Most of us like it when the snow melts and the temperatures rise. We start thinking about outdoor sports, fertilizing the lawn, going fishing, and tuning up the mowers. It is a great time of year for sure.
A Spring Tradition at Faith
At Faith, literally hundreds of men and women from our church family spend this time of the year preparing for the Lafayette Passion Play. They will spend hours and hours preparing the sets, rehearsing their lines, tuning the lights and sound, and hundreds of other tasks associated with a major outreach event like this one. They are not the kind of people who are looking for praise or credit–they just want to honor their resurrected Savior by looking for ways to joyfully and creatively proclaim the message of salvation available because of His shed blood.
If You’re Serving…
If you are one of those persons serving in the Passion Play, on behalf of your church family; thank you. We never want to take faithful servants for granted. We want to be like our God “who is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints” (Hebrews 6:10). Our church could not exist, and it could certainly not be effective, were it not for the great number of people who serve week in and week out in a myriad of ways. It would be unjust for us to take one another for granted.
If Your Friends Are Serving…
You may be someone who serves in other areas of our church ministry, or you may be new and are still looking for your place of service at Faith. How should those of us who are not as directly involved in the Passion Play minister to our friends who are serving? Here are four suggestions:
1. Pray for their efforts.
None of us can serve in every ministry of the church. But when it is someone else’s turn to carry the lion’s share of the load for a particular ministry endeavor, we can show love to our friends by faithfully praying for them. Paul asked the Ephesians to “pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). Why not decide right now that you will spend time every day between now and the Passion Play faithfully praying for those who are serving on the front lines?
2. Encourage them in their work.
Paul instructed the Thessalonians to “encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). If you know someone who is serving in the Passion Play, why not take a minute today to send them an encouraging e-mail or card? Thank them for their work and tell them how much you appreciate them. Part of Living Life Together is learning to be proactive about the matter of encouragement. The Passion Play gives us a wonderful opportunity to develop that skill.
3. Look for ways to lighten their load.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Consider practical ways to lighten the load of those who are serving. Make a meal and bring it to your friend’s house so he/she does not have to cook that evening before going to practice or one of the performances. Offer to provide childcare for servants with small children. Surprise your friend by mowing their lawn or washing their car.
4. Plan to attend the Passion Play and invite those the Lord has placed around you.
Ultimately we serve God because it glorifies Him regardless of the results. However, it is a great encouragement to work on a project like the Passion Play and watch the curtain open to an auditorium full of men and women eager to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Let’s be sure that we are doing everything we can to make the service of our friends worthwhile by faithfully inviting people to attend.
What do you think?
What other ideas come to your mind that would help us build stronger relationships during the Passion Play?
