Have you ever been a part of a team?

How important was it that everyone do their part?

Being a part of a team is a pretty neat thing. It means you have the support of the other members and you support them. It means you belong to something greater than yourself. It means you are important and what you do is important just like it means the other members and what they do is important.

God says you are part of His team, part of His Body, the church. You have His support and the support of the church (the people of God). You also are obligated to the other members of the church, too. In other words, the church isn’t all about you. It’s not about what you get out of it.

Being a Pastor is Weird
Being a pastor, I have a somewhat unique insight into this. I rarely am asked what I got out of a service or whether I liked the message. I don’t get to stay at home because I don’t feel like going this week.

Don’t misunderstand, I’m not complaining. I’m saying being a pastor has reoriented me in regards to church. I more fully understand that my participation in church (services, events, etc.) isn’t just about my enjoyment or growth, but receiving God’s blessings and building up others. This isn’t true just for pastors, though. It’s true for everyone.

We’re All Needed
When we don’t attend a service or participate in an activity or Bible study, we aren’t just missing out for ourselves, we are missing out on blessing and encouraging others. In other words, you may not feel like you need to go, but someone else may really need you there.

After all, we’re a team. In baseball, if the shortstop decides not so show up for a game, the whole team suffers. And it’s not just the obvious players. We may focus on the nine players on the field, but a lot of people have an impact on how a game goes. There are coaches, trainers, ballboys or ballgirls, and even the fans. You may be able to have a game without some of these people, but it won’t be as good and the team won’t play as well.

God gave us the church for our benefit. Whether you are the church’s version of shortstop, a pitcher, a coach, or ballboy, the church needs you. The body needs all its parts, visible or hidden, obvious or obscure, to be fully healthy. Being healthy is good for the church as a whole. It’s good for the other people in the church. It’s good for you.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your church. Thank You for making me part of Your church. Help me to see what gifts You have given me and how I can help encourage others and build up the church. Help me to see the blessing in sharing my life with other Christians and serving them.

Amen.