Take Off Your Bib and Put on Your Apron

A preacher was shaking hands as people went out of church one Sunday, and she reached out to shake the hand of a man who clearly was visiting. As she welcomed him the guy began to explain that they were church shopping. They were actually members of a nearby congregation but were dissatisfied, so they were checking out her church.

That is always an awkward conversation, because there are too many people with no church to be stealing one another’s members. The pastor was noncommittal and said, “Well, what exactly are you looking for in a church?” The man’s response was instant: “The trouble with our old church is that we simply weren’t being fed.”

The pastor responded just as quickly, “Oh?” she said, “Then perhaps that is because you need to take off your bib and put on your apron.”

In case you have forgotten, THAT is what it means to be a member of a church. You are hosts not guests, producers not consumers. You are here to serve not to be served, because, in case you have forgotten, you are the Body of Christ!

There is work to be done that only you can do. You don’t have the luxury of saying “I wish the church would,” because YOU are the church.

Jesus went to the mountain and met with Moses and Elijah. He was reminded of his own calling to be the giver of a new law and the prophetic voice of a new realm.

When Jesus and Peter, James, and John returned to the valley they were immediately confronted by a father whose son needed healing. He complained that he brought the boy to his disciples, but they could do nothing. I always wondered if it was that they couldn’t or wouldn’t.

Oh, I don’t think ANY disciple of Jesus would refuse to help if they could, but when we get so caught up in being fed we forget that our job is to be the ones feeding. We are God’s people so we are life’s hosts not life’s guests. We are the producers of grace, and mercy, and hope, not the consumers.

Oh, yes, we need to be nourished ourselves. Even Jesus went up to the mountain, but he didn’t build a tent to stay there. He gathered with his close friends at the mountain then scattered into the world to serve.

This is the rhythm of the church, and if we neglect either side the Body of Christ is weakened.

by Michael Piazza
Center for Progressive Renewal