I love Friday!

One of the great "perks" of working full-time in the church (notice I didn't say, "in ministry" because everyone is in full-time ministry as they take what God has given them in Christ into every facet of life on earth...back to our story...) is that I get two Fridays each week. On the real Friday, it feels like Friday - like the last day of the week, eveyone is happy and ready for the weekend. Even though I work on Saturdays, Friday still feels like Friday. Then, on Sunday, it feels like Friday again because Monday is my official day off. So when the worship gathering is wrapping up, I'm heading out the door to 36 hours of rest with my family! I love it!!

Let's revisit the () from above: it's an important distinction...I work for an organization called a church. But the Church is everyone who loves Jesus and works for him no matter where they are - 24/7. People say that I've been "called to ministry". True. But so has Heidi, whose ministry is caring for people dying of cancer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute...so has my friend, Rick, who is a speech pathologist and invests himself in helping mentally retarded adults learn to communicate and swallow well...so are many of my friends who invest themselves wholely in their family as a stay-at-home mother...if you are a follower of Jesus, you've been "called to ministry."

It's an important distinction and it's not just symantics. If you see me as the "called" one, then you pay me to do ministry on your behalf or to you. But if we are all "called" ones, then you will take your investments as seriously as you would expect me to.

There is a special role that I have been appointed to play as a leader. That role comes with a pretty intense accountability from God for how I execute it. We are not all called to leadership with the Body of Christ. But we are all called to ministry...

Don't know how I got there, but...for what it's worth.

Heidi and I are having some friends over for dinner tonight. John and Sue are a couple from the church. I have worked with them (mostly John) on issues and projects related to ministry in the city (Buffalo). They are both passionate about urban ministry - no doubt you'll be hearing more from me about some exciting adventures in church planting, collabrative ministry partnerships, and city transformation in the near future. I'm looking forward to our time with them over dinner.

Peace,

Matt