Too Much on Your Plate?

Do You Have Too Much on Your Plate?

I’m not sure where this English idiom originated but it expresses the feeling when we have just too much to do or to worry about at a point in time.

Doreen and I recently ate at a Toby Carvery where you can select from various meats, add a large Yorkshire pudding, and then help yourself to as much (or as little) vegetables including roast potatoes, carrots, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, mashed potato, etc.  It is tempting to take too much, and Doreen has a smaller appetite, but I think I judges it right, and we very nearly cleared our plates.

After a while a young couple with a baby joined us at the next table.  While she sat with the baby, he went off and returned with two plates of Sunday roast piled high.  I was not surprised to note, when they had finished eating, that they had left uneaten more than half the food on the plates.

As I looked at this terrible waste of food I found myself wondering whether what I was seeing was a metaphor for my life.  It might be true that my workload has been large, but I have been comfortable with it, having a good appetite for Christian work of all kinds.  More recently, I am trying to be careful about what I take on, and have started laying down various ministries so that I can focus the largest part of my time on promoting appropriate and effective strategies for rural evangelism.  I am sure that you are familiar with the adage, “Do less but do it better”.

By putting too much on their plates, the young couple were putting their health at risk and contributing to a scandalous waste disposal problem and global food shortage!  It really does matter how much we have on our plate.

It has been my privilege to exercise a range of ministries throughout my life.  My original calling was to evangelism.  But the organisation I worked in while still a teenager also needed someone to look after the accounts.  Because I was good at maths and English at school, I was soon spending a large amount of my time doing administration.  Then a need for someone to do pastoral ministry and Bible teaching developed and I was delighted to respond.  To all of these and other ministries was visionary leadership.  I don’t regret any of the roles I have filled, and have enjoyed the enriching experiences that have come my way.  Most of these ministries (possibly all) I continue to exercise from time to time.

I notice from scripture that the apostle Paul commences ministry as a new Christian by engaging in evangelism.  To this is added Bible teaching.  He is then listed among “prophets and teachers” at his church at Syrian Antioch, and ultimately is defined as an apostle.  Such development in his life, and in mine, is not about advancement or promotion.  It is about growth and new ways of service for which God equips all Christians.  It is not normal for a Christian not to have some engagement in ministry (though most churches are appalling at helping their members identify this).  It also seems to me that it is not normal for there to be no further development in the ministries to which God calls us.

But we all would be wise to check occasionally as to what we have on our plate.  It could be too much or it could be too cluttered, or it might not be enough!  I remember one Bible School lecturer who several timed declined the invitation to become principal of the college.  He did so because he was convinced that what God had gifted him to do and called him to do would be inhibited if he assumed the role of principal.

At a recent meeting of the trustees of Rural Mission Solutions, the trustees discussed the activities in which the staff members are engaged.  They urged us to focus on a few activities and also to seek to do them really well.  In my situation, we considered the growing ministry of providing advice and guidance for rural mission using technology and the internet.  We started with online seminars (webinars) to which we added follow through online forums for discussing the webinar topics.  To this we have now added videos available on a YouTube Channel, where anyone in the world can see them at any time.  To help make these more easily accessible, we have made some changes to our website so that people can easily find the webinar topics and all the free handouts. The latest venture in this programme is turning material I have used for church away-days into short linked videos.

But some of the early stages need improving so we are exhorted not to run before we can walk!  The other issue is that additional activities have to take up space ‘on the plate’ so it might be necessary to consider leaving something else ‘off the plate’.

Similarly, in looking at the various tasks confronting my new colleague, Katrina, the trustees recommend focusing on just two main tasks and I will be working with her to get both of these up and running over the next few weeks.  As she is only part-time with us we don’t want her to have too much on her plate.

I wonder whether you know someone, perhaps in your church, who has too much on his or her plate.  Sometimes this is because it makes us feel important.  Sometimes it’s because we do not know how or what to delegate.  Sometimes it’s because others do not offer assistance.  I once heard a pastor of a church describing that kind of situation like a football match where 22 men are intensely busy for 90 minutes, while several thousand idle people watch from the side lines shouting either advice or abuse.

While the last thing I would want to do would be to imply that the reader is like such a match spectator, I would be interested in hearing from anyone (young or old) who does not have too much on their plate and has a little room for more.  In Rural Mission Solutions we are looking for people with a heart for rural mission who might be willing to offer some time to help us fulfil the vision.  For example, a Christian who has recently retired but would like to use some time in Christian service might be just the right person to meet a need we have.  If you think you might be able to give some time, please get in touch to start a conversation.  You can email me at barry@ruralmissions.org.uk or phone 07720 322 213.

From the Diary

Give thanks for a good CTE Enabling Group residential.  My shared presentation seemed to be well received.  I was given a card and ovation thanking me for my past service (very nice!).

Thursday 6^th – Editorial Meeting for Country Way (I have some copies of past issues of this splendid magazine and will send you a copy if you would like to see one).

Saturday  8^th – East Midlands Area Executive meeting for the Congregational Federation.

Sunday 9^th – morning at Clarendon Park Congregational Church, Leicester; afternoon taking part in a thanksgiving service celebrating past blessings for a church at Little Irchester, near Wellingborough, Northants. The nature of the community around Little Irchester has changed and we cannot see a viable future for the current church so this is the final service.

Tuesday 11^th – HMP Gartree

Wednesday 12^th – Online Conversation on Contemporary Issues for Rural Evangelism for Rural Evangelism Network.

Saturday 15^th – sharing in the Germinate Rural Conference in Coventry.

Thank you for your fellowship.

Barry

From a seed to a harvest

"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24 NIV)
 

The words quoted above were spoken by Jesus regarding his own impending death, and we are part of that great harvest.  But Jesus went on to speak of those who would follow him and the importance of self denial.  It seems to me that these words also have relevance as we come to terms with the home-call of my friend and colleague for 40 years - Monica Cook who went to be with Jesus last Sunday.

Monica's journey of faith started in her childhood  Her early life was spent as a Primary School teacher both in the UK and in Australia.  It was a job she loved and she was good at it.  Then, towards the end of her 20's Monica began to fee that God was wanting more from her.  But letting go would not have come easily.

She enrolled in what was then the Birmingham Bible Institute. Any of her contemporaries reading this will know that this also brought a challenge to faith and Christian commitment.  It was here that I first met Monica Cook.  I was a visiting speaker presenting the challenge of rural mission within the UK.  After the presentation she asked, "What opportunities does your organisation have for women in Christian service?".  My feeble answer was, "We are able to fit them in".  Monica later recalled thinking, "That's the last organisation I would want to be in; I dont want to be just 'fitted in'"

When we learn to die to self, though that is often painful, we discover great things.  Within a year Monica had enrolled onto a training programme I was running at the time.  Seeing her potential I encouraged that she be invited onto the staff of our evangelistic team.  For the next 13 years she took part in evangelistic missions, taught  on our training programme, set up children's clubs to follow up the missions and produced material to nurture new young followers of Jesus. In 1988 there was another challenge to self.  Doreen and I had left that organisation and were looking to place greater emphasis on enabling rural churches to become truly missional in character. Monica took the bold step to join us though we had no resources to be able to pay her.

In 1995 we agreed she should go to Kenya following a visit I had made.  I asked her to focus on the village of Obambo.  She came back to the UK fired up with a vision.  What she has since achieved in that place is amazing as she proved herself to be an effective 21st Century missionary.  Other invitations from around the world started to come in and in 2002 Sunrise Ministries granted her autonomy to go wherever she felt God calling her.  That has taken her t,around the world including countries in Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand and Australia.  Wherever she has gone she has shared the gospel with children and adults alike.  She has provided training for children's workers and so much more.  And along the way hundreds of children have become followers of Jesus.  As they grew up she often found herself teaching and reaching their children.  One seed that fell into the ground has produced an amazing harvest.

Self-denial and sacrifice did not always come easily.  Monica liked certain creature comforts.  But she happily gave these up to travel rough roads in developing countries, to run the gauntlet of armed gangs and secret police, to eat strange food and survive when sometimes hygiene was barely basic.  None of this came naturally to her.  To all of this some might add she took on the challenge of working with me for forty years!  But she did it all - and did it gladly - because she knew that self had to die for the fullness of the blessing of the Lord to be realised.

Now Sunrise Ministries is looking at ways in which the harvest time of her life might continue.  The harvest from her life produces seed that themselves have been leading to more harvests.  We value your prayers  as we seek God's guidance.  Firstly, we are committed to encouraging those who have been supporting the work in Obambo to continue faithfully  The future of the children in this remote Kenyan village are in our hands.  This will be managed by a separate organisation that Monica set up with others called "Friends of Obambo".

Then we are also considering whether Sunrise Ministries could appoint someone to take on Monica's role within the UK.  This is a ministry of evangelism but also helping rural churches and others to develop appropriate, effective and self-sustainable programmes of mission to and with children. Is there, I wonder, someone who is the fruit of Monica's ministry who will answer this call?  We need prayer for guidance please.

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Other Matters for Praise & Prayer

We have closed down the office in Battle where Monica was based.  All her email communications have been routed to the office at Market Harborough.  The past week has been extremely busy and I have sought to be helpful and supportive to those in Battle and the surrounding area.  Getting communications out and sorting out administration has been demanding.  Doreen and I value your prayers as we deal with these matters.

Please pray for Monica's brother Michael and for Pauline.  Pray too for Monica's sister, Jean and her family.  Remember all who will gather for the funeral on Friday 3rd July at Loddon and for people around the world who will meet or pray at the same time (14.00BST; 13.00GMT).  Especially our friends in Obambo.  I have been asked to speak about Monica at the service.

Pray for the trustees of Sunrise Ministries as we seek God's guidance, and for Clive Mills and the committee of Friends of Obambo.  Pray also for her many friends who will miss her including those at her church in Battle, East Sussex.

Give thanks for a Christian friend who has provided some space for Monica's files, publications and other material from her office.

Pray as we continue the programme of Rural Mission Webinars over the coming weeks.  The schedule will be appearing on our website.

Over the next few weeks I expect to be working with one church in Kent with an Away Day looking at friendship evangelism, and another church in Kent helping them with constitutional matters.  I also have a church in Norfolk that I have to visit for a mission consultation and several requests for resources.

In addition to this I have my regular responsibilities with ministry at Yelvertoft Congregational Church on the next two Sundays and on Thursday before setting off for Loddon.  I will be in HMP Gartree on Tuesday.

I am very grateful for those who have emailed or phoned to assure me of their prayers for me at this time of bereavement.  That has meant a great deal.  Thank you.

Yours gladly in His service,

Barry

What is a living sacrifice?

As I look back over the many years of Christian ministry I have experienced I am thankful for many wonderful influences in my life.  As far a I can remember we used to get two Sunday School prizes each year: one at Christmas and a special one at our annual big anniversary celebration.  The prizes I received were all books about pioneer missionaries and I still have many of them on my bookshelves today.  These were not only inspiring stories; they were also role models.

A Christian school teacher brought to my attention the work of the Mission Aviation Fellowship at a time when the slaughter of five missionaries in the Amazon Basin hit the national news.  Their dedication and costly service was a challenge, and I was greatly moved by the words written in the Bible of one of them, Jim Elliuot.  It read  "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

It was therefore not surprising that on Easter Saturday 1963 I struggled to sing the hymn "When I survey the wondrous cross". I had just listened to a talk based on the gracious words of Jesus on the cross, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do".  I was already a Christian but that was the evening that I realised that Jesus suffered on the cross not just so that I could be forgiven, but also because he loved me.

I knew well the words of that hymn and I knew that I dared not sing the final verse unless I was sure that with God's help I could mean every word.  I prayed as I sang my way through three verses and then sang with all my heart, "Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all." From that moment I knew that God had the prior claim on my life.

In Romans 12 verse 1 we read, "Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - which is your true and proper worship" (NIVUK).  The NT Greek translated "true and proper worship" is logikos latreia. Logikos  translates as that which is reasonable or logical.  Of the four occasions in which latreia appears in the New Testament, the NIV twice translates it as worship and twice as service.  It is our engagement in service for God that is the offering we give in an act of worship.

But a study of the Old Testament reveals that sacrifices made to God always had to be the best.  If it was not costly then there was no genuine gift to God.  It also has to be made willingly.  The previous chapters of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome set out the wonder of salvation through the generosity of God, and how this message of salvation and eternal life is for all people, Jew and Gentile.  Chapter twelve begins with the word, "Therefore..." It is in the light of all that God has done for us and our salvation that to offer our bodies to him in service is the logical and reasonable response.

But Paul was not a mere theorist when it comes to theology; he was also a practitioner.  This is the man who endured horrendous things for the sake of spreading the gospel, who though he knew violence and death were ahead of him pressed on, not counting his life as precious to himself; this was the man who said he would gladly spend everything he had and allow his very self to be expended for the sake of the faith of others. (See 2Cor 11:24-28; Acts 20:24; 2 Cor 12:15)

Romans 12:1 also tells us that the sacrifice has to be holy.  That means set apart or separated to God.

When I began this posting some ten days ago I was reflecting on some of the challenges that face Christian leaders these days in their dealings with others.  These days employment law is such that for a manager to admonish a subordinate could carry risks of being sued if not done sensibly.  Raising your voice or speaking too firmly could bring a claim of constructive dismissal.  The same is true if you fail to give opportunity for advancement to someone judged to be lazy.  It's a crazy world.  And the situation is not that dissimilar in the realm of voluntary service.

Sadly some in Christian work resent it if asked to work extra hours or to tackle a difficult task.  Of course, those in leadership should act responsibly and never take advantage of others.  However, I fear that both Paul and Jesus might have been in trouble with the Human Resources Departments regarding what they expected of others.

Discipleship is not a 37.5 hours per week commitment; it is absolute.  And the needs of this world cry out for those who will give full commitment.  How can we pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as in heaven" and then hold back our gift so that we can spend it unnecessarily on things for self!

At the same time those in leadership should recognise the precious trust given to them and remember that in the kingdom of God there are no lords over others.

In Leviticus 1: 1-13 we read how a burnt offering was to be made.  Each separate part of what was offered  had to be washed and placed separately on the altar. No doubt this is what inspired Frances Havergal's hymn, "Take my life, and let it be consecrated Lord to thee"  Each succeeding verse expresses that sense of all our being offered to God.  Some hymns are hard to sing if we want to be sincere.

From the diary

• An appointment with my doctor has diagnosed a form of sciatica and tests are being carried out to try to find the cause.  Some mornings I have experienced almost unbearable pain.  Special neuropathic painkillers seem to be helping but have a side effect of making me feel tired!
• Our three villages and eight churches united Songs of Praise and picnic on 20th July was held under Hope in our Villages and proved a great blessing and a good witness.
• A talk on my ministry in prison given to a branch of the Mothers' Union was well received and also gave an opportunity to talk about the excellent work of Futures Unlocked.  One of our church members is a mentor with this organisation.
• A Rural Support Meeting for a network of church leaders in parts of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland was very encouraging with some wonderful stories shared.  These local networks are easy to arrange so if there isn't one in your area do please contact me as I will be happy to provide guidance to assist you.
• Sunday 3rd August, Yelvertoft Congregational Church
• Monday 4th to Friday 8th August, Holiday at Home outreach in Market Harborough.  This is an annual event set up by the local Methodist Minister and former Associate Evangelist in Mission for Christ, Brian Kennard.  People from various churches help to put together a great programme each morning.
• Monday 4th August.  Instead of being at Holiday at Home I will be taking a funeral service for someone from Yelvertoft.  Please pray that God's word will find a resting place.
• Monday 4th August - Special WW1 Commemoration Service in the village.
• Thursday 7th August.  Once more I shall be absent from Holiday at Home on important business.
• Saturday 9th August.  Prayer Walking in Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
• Sunday 10th August.  Yelvertoft Congregational Church in the morning and Newton URC in the evening.

Your prayers for these activities will be appreciated but please also pray as I reflect of my own offering of service to the Lord.  Pray that I might be all that God would want me to be and do all he would want me to do.  I pray the same for you, with thanksgiving for your love and friendship.

Barry