I can remember when we first arrived as the pastor’s family at Ravenna, there was only a handful of people. In fact, within the first couple weeks it became evident that the Ravenna congregation couldn’t even pay the pastor’s salary.
But instead of crying to the conference for help or making the congregation feel even more guilt than they already had, Dad, in consultation with mom, decided to not take a salary for our first month at this new church.
Long after the fact, Dad will tell you that he remembers this as a time to test the faith, not only of our family, but also of the church. To be honest, we never ate any better. The congregation at Ravenna filled the freezer full, plucked plenty of vegetables from their gardens, and opened their doors to the pastor’s family. We never had it so good.
But it was in those moments, I learned that everything we do represents ministry. That when we say we trust in God, there are people who are watching to see if we really do. Jesus told the disciples and us that we already have the faith to do that ministry which we’ve been called. Our job is to simply get the job done.
If we say that we are Christian, then we have to do what is our duty to do.