Crowd. Sourced?

Well, it’s about 2:00 in the morning here in the Bronx as I record these thoughts.

I was privileged to be in attendance at the banquet commemorating the 50^th anniversary of Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene. There were wonderful moments in the evening—great music, great worship arts, great speakers, and the spirit of joy that is characteristic of the atmosphere generated when Bronx Bethany members, friends, and allies are together. But, sadly, there were moments that were not so wonderful. As the evening progressed, one of our members became ill and had to be taken by ambulance to a local hospital. And we were caught off-guard by the challenges of the venue, which did not have sufficient resources to manage table service. Some tables were fed promptly, while others waited a very long time for their main course to arrive.

Though I work very hard to focus on the positive aspects of any given situation, God is teaching me a hard lesson from the two negative things I mentioned above. My lesson is still in process, and because I’m “in-process” this lengthy post is actually incomplete—but I want to share what the Spirit of God has put on my heart thus far.

The first lesson was the lesson of the sick guest. When she became ill, it quickly became apparent that there were several people in attendance who were qualified to assist her. Bronx Bethany’s nurses and doctors, emergency service personnel, and other medical professionals were quick to give aid. In the midst of this crisis of health, several of us prayed.

The second lesson was the lesson of the under-resourced staff at the venue. In the midst of laughter, picture-taking, and celebration, people were hungry. We pondered the strange reality of a food service venue that found itself so challenged in its effort to serve food. In the midst of this crisis of service, the few who prayed were outnumbered by the several who critiqued.

And as I’ve been thinking of these lessons, the Lord has been speaking to my heart. He says to me, “You keep praying for things to happen—healing, revival, provision, salvation—but are you really equipped to handle the flood that will come through your doors? Do you really have the spiritual resources that are necessary to feed My people, to bring healing to the sick, and to maintain an atmosphere of worship and praise even when things seem to be out of order? Are you really ready for Me to sweep through this place?”

Well, I am not ready. Just as I didn’t have the training needed to help the woman who became ill, and just as I didn’t have the skills needed to help with food service management, I don’t have what it takes to handle all that God is sending to Bronx Bethany. I know we have carved out more space on 227^th Street as a means of meeting more needs. But I also know, deep in my own heart, that I’m not cut out for the task.

During the banquet, the Governor-General of Jamaica spoke about the importance of having more volunteers lend their aid to the work of ministry. What does volunteering look like for those of us who, though wanting to help, are convinced of our own frailty and convicted by our own inadequacy? It looks like this: me, and you, and all who claim Jesus as their Lord, on our knees, crying out for the Spirit of the Living God to teach us all that is necessary to love one another as Christ Jesus has loved us. And God, who we confess as Faithful, will be faithful to His word. He still says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3, New King James Version) He will help us to know His ways, and to do His will, and to be used by Him in bringing about the things that the world will call amazing.

But I wonder: what will we do when our own crisis moment comes? Will we be able to respond in a strength of training and equipping granted by God, and developed over time? Or will we be caught short-handed and underprepared?

Are we really ready for the next wave of ministry at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene?

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35, New International Version)

Let us pray.

Spirit of Christ, be our Immanuel, God in us, though we falter and fail. Draw us in to the life of prayer and patient waiting as You do Your work in us. Give us the boldness that only comes when we have submitted all we are, and all we own, to You. Teach us. Train us. Equip us. We want to be ready to serve at all times. Please help us, Lord Jesus. Amen.