Alpha and Omega

A questions I am often asked is "What exactly do you do as a lay minister?" Because I was already serving on several committees at church (and still do), my role as a staff lay minister and as a church team member seems a little blurred from time to time, even for me. This might sound odd, but the main difference is how I feel about ministry and how I perceive myself as a minister. That perception becomes very important as I talk with people and listen to what is going on in their lives. As a team member or a committee member, once a meeting is over, I typically lay the materials aside until I need to work on them. Ministry is more difficult to lay aside. Part of the reason is the joy of the work.

This last Sunday, I was privileged to assist in the baptism of a precious little girl. I didn't do much, but being just a little part of that family's big day was absolutely incredible. That afternoon, I preached over at a local nursing home. I have been doing that for a while, and have come to really know and love those folks. My friend Tom brings the music. He is wonderfully talented and dedicates those talents to God. We pretty much sang all of the old songs suitable to Lent and Easter. For the most part, the residents pick the songs and Tom knows how to play most all of the music on his guitar. We are short on hymnals over there, so I shared a hymnal with one of the residents. I don't have a great singing voice, but something about sharing a book and singing together really filled us with an unexpected joy. The Spirit was working mightily in us and as we prayed with the residents after the service, I could tell that each of them had been touched. I certainly was.

The baptism of that little girl and the joy of my friend as we sang together at the nursing home struck me as something beautiful and holy. Something that witnessed the completeness of God in our lives, beginning to end. Something that cannot be and should not be laid aside. Of course, not all of the work I do as a lay minister is as compelling. There are reports to prepare, meetings to attend and generally, my effort to take some of the day to day pressure off of our clergy. But, as I perceive myself as a minister, I am in that relational role with people, sensing their needs, praying with them and for them and counseling as I feel comfortable and qualified. I tell you this; lay ministry is so much more than I expected because of how my self image has changed. It is not so much what I do as a lay minister as it is who I have become. I praise God for that sanctifying work in my life.

Joy!

Bill

"Why would you do that?"

"Why would you do that?" she asked. It was an honest question that deserved an honest answer. I was at a photo studio having a picture done that would be attached to the biographical part of my application for lay ministry. None of my vacation photos would do and my passport photo looked too much like the picture on my driver's license. So, I put on my suit and made an appointment for a proper photograph. When she asked what the photo was for, I told her. Then she asked what I was doing now and I told her that I was an attorney but was moving towards ministry. I could tell that she was perplexed. Why would anyone do that? It took me longer to answer than it should have. I hadn't really thought about the "why" so much as "how". I finally told her that the call to ministry was too strong for me to ignore any longer. That was the best answer I had then, and frankly, I have not since come up with anything better.

Can a person be called into lay ministry? Isn't a calling to ministry only for the ordained? The Apostle Paul did not think so. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10. We are called by our baptism into service according to our gifts. You and I know so very many people who freely and joyfully give of themselves as they do God's work. They feed the hungry, visit the sick and lonely, provide clothes for those that have none and welcome the stranger, just as Jesus said we should. Are these people doing ministry? Of course they are. They are the hands and feet of Christ in this world.

Now here is a good question. If a lay person can do ministry, why go to the work, effort and expense of the training for certification as a lay speaker or a lay minister? For me, the answer was the same as when I went to the extra work to become certified as a legal specialist. If I was going to go to the next level as an attorney, I was going to have to go back to school, take the tests, undergo peer review and go through the procedural hoops. I did that and it made me a better lawyer. In the same way, going through the training, education, application and vetting process for certified lay ministry has made me a better minister. I have a better idea of where to look for resources, how to prepare a worship service, how to talk with people about faith and generally do the work which is assigned to me.

So, what about you? If you are reading this, it might be that you are thinking about your own call to lay ministry. Get in touch. We will have a virtual or real cup of coffee and talk it over.

Joy!

Bill