We spoke today for a small group of older ladies who meet once a month for lunch and to enjoy each other's company. Marty and I were there to explain our program and tell some stories about what we're planning for the next year. The end of our program was an invitation (and in some ways a challenge) for these members to get involved with us somehow, through things like prayer support and caring for the staff team, all the way up to teaching small groups and chaperoning events.
After that, we asked our audience for comments. The very first one was "This group meets once a month and another group meets every Tuesday, and we always have lunch. Come to them! If you get to know us and we get to know you, we'll know how we can help you."
When I first arrived in St. Louis, our consultants told us not to worry about putting lots of program and structure into place right away. They reminded me to spend a lot of time getting to know the students and building relationships with them first. It made total sense to me. I can't just ask kids to do what I want them to without developing a level of trust with them.
At the same time, I complain a lot about adults not stepping up to the plate. They're adults, after all-- more mature, stronger in the faith, more decisive. Aren't they?
How did I miss it? To get adults onboard in the ministry, I need to spend whatever time it takes building relationships with them too!
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