By Sandy Jones
I was so surprised the first time I heard the old adage “10% of the church does 90% of the work.” That was so many years ago I can’t even remember what the conversation was about, but over the years I’ve seen it proven over and over.
Now please don’t get me wrong – I’ve visited plenty of churches where the averages are much, much higher than that, and that’s probably where you attend.
I’ve often wondered why that is though. Is it time constraints? Is it apathy (someone else will do it)? Or is it, as I suspect, that people don’t feel qualified to answer the call of whatever time/service slot needs to be filled?
I remember all too well the second year I volunteered to work in our church’s children’s Wednesday night program. The sweet lady I was set to assist had a family medical emergency that caused her to resign, effective immediately. I was still learning myself, and felt completely unqualified to step into the teaching role, but there simply were no other volunteers, and so that was exactly what I was needed to do.
I remember going to our pastor and telling him that I needed some guidance, some coaching, materials, something, anything – after all, as I told him, “I could only teach Noah’s ark so many times.” That’s how ill-equipped I felt.
I started in advertising sales in 1996 at the Thrifty Nickel; went to work at the daily paper; and eventually, after a few employment changes, ended up back at TN… just in time for a corporate name change to American Classifieds as their general sales manager.
Having grown up in our family business, I had been in management before and felt that I was well-prepared to lead a team. It wasn’t long before I learned just how much I didn’t know. I had a huge learning curve before me. It was quite nerve-wracking as I had a team of successful sales people depending on me for solid leadership. No pressure, none at all, I say in jest – so I quickly learned why the phrase “never let them see you sweat” was so popular.
Time passed and the great recession of 2007/08 happened, and it hurt the print industry quite badly. So many small independent publications went out of business during that time. And, as the economy was getting caught up, in 2013 my boss and I started Christian Living Magazine. I was there from the very beginning, so when my husband and I bought CLM in March of 2014 I was absolutely positive I knew how to run it as the new publisher. It wasn’t long before I once again learned there was much I didn’t know.
What I did know was that CLM was started to be a sweet little community magazine to “uplift, entertain and enlighten” (our original slogan) the people here in the Treasure Valley, never anticipating that in 10 short years we would be distributing physical copies throughout all of southern Idaho, with mailed and virtual copies being read in more than 150 countries around the world.
In 2019 I started feeling lead to host a radio show. Like so many others, I don’t like my own voice; I think it’s squeaky and high-pitched. I kept telling God, “Nobody wants to hear this voice and I don’t have anything of value to say anyway.” I know beyond a doubt that God is not only full of grace, love and mercy, but He is patient as well, because I told Him this for nearly a year and a half, until He made it so uncomfortable, that I simply had to quit arguing with Him and do whatever it might take to answer His call. Christian Living Spotlight aired for the first time on Saturday, October 3, 2020, with my good friend Boyd Chikatulah as my guest, and we recorded it in my son’s audio studio, because I was afraid to let the folks at the radio station know what a novice I was.
With time we expanded Spotlight to also be a podcast, with each week’s radio show rolling over to all of the major podcast platforms once the show has aired on 94.1 The Voice. Imagine my surprise when I learned last year that our podcast listenership grew by 47%, with Singapore being in our top 5 cities of listeners.
Late in 2021 I realized we were getting calls from people in crisis who don’t go to church, so they don’t have a pastor to call. Once again I found myself ill-equipped to handle a new part of the CLM ministry, and joined the Idaho Chaplains Association and trained to become a chaplain to get the training necessary to assist those God brings our way.
Through all of this I have to admit I was not equipped, or fully equipped anyway, for any of it. Honestly if I’d known way back in 2012 what the calling really was, I would have run away like my hair was on fire – there was no way I had any business doing any of this!
Did that prevent God from calling me to it?
Not in the least.
It’s been more than two decades since that time. Today I’m a publisher, a radio show/podcast host, and a chaplain. Did I know what I was doing when I started any of these positions? No. Not at all.
I know it sounds cliché, but truly, God doesn’t always call the equipped, BUT He DOES equip those He calls.
Please understand I’m not bragging on me, I’m bragging on the Mighty, MIGHTY God we serve.
I started this column with the old adage, 10% of the church does 90% of the work. Why do I think that’s true? Because I believe so many feel they aren’t equipped.
So may I ask? What’s God calling you to do today? He will equip you too, if you’re willing to be obedient to His calling. I know firsthand.
Until next time….
God Bless!
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