I stopped being a church member and I became a church worker.
I gave my life to Jesus 10 years ago. What a time that was in my life. I enjoyed every day of nothing less than 3 hours of prayers and sweet bible study times. In church, I enjoyed the corporate prayers. There was something about them.
I used to sing wholeheartedly when it was time for hymns. I would listen attentively to the preacher, speaking exactly what God had sent him to say to me. I would feel as if the Holy Spirit was seated next to me, even at work...I felt the joy of salvation. How sweet!
What a joy to be born again!
Soon I realized that only the “JJCs” live my kind of life. People graduate from church members to church workers. “Brother, you have been around for some time” I was told. “You cannot continue to sit like a ‘baby in Christ’ during services. Therefore, I joined the work group: Bible Teachers Unit, Transport Unit and Ushering Unit all at once. I started, as they say, “working for God.” I graduated to the next level.
Hence, instead of the sweet hour of prayer that I used to have in my closet with the Lord early on Sunday mornings, I had to start coordinating buses that will convey members to church as early as 5:30 a.m.
Half past 8 was bible study time. I was no longer a student; I had become the teacher, teaching what I never had time to learn, telling the church what I was not very sure God said.
The Bible study ends and the service begin. I would walk up and down the aisle from start to finish. I would count the members present and count how much they gave. Never again did I have time for the things that really count!
Before I knew it, I had lost that inner joy I used to have. The direction and companionship of the Holy Spirit was lost. I wondered what my prayer points were, those days of 3 hours per day. I seemed to have ‘worked for God’ so much that I had lost my grips on God himself. I wish I never graduated from being a church member. Much more, when I realized Jesus warned Martha in the scriptures about this.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:39-42 NKJV
No Christian is too big to do the basics of our lifestyle. You will never outgrow prayer. You will never be experienced so much that you will not need the bible. Do not outgrow listening to God. No activity, not even church activities should take these away. Be a church worker, but never at the expense of being a church member first.
Yes, a joy comes from being engaged in several church activities. There are blessings attached as well, but none of these compare to the joy of salvation. Never lose your hold on that one important thing.
