A small part of something big

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received regarding church life was:

“You have a choice.  You can either be a big part of something small, or a small part of something big”

Human nature wants us to be in the limelight.  We want to be on stage, preaching, leading worship, prophesying to a congregation.  A lot of the time we go about this by starting our “Own Ministry” (big part of something small) only to find our reach is not what we were hoping for.  We then get discouraged because our dreams are not lining up with reality.

The local church is where we need to be pouring our time as it has a much greater chance of affecting peoples lives than we do alone.

The church needs us attending connect groups, prayer meetings, men’s events, helping in the kids area, greeting people, taking an interest in people,  visiting  people in hospital ….

In the Journey we teach this concept through the building of an arch out of cinder blocks.  The arch does not stand unless every brick is playing it’s part.  Not every brick can be a keystone, but every brick has a part to play.  Without every cinder block bearing some of the load the arch does not stand.

Paul taught this concept to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15-20

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

If you are not involved at your local church now is the time to start.  Let’s all be a small part of something big.

Dave Hastings