Our recent paper had this to say about someone chosen to serve our local government:

“The retired Infantry Captain with the Indiana National Guard was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for service in combat in Iraq and received four Meritorious Service Medals, six Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, and was awarded the Order of St.Maurice by the National Infantry Association. Airborne qualified (name) served as company commander in Iraq, responsible for 131 men and $38 million in government property for one year. His background also includes serving as a human resource officer for 700 soldiers and he managed three unit bank accounts.”

That is some commendation and list of commendations!  And I have absolutely no problem with that.

My problem comes when we make a big deal of things in the church. You know…our own pews, our own chairs, name plates on communion trays or offering plates, naming buildings after people. Somehow I have trouble seeing Paul wanting the church addition honored in his name. 🙂

One of the problems the American church has (and probably all really) is believing-or at least practicing-that one person does all the work. The pastor or youth pastor or whomever is looked up to as the Grand Pooh-Pah of all things holy in the local church. Dangerous business if you ask me. It takes more than one or two individuals to make a church “work.” It takes a team.

That is the theme for this Sunday’s message from Galatians 2:1-10. Your church needs YOU!