The Power of Church Involvement For Spiritual Growth

While reading 12 Ways To Be A Blessing To Your Church, I jumped all over it. My subconscious told me what was more important and what I needed to work on, but I’ll start at the beginning.

When I come to church, the only thing I want the church to do for me is to be my spiritual family and help me grow in the Word. I come to church looking to fellowship with my spiritual family, grow in the Word, and be open to the Holy Spirit to see where I can be a blessing. I’m not looking for a handout, favoritism, etc. I’m there to be a blessing.

I remember talking to someone at my church in Florida who said that people always look up to you—whether you know it or not. I’m also a cheerful giver. I tend to only give monetary gifts or a birthday card, but I’ve never considered that I could bless the pastor on special occasions by doing other things.

When I decided to get involved in the church and stop being a bench warmer, I put my hands on whatever was needed. At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of openings and then saddened by the fact that there were so many openings. Why aren’t we, as Christians, willing to get more involved in the ministry? Why aren’t we willing to help hold up the pastor’s hands? One reason is that we don’t know how much help is needed. We know that help is needed, but we aren’t made aware of where it’s needed.

I remember one time recently when I came to the church early to clean, and when I finished, I went into the sanctuary and began to pray. And I was deep in prayer when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Someone told me that the pastor had set his garbage outside his door and needed to be emptied. Did I tell them to “Wait a minute, let me get this last prayer request in?” Of course not. I jumped up and emptied the garbage. As Kate McVeigh wrote in the book, we must “Be Part of the Solution” and not the problem. There was a problem, and it needed to be solved. And I did it.

One thing that McVeigh addressed that I’m trying hard not to do is to become too familiar with the pastor or anyone in leadership. The Holy Spirit has checked me on that recently. I want to be helpful and more talkative, but I’m realizing that I’m saying things that could be taken out of context or seen as disrespectful. That’s one thing that I do not want to do. I don’t want to give place to the devil and let strife or offense come into play.  

The last thing that the author touched on was being ready for people who are in need. There are times when more qualified people can help. I always hear people say, “Unless you’ve walked in someone else’s shoes, then you don’t know…” and that’s the reason why I always feel like I’m not the person to turn to because I don’t know what they have been through. I may not have personally been in that situation, but I know the word of God and that it can solve any problem. 

Choosing Godly Leaders & Finding Your Fit in Church

The passage tells us to choose our leaders (shepherds) based on their lifestyle. If they are living a godly lifestyle, we must follow and imitate it. In his book Help Me to Fit in My Own Church, T.D. Jakes tells us not to choose them for any other reasons—not due to their church size, charisma, or what they say. The fruit of their lives should be evident.

I remember when I lived in Florida, my former pastor said that if we heard, knew, or even saw that he was cheating on his wife (who was a stronghold in his life previously), we were to leave, not pray for him and stay, but to leave and pray for him. He said that if sin was in the camp, then Satan was also there.  As Mr. Jakes said, “Your pastor should have some positive results from his or her conduct. They might start struggling, but eventually, there should be some fruit.”

Too many people choose a pastor based on everything but their life. I’m fortunate enough to have had the wisdom to choose godly pastors as my shepherds. I have been in churches where I immediately knew I would not fit in. Others took me time to realize that. When I first moved to Memphis, I visited a few churches that I saw on television (some that I saw on television, I just totally ignored. I sometimes get uneasy feelings about those who are in the kingdom. I have a feeling that something is not right, but I can’t put my finger it). 

I was never one for church hopping; seeing the different types of atmospheres within the churches was an eye-opener. But I knew that I couldn’t connect to their vision. It wasn’t much about how the service was run but their vision and what they were doing to further it. One thing that I’ll keep repeating is that I “need the word.” I don’t (and the majority of the body of Christ doesn’t either) have time for playing. I know that God’s kingdom needs to be furthered.  

The second thing I want to touch is having a godly spiritual leader.

The third thing that I want to touch on is the passage in the book that says God must remove our rough edges to help us fit into the church that we are in. God placed me here for a reason, and that’s where I’m to stay and grow. 

I never agree with everything that a pastor says. Will I obey them if they are teaching the word? Yes. Will I follow them if they have a calling from God to do a particular thing and it is according to the word? Of course, I will. There are some things a pastor is doing that I don’t necessarily agree with or think will succeed, but I keep that to myself. But I understand it's not a big deal as long as it doesn’t cause me to compromise my walk with the Lord.

Another thing Mr. Jakes said that stuck with me was: “Get involved. Become contributors of your time, your energies, and your finances. When you serve, God gives you a special grace and anointing. It will never be attained through a tape or a book. It comes from yielding yourself to the work of the Lord.”

I remember when I started volunteering my time to clean up the church while I was looking for a new job. I needed something to occupy my time (there was no need to give the devil room to play), and the blessings started immediately. I don’t think many people realize that when they get busy with God’s business, God will get busy with their business. I was once one of those people, but I’m happy to know that now. My love for the Lord and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is shown through my work in the local church.

In closing, I really enjoyed the book, and Mr. Jakes provided much insight into how I need to fit into my church. 

From Calling to Separation: Lessons from Bob Yandian’s 'You Have A Ministry'

I love the way Mr. Yandian defines calling and separation in his book You Have A Ministry.

A long time ago, I was told by the pastor’s wife that I was to marry a ministry gift (I'm unsure what kind). She said that I needed to start spending time with her so that I could prepare (she, of course, was married to a ministry gift and was willing to share with me what I needed to know). I needed to be separated. So I started attending preparation classes for marriage, but I was so anxious, and when he didn’t come right away (or at least me knowing who it was), I grew weary, gave up, and moved away.

I doubt that the calling can go where I go (out of God’s will), and I’ll always wonder what my life would have been like. That’s why the answer can be yes when asked if we know our calling. But the question should be, are we able to fulfill it? I think most people with a calling are so anxious for it to be fulfilled that they don’t want to wait and prepare for it so that they can serve God’s kingdom to the fullest.  

That may be why the body of Christ is in the shape it is now - we don’t want to wait. How many men have been legitimately called by God to be pastors of churches but decided to go ahead of God and start their own churches? How many women have been married to ministry gifts and left them while they went through seminary school, and now another woman is reaping the benefits? 

I also loved when Bob Yandian said that you are not promoted if God doesn’t promote you. I can’t promote myself, and you can’t promote yourself. Only God can. That’s why whenever something good happens to us, we praise God.  The only thing that man can do for us is have favor on us. I don’t know about anyone else, but God is my increase. 

I loved the way Mr. Yandian defined qualification and faithfulness. Many people seem to think that because they have been to seminary school, are called by God (or their daddy), or have been saved for 30 years, they should be first in line to get a promotion.

I looked at the type of personality that a faithful person has according Bob Yandian I realized that my personality fits that, meek or teachable. I was told that along time ago by the pastor’s wife from my Florida church. She said I’m teachable because I don’t have all of the junk from being in a traditional church. Unlike others in the church, they didn’t have to spend years getting out what someone else had put in. I have a teachable spirit.

When I first started attending church, I was a bench warmer (there’s no need for me to lie), but when people love the Lord, they show it by being faithful, doing things for Him, and spending time with Him. It’s just like when a man likes a woman. He’ll do things for her. Sometimes, it’s for no particular reason at all. He may have seen something, and he knew that she would like it. The point is that she was on his mind. That’s how we should be with God: wanting to spend time with Him. 

Mr. Yandian gave some reasons for not getting into ministry full-time. One reason was that it looked glamorous. One in 10 people in ministry are in it for that reason. But God will deal with those people when the time comes. The point is that those of us in this ministry should be about God’s business. 

Overall, the book opened my eyes to what my calling was. 

Understanding 'Sheeps, Goats, and Wolves' Through the Lens of Christianity

                  

                 I’m proud to say that I’m a sheep.

I really enjoyed Mark T. Barclay's book Sheep, Goats, and Wolves. I read it in about an hour. Mr. Barclay does an excellent job of explaining the types of Christians in the body of Christ and using the analogy of Christians with animals (Jesus did the same thing). It opened my eyes to why people act the way they do and helped me see what category I fell into. But after reading the book, I just realized that most Christians are goats.

When I read the section on the sheep and saw their qualities, I knew I was a blessing to God and my pastor. I always tell people that when I go to church, I want the Word, and I need the Word. Mr. Barclay states, “The less strife, arguing, doctrinal debate, dissension, and turmoil present, the more they (sheep) enjoy. True sheep will turn away from agitated waters even if they thirst.” That is so true. If more Christians focused on God and His word and left everything else in the world (and church) alone, they could receive what God has for them, help hold up their pastor’s hand, and carry out the calling on their life.

When I read the section on goats my eyes were opened to the fact that most Christians are goats. The part that stood out the most to me was when Mr. Barclay stated “so while they (goats) are under your care, milk them as often as you can! Get all the milk you can before they leave.” Wow! Should non committed Christians be used for their money and or talents? I thought about that for a while and realized that while they are under the leadership of someone, they still must behave a certain way because that leader will have to account for what he taught and what he allowed to go on. But I also recognize that the pastor (if called by God) will have a discerning spirit, will know what type of Christian a person is and how to get them to contribute to the kingdom of God. 

The section on wolves raised more questions for me than gave me answers. Are wolves believers or make believers? Are they demons? Why do they seek more to destroy the flock and not the shepherd? Why not just stay in the world and help destroy it? Do most wolves in sheep’s clothing go undetected by the shepherd (but not the sheep) because he wants the church to “grow”? Is salvation possible?

I asked my fellow Christians, and they gave me insight on wolves because I was totally lost. I now know that when I see a wolf, I scream, “Wolf, Wolf.” Before, a wolf may not have devoured me, but I would have watched them devour another sheep because I didn’t know the difference.

The section on watchdogs also made me realize the role of those who protect the shepherd and the sheep from the wolves but not from each other. That made me realize what my role will be. No, I won’t be a watchdog, but I will be a worker in the kingdom and on the front lines of ministry. A watchdog has to have the master’s (and whatever or whoever the master is responsible for) best interest at heart. 

Like Mr. Barclay said, shepherds (pastors) have been on both sides of the aisle. They know what it is to be a sheep and be in leadership. We can never say the pastor doesn’t know what we’re going through. I reread that statement again because I skipped over it the first time. But it’s so true. Many Christians, including myself, feel that pastors are giving unreasonable rules to live by and that they do not know what it like to be single or in a bad financial situation or dealing with all the stuff that goes on in churches. But when I read that statement again, I had to check myself and thank God for the shepherds that He has placed in the kingdom.  

Overall, I loved this book. It opened my eyes to my fellow believers' actions and how we can help and not hinder our pastor and the kingdom of God.

From Rituals to Freedom: Escaping the Church Tradition Trap

I wanted to understand why people choose and stayed with traditional/denominational churches when they knew they were still living like they were never saved.

When I first became saved, I went to an AME church because that’s what my family did, but I didn’t stay long (maybe six months) because I wanted the word and was not getting it there. Even as a babe in Christ, I knew I wasn’t growing and desperately wanted to. I didn’t (and still don’t) understand why it has to take so long for a person to realize that it’s time for a change. 

“There is a big difference between Christianity and 'Churchanity, '” said Apostle AR Williams in his book, My Escape from the Trap of Tradition. “Most of us have only known church and not Christ.” I think that may be the most profound statement in the book and the biggest problem in the body of Christ. Most Christians don’t want to serve Jesus, but instead they want traditions and all the trappings that come along with it. They want to say that they went to church and believe in God to deflect condemnation (from themselves) or perceived judgment from others, but God knows.

I also think that some people see church as a social club. It’s not about God, it’s about them and their fellowship with man. It’s okay to spend time with fellow Christians, but something not right when you go to God's house and ignore Him. It’s bad enough to not even think about Him when away from Him, but when you’re in His presence, and ignoring Him, that’s a slap in the face.

Mr. Williams also said, “People are more denominationally-conscious than they are God-conscious.” I thought back to when I first became a Christian, was looking for a church, and went to the AME church. The pastor took me on a tour of the church and told me about their programs. After seeing how they operated and noticing that tradition and the programs were being sent out and not the word of God, I had to leave. I don’t think a person can serve in a ministry if they don’t understand the word.

Someone once said that God will put you in the church you want to be in. If you want to be in a church where the choir is award winning, then God will find you a church like that. If you want to be in a church with a wonderful child care center, God will put you there, too. I thought, “But what if the word is not going forth? Will God still put you there?” Now, I’m smart enough to be able to answer my question.

Another thing that I noticed was how the church constantly exalts man over God. Does it not hurt God that people are worshiping man over Him? It is one thing when the world does it; they don’t know any better, but we do. 

Embracing The Miracle

In March 2014, I woke up with a heartbeat that was not normal. It would race, return to normal, and then pause. I am a healthy 30-something female, so I knew something was wrong but did not immediately seek medical attention. I told my mother, a nurse, and we discussed what it could be. Maybe potassium deficiency or something like that. 

Though I was worried, I tried my best not to show it to my mother, who did seem to be. 

We went furniture shopping, and though I was trying to act like I was okay, my body was saying, “No, you're not.” I did not even have enough strength to walk to another nearby furniture store. On our way back, my mother asked me which hospital to take me to if I needed to go to one. So, I told her the closest one.

I was out of breath when we returned to her apartment on the third floor. My mother told me to lie down and get some sleep. I climbed into bed and tried to sleep, but I could not because I could feel my heart racing. 

Later that evening, my mother asked me how I felt, and I said the same. She said, “We’re going to the hospital.” We climbed into the car and drove to the nearest hospital. 

I walked in and filled out the form. The reason for my visit? “Heart racing.” 

After signing in at the ER, I was taken to the back to check my blood pressure and heart rate. They asked if I was having chest pain. No. A headache? No. Feeling faint? A little. 

After being there for a while, multiple doctors asked me if I went out and “enjoyed myself.’ Did I go drinking and partying and drugging? Nope. And I was not offended either. Seeing heart problems in young people is expected if they like to live fast so they can die young.

I told my mom where all my money was in case I did not make it. “I have money in my 401k. I have a $10,000 life insurance policy through my job. I have some money in my checking account. I have some money in a Christmas savings account.”

I was admitted to a room in the heart department the following day. I sent my mom away soon after arriving because I wanted to be left alone.

 And as soon as she left, I cried.

I called a co-worker, Gee, who was off, and told her I had just been admitted. Since she is a nurse, she began asking me questions I could not answer. So, she called our co-worker, Fee, who quickly rushed to see me.

I had multiple tests and procedures done, numerous labs were drawn, and many nights of being NPO after midnight (no food by mouth after midnight). I was discharged after five days in the hospital with a prescription to control my heart rhythm.

The medication took some time to get used to. At one point, it had me up for over 24 hours. I woke up Friday morning and did not sleep until Saturday evening. But that was the only side effect. 

I returned to work about a week later, and most people did not know what had happened. I continue my life, except now taking medication twice daily. And I kept all my doctor’s appointments.

From then on, I decided to live my life to the fullest. I was no longer afraid to try new things, go places, and meet new people.

I did not have a home church when this medical problem arose. I moved a lot and visited a few local churches but had not found the right one. I was a Christian. I did not have a church home.

I visited New Christian Life Church in Boynton Beach, Florida, in September 2014 but did not return until January 2015 because of car trouble. Once I got my car fixed, I would attend Sunday service when I was off work. 

I was used to attending church multiple times weekly and wanted to see how the weekly services were. So, I started attending Monday night Bible study and arriving at intercessory prayer every Thursday evening, even though I was not a member. Minister Penn asked me if I was a “friend or a foe.” 

I smiled. “Friend,” I answered. 

I was doing all of this before I even became a member.

I talked to the Lord and thanked him for all the blessings. I knew that God heard my prayers because He sent me confirmation through other people. I would thank Him for letting me find a church home, especially one with good ground to sow seed into, and that very night, Minister Lindsey asked me if I was a member.

I answered no. They asked me if I wanted to join that night, and I did. 

I began changing my eating habits, but it was a prolonged process. I started searching online for suitable foods for the heart (and foods I would eat). So, I started eating more bananas, green beans, walnuts, and heart-healthy cereals. I also started eating more salads, going for dark leafy green lettuce, eating unsalted peanuts, cutting my fast-food intake, and cutting back on red meats like steaks. I even began drinking more water and green tea.

So, I began exercising. I started going to the gym at the apartment complex where I lived, but being in a room on a treadmill was not for me. I needed fresh air. I even tried riding a bike, but it had been so long since I had ridden a bike that I could not keep my balance. So, I started walking once or twice a week for about 30 minutes; then, I increased the number of days I walked and my walking time to at least 45 minutes to an hour.

I began taking the stairs at work, and at first, I would breathe like I had just run a marathon, but then I got to the point where I could go up and down and talk with you.

Then, I started shooting hoops. I started with a goal of twenty per day per week and then increased it by five weekly until I was up to forty hoops. 

I even got some toxic people out of my life or limited my time with them. 

The weight was slowly coming off, but I could not tell by looking at the scale. But other people did notice the weight loss. “Are you losing weight?” turned into “You have lost a lot of weight.” I was losing fat and building muscle. 

It took me a while to realize that the heart is a muscle.

A year later, because I was doing so well, Dr. V., my electrophysiologist, tried to wean me off the medication, but it did not work, and I ended up back in the hospital for another five days. That is when I decided to have the ablation done, but I was also a little afraid and decided to hold off until my vacation later that year.

My fellow intercessory members prayed for me the week before the procedure. I prayed that God would guide the doctor's hands and so forth. Minster Penn prayed the exact words that I had prayed. This was the second time confirmation had been given to me.

I also had the members pray for me at the Monday Night Bible Study the night before the procedure.

My mom and I arrived at the hospital for the ablation at 9:30 a.m. I went to the Admissions department, and they had already sent my paperwork to the Cath lab, so when I got to the Cath lab, they were ready for me. So, I got undressed, gowned, and waited in the prep room. They ask me questions relating to my medical history. They also did a stat pregnancy test. They came back with the results and said that I was not pregnant. So, my mom and I both laughed.

Dr. V and his partner were both there. His partner came in and signed the consent form. He just wanted to see me and wish me well. Dr. V came in and was ready to go since we were ahead of schedule.

Dr. M., the anesthesiologist, came in to talk to me. He told me how long the procedure would take, and he let me know that, even though he would inject me with sedation, I would still be awake if they had to ask me questions. They wheeled me into the room where the procedure would be done. It was cold in there, so they put a lot of warm blankets on me.

Dr. V. came into the sterile room, and they started the procedure. He numbed the site where he would insert the tube, but I felt it, and it was too much pain. I was begging him to stop the procedure. Dr. M. was there and gave me a little sedation, but it was not enough to get me to calm down. I have a low tolerance for pain.

That is why I do not have any children. 

So, Dr. M. put a mask on my face and told me to take a deep breath, and I did. The next thing I remember is waking up and being wheeled back into the prep room.

My mom was sitting there, and I asked her what had happened. She said she had just finished speaking with Dr. V., and he told her he had not done the procedure and wanted me to stop taking medicine. 

“Why?” I asked. She did not know. I then went back to sleep.

When I awoke later, I asked one of the nurses what had happened, and she repeated the same thing my mom said. Then she told me that I was being discharged at 3 p.m. Another nurse came in, and I asked him the same question, and he said the same thing. I wanted to talk to Dr. V, but he would not return phone calls.

The doctor told me to stop taking medicine, take aspirin as needed, not lift anything over five pounds, and not drive for 72 hours.

They told me to leave the bandage on for at least 24 hours and return to the ER if any blood was leaking from underneath where the doctor had made the incision.

The next day, while I was at home, Dr. V called me personally on his cell phone. And this is what he told me. “I tried to get your heart to stop racing, but it wouldn't. It would just go back to normal.”

I thanked him and hung the phone up.

The next day, while at home, I felt my heart beating fast. I checked my pulse and found it to be at one hundred beats per minute. I started to panic. I called my mom and asked if I should take the medicine because I still had leftovers. She said, “No, but if it keeps happening, call the doctor or go to the ER.”

I told my heart that the heartbeat is to remain at 80 beats per minute in the name of Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less. When I took medicine to control my heart rhythm, my heart would beat at 60 beats per minute, which is considered low.

I called Dr. V's office and told them what was going on. The doctor wanted me to come in so that he could put a Holter monitor on me. 

So, I asked, “Now?”

They answered, “Yes.” 

I said, “Okay, I'm on my way.”

When I called, it was 4:30 p.m., and they wanted me to be there before they closed at 5 p.m. So, I dressed and drove there even though I was not supposed to drive for 72 hours.

When I arrived, the assistant put a Holter monitor on me and showed me how to use it: do not touch anything and return in 24 hours. I went home and did as I was told. The next day, when I awoke, I felt fine. My heart rate was in the ’80s. No problems.

I had an anxiety attack. 

It was finally hitting me, and my heart was healed.

Since I was not supposed to drive, I did not attend the church's mid-day Bible study. So, around 1 p.m., I got a phone call from Minister Harris, one of the ladies at the church. They were all there, and I wanted to know how I was doing. So, I gave her my testimony. She put me on speakerphone so everyone could hear me.

And after I spoke those words, I heard everyone in the background cheering. 

My body was healed. 

The following Sunday, I was at church, and when I went before the congregation to become an official member. It was a nerve-racking experience for two reasons. First, I am shy, and I prefer public speaking. And two, I was opening myself and my life to these people.

On December 30th, 2015, I had a doctor’s appointment with Dr. V. When he walked into the room, he asked me if I had lost weight. He then said that my EKG results were beautiful. I told him that I felt terrific. He repeated that I looked like I had lost weight, looked good, and I looked like I had a lot more energy. He then wished me a happy new year. 

God's Plan

Life is unpredictable and filled with twists and turns. We all have plans for our future and dreams for what we hope to achieve and do. But what happens when those plans don't come to fruition? When the road we thought we were on takes a detour, we never would have anticipated? It can be tempting to feel lost and without purpose.

However, we can take comfort in knowing that even when our plans don't work out, there is a greater plan at work. The Lord's counsel will always stand. We may not know how our current circumstances will fit into the bigger picture, but we can trust that they will.

Ultimately, it's not our plans that matter but rather our willingness to submit to His will for our lives.