our decision would result in excommunication, which is what ultimately happened.


So, please accept the following advice as coming from what is likely the only person you will ever speak to who was on-staff at a church as a media director, who wanted to quit, but was fired from that position, who fell into fornication and ultimately wound up being excommunicated as he wanted to marry.


With the clarity of twenty-five years elapsed time, here are my conclusions regarding my situation and yours:

- I am a sinner
- The church I attend are attended by sinners, but some will not admit it
- The church I attend are lead by sinners, but some will not admit it
- God The Father is not a sinner, nor His son Jesus nor the Holy Spirit
- I have no hope of perfection other than the perception of such by the blood of Christ
- The work of the Holy Spirit, my obedience to Its calling and obedience to the Bible brings about positive change in my life
- Church leadership are Sheppards, they are not perfect and sometimes they fail.


Rksylves, I would encourage you to fully commit yourself to making your service in media ministry a service unto the Lord (only). That means, not to the church. Not to the pastors. Not to your own self-esteem or self-worth. Trust Him to guide your path. If you feel that God is calling you in a different direction than leadership is going, talk to them about it. Pray for guidance. Obey what you believe God to be directing you to do. If you feel that leadership is under-utilizing your service, talk to them about it. Pray for guidance. If you feel that leadership is over-utilizing your service (not being respectful of personal time), talk to them about it. Pray for guidance.


THIS PART IS IMPORTANT: Read Matthew 5:21-30. If your service to God causes you to continually sin, stop your service until such time as you can work out what’s wrong. Your ministry is not as valuable as your relationship with Christ.


Never be discouraged by your failures or the failures of others (even leadership). The only way to successfully do this is to keep your eyes on Christ. Remember that He may be using leadership to close a door so God can open another. If this leaves you unsettled, it’s a matter of trust and faith between you and Christ. Remember how much He loves you. Remember “… perfect love drives out fear.”